For me, everything is about finding balance in your routine. “The Routine that you are able to maintain is the routine that works for you”. In order to get what you need done, you have to prepare your body and mind for the day ahead.
Developing your routine
During my last job, I was getting up at 5.00 am each morning. Decide on the time you are going to wake up each morning as part of your routine. Avoid checking any messages or emails first thing in the morning, or anything that may put negative thoughts in your head your, focus on the task at hand.
My very first task each morning was exercise followed by a shower and then breakfast. I then did a few hours studying and working on my business and personal development, before leaving home at 8.00 am to get to work at 9.00 am. Work out what your routine will be, below is an example of my routine.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
Light exercise for 30 mins which include:
Walking
Running
Stretching
Crunches
Press-ups
Walking warm down
Shower then breakfast
Work on projects before going to work
Tuesdays, Thursdays
Walking for 30 mins
Shower then breakfast
Work on projects before going to work
I work from a paper-based timetable to plan my week and my weekend. I finished work at 5.00 pm and was generally getting home between 6.00 and 7.00 pm. The only thing I generally did in the evenings with regards to work, was organise my information to work on my projects for the following morning. I didn’t push myself to get things done in the evenings as I was too tired and needed to rest. As human beings we have to remember that we are biological and non-logical, so we have to take care of our emotional well-being.
Below is an example of my routine that I followed for the weekend.
Saturdays, Sundays
Walking for 30 mins
Shower then breakfast
I would study from 5.00 am to approx. 12.00 pm so that I would have the rest of the day for anything else that needs to get done.
NEXT STEPS
Prepare your body and mind for each day
Have a look at your weekly routine and examine if it works for you
Does your routine allow you to do the things you need to get done?
Great blog post!! I’ve been working on getting up earlier for studying too, this has helped motivate me to Stick with the routine and build the habit. Thanks for sharing.