It’s already November and if you’re like me, you’re wondering how the heck we got here so quickly! As I look at my calendar and start thinking about a busy holiday season ahead, it’s time for me to remember to take care of myself. Here are 20 habits to establish (or re-establish) before the next busy season. Choose one or two to try today!
1 – SPEND SOME TIME ALONE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
It doesn’t have to be a lot of time. But taking a few minutes to be alone with your thoughts helps you to focus on your own needs.
2 – MAKE A DAILY TO-DO LIST, BUT SET PRIORITIES.
Keep a list of what you have to do, what you need to do, and what you would like to do. Delegate whatever you can and eliminate or postpone unnecessary tasks, especially during busy weeks.
3 – SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVES.
Read positive quotes (follow me on Instagram for weekly positive thoughts). Make a gratitude list every day. Be thankful for every member of your family, focusing on one thing you love about each person. Try to genuinely compliment at least three people every day. Look for ways to add positivity to your life.
4 – DO ALL OF YOUR “THINKING WORK” TEACHING TASKS DONE AS EARLY IN THE DAY AS POSSIBLE.
This is when your brain is the most fresh, before you get caught up in all the other smaller, administrative tasks you need to do.
5 – COMPLETE THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST BEFORE YOU CHECK EMAIL.
Once you check email, you will focus more on other people’s needs and requests rather than doing what you have deemed most important to do during this time.
6 – DRINK HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT IN OUNCES OF WATER EVERY DAY.
Staying hydrated helps every single part of your body work better!
7 – FIND AN EATING PLAN THAT WORKS FOR YOU.
It might be keto or paleo or gluten-free or higher carb. What works for me? Intermittent fasting (read more HERE or read my favorite book about how to get started HERE) and limiting processed food. You will need to experiment to see what your body responds to and what you feel best doing.
8 – SET SOME HEALTHY EATING GOALS FOR YOURSELF.
Instead of focusing on all the things you want to remove from your diet, think about what you could add instead. For example:
*eat 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
*add flaxseed or chia seeds to your diet
*drink a green smoothie every day
*add collagen peptides to your smoothie
*drink 1-2 cups of hot tea daily
9 – FIND A WORKOUT PLAN THAT WORKS FOR YOU.
This doesn’t have to mean joining a gym. You can stream workouts at home (try Beachbody on Demand), find workouts you enjoy on youtube, or use workout DVD’s.
10 – DO THREE YOGA POSES EVERY DAY.
This book will give you everything you need to get started. Also check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube HERE. My favorite three poses are: warrior pose (in the morning), legs up the wall pose (in the afternoon, when I get home from work), and corpse pose (before bed).
11 – TAKE A BRIEF WALK OUTSIDE EVERY DAY.
It might be on a break at school (I know it’s hard to find breaks), it might be with your dog, or it might be before or after school. But try to find a few minutes to get outside and move around.
12 – LEAVE SCHOOL EITHER EARLY OR ON TIME AT LEAST TWO DAYS A WEEK.
Use that time to do things that you enjoy.
13 – TAKE A BATH OR SHOWER WHEN YOU GET HOME FROM WORK.
This helps you to figuratively wash away the stress of the day (while literally washing away the school germs!). It also helps you transition to a more relaxing afternoon and evening. During the colder months, I usually go ahead and put on cozy pajamas or comfy pants afterward!
14 – READ SOMETHING YOU ENJOY & HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR WORK.
Keep a book or magazine handy and read whenever you can find some time. Some of my favorite authors: ELIN
*Elin Hilderbrand
*Karen White
*Beatriz Williams
*Mary Higgins Clark
*Nancy Thayer
15 – SET A BEDTIME FOR YOURSELF & STICK TO IT.
Think about how many hours of sleep you really need (probably seven or eight hours) and determine your ideal bedtime. Start the bedtime wind-down routine at least half an hour in advance.
16 – CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING PAMPERING FOR YOURSELF ONCE A MONTH.
Get a massage, treat yourself to a facial, get a manicure or pedicure, or both! Do something that makes you feel good about yourself.
17 – MAKE TIME FOR SOME HOBBY THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.
It might be participating in a choir, creating some kind of art, a needlepoint or cross-stitch project, cooking or baking, playing a musical instrument, writing, or reading. Think about when you can make time for your hobby and stick to that time frame as often as possible!
18 – PLAN SOME DELICIOUS AND EASY-TO-PREPARE MENUS FOR UPCOMING WEEKS.
Get ahead by planning menus for a week so that you can pull these out during busier times. Two of my recent favorite blogs with great menu suggestions: Rabbit Lair & Stone Gable.
19 – SET SOME GOALS FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS.
We often set big yearly goals, which is good. But sometimes very little progress is made toward those goals because the “end date” is a year away and we think we have more time. Try breaking those big yearly goals down into smaller goals that can be completed within 90 days.
When I do this, I find that I’m more realistic about what I can actually do in the time available. For example: if my big yearly goal is to organize all my closets, my 90-day goal might be to organize two closets. When I get to the end of the year, even if I didn’t get to all the closets, I can still feel productive and accomplished for organizing several closets.
20 – PLAN SOMETHING YOU LOOK FORWARD TO DOING.
It might be spending an evening out with friends, a weekend away, a dinner party, a family event. Plan whatever makes you feel happy and enthusiastic and hopeful about the future.
What are your go-to self-care tips for especially busy times! I’d love to hear them!