Tips for getting your rhythm back
Good morning!
I hope you are keeping warm (or cool if you are in the northern hemisphere). Melbourne has been bitterly cold this week and if I could hibernate I think I would. But of course hibernating is not a possibility but with a variety of things going on at home and having to adjust my usual morning exercise routine I recently needed to make a dedicated effort to help get rhythm back to my days. I have heard from many of you who are feeling the same so thought I would share some of the things that have worked for me.
Acknowledge and accept
Part of my being out of rhythm was due to circumstances outside of my control but there was also part of me that was just a bit “blah” about it all. I needed to be honest with myself about that, acknowledge it and accept it. The key here is not to dwell on it and give yourself a hard time for not being as productive as you usually are. It is not possible to be always on, so accepting that and deciding to make a change is important.
Go hard on scheduling
The beauty of having a rhythm to your days is that it makes it feel like they just flow. You move from one task or activitiy to another and you have a clear vision for how your day will be and what your output will be. Sometimes to get that rhythm back you need to force it a little at the start.
When I changed my morning exercise routine, I typed up what it looked like in a spreadsheet plus the activities immediately before and after it and crossed them off as I went. I prepared this the night before so I didn’t have to do anything in the morning where this could lead to over thinking or procrastination.
For work and home activities I took the additional step of planning out my three key tasks for home and work for each day, Monday through to Friday. This means when it is time to start work I can just look at the list and get going. No having to think about it, no need to procrastinate over tasks - I can just take action. You can see an example of what this looks likes here - Why paper to do lists work for me.
Recognise the work
For those of you familiar with the habit loop, for behaviours to stick and become part of what we do, there needs to be some sort of reward for them to turn into habits. Charles Duhigg author of The Power of Habit – Why we do what we do and how to change by Charles Duhigg describes The Habit Loop as:
This process within our brains is a three-step loop. First there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use. Then there is the routine, which can be physical, mental or emotional. Finally, there is the reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future.
So at the end of the day, I cross the items completed off my list and I reflect on the other tasks I have completed also. This is important so we can get a boost from our successes across the day. We will often leave the day thinking about what we didn’t do so by adding a step in at the end of the day to recognise your successes it will set you up for a more positive day the next day and act as the reward step in the habit loop:
When we experience even small amounts of success, our brains release dopamine, which is connected to feelings of pleasure, learning and motivation. When we feel the effects of dopamine, we’re eager to repeat the actions that resulted in that success in the first place. Neuroscientists refer to this as “self-directed learning.” {Source}
Over the last two weeks since I have been focusing on these steps, I have been so much more productive and feel like I am getting some rhythm back to my days. It is important to note that doing this for just one day won’t work, you need to stick at it for a couple of weeks and then it will come. Good luck with it!
Have a great rest of the week.
Nic
Adapt Drinks Sample Pack
If you are a subscriber to my Adapt Drinks newsletter you would have seen this news yesterday! With the launch of the new lemon myrtle flavour many contacted me to ask if there is a way to sample the Adapt Drinks Relax before buying the 12 pack carton. Up until now, there hasn't been but on the weekend just passed I found a few hours (with the rain pouring down outside!) to sit down and make up some four packs, two of each flavour as sample packs.
There are a limited number of packs and as lovely subscribers, to this newsletter you have the second opportunity to purchase the sample packs (Adapt Drinks Newsletter subscribers were first). Click here to place your order but be quick as tomorrow (Thursday) I will be sharing this limited offer on Instagram.
And here are some behind the scenes photos of putting the packs together for you! As I was packing the boxes I had one of the kids take a video of me doing it which I will share on Instagram later this week. Our beautiful dog (Pocket - she is an airedale terrier) doesn't cope well with thunder and kept scurrying around making this task a little challenging.
Then later as I was taking some photos to share on social media, our daughter's recently acquired kitten, Theodore, wanted to see what all the fuss was about! He was persistent with his interest and had to be taken to another room.
Thanks so much for your support with Adapt Drinks and if you haven't tasted either flavours yet, take advantage of the sample packs on offer for a limited time and you can see what all the fuss is about too! Click here to have your sample pack delivered to your door!