Finding a rhythm
In a world where days start early, nights stretch long, and every moment seems to be filled with un-ending to do lists, how do you find a sustainable rhythm?
Routines and rituals can give us some semblance of control and provide a way of grounding us when things are constantly changing.
Sometimes pairing a habit we don’t particularly enjoy with one that is easier to do can help. For example, a hot cup of coffee next to your calendar, or a favorite playlist for your morning jog.
Everyday probably won’t start with a luxurious breakfast in bed, unhurried time to read multiple chapters of your favorite novel and a sudden surge of extra energy and motivation. It’s most likely going to go off the rails in the first few hours of the day and force you to adapt on the fly.
When we feel like we can’t control anything, it’s easy to just stop trying. Controlling how our day starts for example, and our daily habits can be empowering. You can’t control getting yelled at by your boss, kids forgetting important papers to be signed, or getting cut off in traffic. But you can control what time you wake up, the first thing you do when your feet hit the floor, and the effort you are going to give to the tasks set before you.
Long lists of things to do can feel overwhelming. Breaking it down into the three most important things to accomplish for the day, and then scheduling them into specific times in your day, can be more manageable. Even if you have to move one of them to a different time or day, it’s still going to get done and you don’t have to use up valuable headspace constantly trying to remind yourself to complete it.
Scheduling in free time or margin is also important. There’s a difference between having time to do something and having the energy to do it. If you don’t block out time to sit and be still, to do things you enjoy, time to be creative, or just to think, it will inevitably become filled with the urgent but not important.
A good morning routine sets the tone for the day ahead. But it often starts the night before. Try working backwards from when you would like to get in bed. Even if you aren’t asleep for the whole time you are in bed, you are at least giving your body a chance to rest. If you know the day ahead is busy, try prepping some of your meals and snacks and blocking out your time to workout as if it were an appointment. Set aside 10 minutes upon waking to drink water, tea, coffee, or a combination. For 5 minutes, the phone is face down and you’re writing out your three most important items for the day, glancing at the upcoming week, and mentally preparing for where you need to show up at your best. For 5 minutes, read, pray, meditate, and breathe. Then it’s go time!
Find a rhythm you can sustain. Sprints are good, but so is walking, and so is resting. Find your sweet spot of work to rest. Implement a 10 minute morning routine that sets you up for the day ahead. You might still get knocked around a little, but you’ll be better prepared. Time to think and reflect, time to workout, time to sleep. No one has time for these. They MAKE time for them. You have to swim upstream to make the time for these basic needs. But you won’t regret it.
