Many people strive to feel grounded and centered in their lives. I would like to share one of my daily habits that I credit to helping me achieve this. I have a daily practice of setting my tone. I do it regardless of how tired or busy I am. It’s a simple, but life changing discipline. There are three parts to it. As you read this, keep in mind that it can be scaled to you and your life situation. Having kids and a busy life are valid reasons to have less time, but creating even a little space for the following suggestions can be life changing.
Set your tone in the morning, before your day gets rolling
I always take time at the beginning of each day to think intentionally about the day ahead, to think about the things that will help me enjoy my life that day. It is also when I take time to think about the larger things in life that matter. Here are some examples of what you can do to set your tone for a great day…
At a minimum:
- Get up early enough to not rush through your morning time
- Give yourself some time in bed to reflect on your intention for the day
- Take time to eat a healthy breakfast
If you have more time:
- Journal…this can be as simple as getting clear on what you need to do that day to ensure you feel great about it when you go to bed that night
- Take spiritual time to meditate or pray
- Take a few minutes to do something that brings you joy
“Close out” your workday
At the end of each workday, I take about thirty minutes to organize my thoughts, schedule unfinished tasks to another day, return calls, plan my next workday and generally get everything finalized so that when that chapter of my day is over, I’m not thinking about it the rest of the evening.
It may seem like this practice is too time consuming to add to your already busy day, but I have found, and so have many of my clients, that it is actually a time AND energy saving practice that simply becomes a habit after a while.
Set your tone for sleep and the next day:
I think it’s important to do the things at night that will allow you to sleep well and wake up feeling calm and centered. Here are some examples of things you can do that can make a difference…
At a minimum:
- Turn off your TV. It will give you time to do this practice as well as the other things you often say you don’t have time to do
- Get your clothes laid out for the next day
- Prepare healthy food for the next day
- Get your things (and your kids) ready for the next day
- Get your house tidied up so when you get home from work the next day, you’ll feel relaxed in your space
If you have more time:
- Take time to reflect on your day – what worked and what didn’t and how you can change what didn’t work
- Take time to reflect on all the good things that happened in your day – what are you grateful for (this can be in your mind or in writing)
- Take spiritual time to meditate or pray
Living an extraordinary life requires us to rethink how we do things. Taking time to figure out how to work with and manage the transitions in our day can lead to a big shift in our daily enjoyment of life. So many people feel like time goes by so fast. The practice of setting your tone each day is one way to slow things down and feel more relaxed and present throughout your day.
Happy New Year!
If you feel like time is passing you by and you are always rushing from one thing to another, let me help you organize your life! Sign up for a complimentary coaching session today.
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