Whether it’s getting the kids back to school or getting back to a normal work routine, fall is a natural transition time. But it can take a few weeks to really find your rhythm.
Some love the idea of a routine while others hate it. For many it brings change, which can be stressful, while others find routines dull; and some of us find peace in process.
Whether you embrace or reject routines, having just a few steps or tasks planned out each day can really help simplify life, reduce stress and bring about a healthy lifestyle. The key is having just enough routine to keep you on track but not so much that you feel like a slave to it.
I do caution about getting into a rut with our routines, especially if they start to feel like a chore or feel more like work than help. For example, it’s also important to change up what you eat for breakfast and to change up your workout from time to time to keep it all fresh, exciting and to challenge your body.
Start with these simple tips to help you get back into, and to keep your Fall routine:
1. Eat hydrating foods: Eating juicy fruits and vitamin-filled vegetables will help you fight dry skin and constipation that can come with Autumn weather. Look to food that are fresh and juicy rather than processed and dry.
2. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier: Getting proper sleep is crucial for our mental and physical health. Set the tone in your bedroom by dimming the lights and turning off the tv (the artificial light throws off our circadian rhythms and keeps us from achieving the most healing portions of sleep.)
3. Lay out your clothes the night before: I swear this one is more helpful than you think. Taking a few minutes at night to think about what to wear the next day will take loads of stress off your morning. At night you can think a little more clearly about what your tomorrow entails and how best to dress for it, even choosing jewelry and shoes for a complete outfit. If you have little ones- have them choose their clothes as part of their bedtime routine to [help] avoid morning meltdowns.
4. Create a one-week meal plan: A meal plan that is laid out and written down ahead of time will help to avoid mealtime stress, and preparation is always the first step to healthy meals. Get the family involved too so they have a say in the food as well as helping to prepare.
5. Recapitulation: Re-capping your day, at the end of each day, can be a powerful tool. When you get into bed, sit upright and close your eyes. Take a few breaths and begin to play back your day in your mind; don’t focus too much on details, it should take just a few minutes. Observe the choices you made and note if there are any shifts you would like to make. This is also a good to time to write down notes that come up; writing them down before going to sleep will help from waking in the middle of the night thinking about them.
Remember, slow and steady wins the race! Add in each step slowly rather than forcing it; before you know it they will all become part of an easy healthy routine.
Happy Day,
Monique
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