“Failing to plan is planning to fail”
I’m always intrigued by how people organize their schedules and manage their time. Time is the one thing we can’t buy, reverse or get more of. It’s so precious, yet so many people (include me at times) don’t value it enough. Today, I wanted to share my daily schedule. As an OCD/organizational fanatic, I somehow find it fun to structure my day and tweak the structure with time so that I feel most peaceful and productive <- a weird combination, I know, but it’s always my goal.
Productive: as a goal-getter, I love the feeling of accomplishment whether it’s as simple as checking off “take out the garbage” on my to-do list or achieving a goal years in the making. I always want to feel like I’m spending my time in accordance with my purpose and living intentionally, which is why I strive to be productive with my time
Peaceful: if I don’t feel peace of mind and peace within my soul, nothing else matters. I lived stressed out and on edge for far too long to know it’s just not worth it! Sure some stress is inevitable, but I’ve learned much of it can be controlled by how we spend our time and by planning ahead.
When I took a little bit of time to structure my days, I began experiencing more peace and, surprisingly, more productivity than ever before! I’m excited to share how I spend most of my days but also 6 things that I do nearly every day that set me up for success and help me stay healthy and happy!
DAILY SCHEDULE
6:45 AM | WAKE UP
There’s not much to this other than being grateful I woke up to another day hehe
645 – 8 AM | MORNING ROUTINE
I’ve talked a lot about my morning routine and morning routines in general. There’s so much to this that I could do an entire additional post on my morning routine – if that’s something you want to see. Mornings are mighty important! Our first waking hour sets the tone for the entire day. I’m crazy about my morning routine! Like, nuts! I won’t miss it! If I have to be somewhere super early, I’ll wake up even earlier just to complete my AM routine… it’s the one thing that brings more peace and productivity to my day than anything else I do all day long.
My morning routine, in short (because I could go on and on about this) includes a super short meditation… sometimes I turn to my guided meditation app but most mornings it’s just a few minutes of silence before I even get out of bed. It’s my way of not grabbing my phone, jumping on social media, or reading emails/texts first thing in the morning. I then spend make myself breakfast… typically a protein smoothie and sip on it while I read. I then go through Instagram check ins, connect with the community and finalize my to-do list as I sip my pre-workout in a champagne glass (try it… it’s pretty stinkin’ fun) and get pumped up to workout.
*Meal Note: this meal takes me all of 5 minute to make. It’s why I almost always opt for protein smoothies for breakfast. I’ll even put all the pre-measured dry ingredients in mason jar and make 5 at a time for the week.
8 AM | WORKOUT
I workout at my home gym, which is right in my garage. Within this hour, I spend 15 minutes stretching during a warm up and cool down and 45 minutes weight training. I love beginning my day this way! The sweat session stirs up so many good feelings and taking time for yourself is a smart way to start the day!
9 / 9:30 AM – 12 PM | AM WORK SESSION
After a quick shower, I head upstairs which is where my home office is located. The first thing I begin with is emails then onto my daily tasks, which always vary!
12 – 1 PM | LUNCH + FOOD PHOTOS
My lunch is almost always a reheatable meal, except for days when I’m creating new recipes. This hour lunch block is when I eat and when I come up with new yummies and photograph them. Surprisingly, I spend more time on the food photography than I do the actual preparation or consuming of the meal lol.
*Meal Note: reheating my meal takes all of 2 minutes, which is all my brain can handle at this time lol
1 – 2 PM | COURSES
The first thing coming to you in 2017 is something I’ve already been preparing for for months. To expand the ways I can bring the very best to you, I’m always looking for ways to expand my knowledge. This is BIG! Can’t wait to share more!
2 – 2:30 | SIESTA
My siesta as I like to call it is a nonnegotiable. I need some time in the middle of my day to reset. In an ideal world, I would siesta by taking a leisurely stroll outside and maybe do some yoga poses. In reality, it’s just a time where I plop down somewhere, put away my phone and chill. So many studies have shown that our brain and bodies need breaks and that we are more productive with regular breaks and short bursts of work.
A siesta is something that you can make your own. Maybe it’s only a 12 minute trip to the bathroom in your office building where you really just siesta (I’m giggling thinking of so many LG Sisters escaping to their office bathroom to siesta today lol). Perhaps, it’s the time when your kids are napping. When I worked in retail, my 30 min lunch break was a siesta… I would sit outside by myself to allow myself to center and reenter the world with my best foot forward.
2:30 – 6 PM | PM WORK SESSION
Back to work I go. This is the time I go missing on Snapchat because how many times can I take a picture of my computer screen and desk?! hehe
6 – 7:30 PM | DINNER
Anthony and I make dinner together every night. It’s kind of our bonding time and I find it incredibly cathartic especially after work. We like to eat fresh dinners every night, so we don’t meal prep our dinner meal. I do, however, make a double serving of whatever we are having for dinner to serve as lunch the following day!
Growing up, my mom always made a point to have our whole family sit down for dinner… a habit I hope to carry on with my family. Anthony and I do that together almost every evening. It keeps us close and connected (maybe too much after a day of working together haha). If it’s a night like tonight and I’m glued to the Olympics, we will eat on the couch, which somehow still feels just as awesome as it did when I was 10 and my mom let my sister and I have a meal on the family room floor.
7:30 – 8:30 | HUSBAND XO
After dinner, Anthony and I have our own little routine, which includes: a walk or drive to watch the sun set and vegging on the couch to watch our favorite shows. If you follow me on Snapchat you know I’ve got him hooked on Law and Order SVU and the Bachelor.
8:30 – 9:30 | WORK FOLLOW UP
I try not to follow up with work late in the evening, but most nights, I do. Finishing up tomorrow’s blog post and social media normally hook me here!
9:30 – 10:30 PM | FREE TIME
11:15 – 11:30 PM | PICK UP
When you work from home, one of the greatest challenges is not to do home/personal tasks while you should be focusing on work. A few minutes picking up before bed makes for a more productive work space the following day. I clean up the mess Anthony and I somehow always seem to make and I get everything set out for the following day… workout outfit, daily outfit, bags if I have work out of the house, accessories if I’m shooting workout pics/videos, etc.
11:30-12 PM | EVENING ROUTINE + BED
And there’s an entire evening routine too haha. Random note… I’ve stopped watching TV in my bed before falling to sleep and now, I get in bed and I’m out!
INCLUDED IN MY SCHEDULE FOR SUCCESS, HEALTHY + HAPPINESS
(1) DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF BEFORE YOU GIVE
Starting the day by doing something for yourself leads to being able to give even more throughout the day! I always love the example of that the more full you are, the more you have to spill over to others. When you’re running on empty because you haven’t taken care of yourself, what good are you to your family, your job or those around you?! This is why I love my AM routine and working out first thing.
(2) AM/PM ROUTINE
It’s not that my AM and PM routines are the best, it’s just that having a way to begin and end the day with intention makes all the difference. This kind of speaks to the point above!
(3) SIESTA = HAPPINESS
As I mentioned, my siesta is seriously the highlight of my day. I heard Bill Gates talk about some really awesome thoughts about the benefits of unplugging: unplugging not just from technology but almost from life. Even if for just a few minutes, my siesta is a time to step away from me day so that when I come back, I can be my best self!
(4) PRIORITIZE PEOPLE
Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. I LOVE what I do and that can sometimes be a problem because I literally work every day of the week and I enjoy it. Only recently did I start implementing this schedule to better prioritize the people in my life. My schedule proudly includes designated time for my husband and I, Sunday evenings are official “family dinner” nights with my entire family, and my to-do list always has space for phone dates with my family and friends near and far.
(6) TO-DO LISTS
Part of my AM + PM routine includes making a to-do list. Every evening, I start a to-do list for the following day. Why is it that the second you lay your head down at night, all the thoughts of what you have to do tomorrow flash into your mind?! I keep my notepad on my night stand and I simply start my to-do list right before bed. The following day, I add to it and it forms the framework for my day. I get so much more done in less time when I make to-do lists!
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