This weekend, while sitting at the table with friends, they were asking me questions about my blog. I’m always happy to answer, but one of my boys piped in for me, “It’s where she gives people advice for all the things she doesn’t do.”
I was mortified that that is how my son sees me. But I’ll get back to that later.
I started this blog to write about my own experiences. The advice I give is based on what I’ve tried, learned and gone through.
Like all of us, I have highs and lows. There are times that I am great at following through on promises that I make to myself, and times that I’m not.
I KNOW all the right things to do to stay healthy, to manage my time, to prioritize.
But knowing and doing are two separate things
So in all my imperfection, I keep trying. I fall out of my routine, and I find my way back to it. Time and time again. Each time, I bring something new that I learned in my past failure, that will help me get closer to my goals.
I am learning to make myself a priority – not to shuffle my needs aside for the sake of everyone else – but it’s a process.
And I know that I’m not the only one
That was my inspiration for starting this b
When morning comes and I need to start on my well laid out plan, I find myself sitting at the table with a coffee and sudoku on my phone, or scrolling through a newsfeed that will not get me any closer to my work goals. Or any goals for that matter.
My most productive days start the night before. I will look at my schedule and to-do list. This includes any appointments or meetings I have, and then plan my time blocks for working. I add the time blocks in, then mark off what I will do during each block. It helps me focus the next day and reminds me where to start when I sit down to work.
What I find most interesting is the correlation between the management of time, health (food and exercise), work and finances.
Finances
When I am in control of my finances, I tend to plan out my meals and stick to my plan. I go to the gym. I feel good and am productive at work.
In control does not necessarily mean staying on budget. It means being aware of what is coming in, what is going out, and where things stand in general. It means working with a plan to meet our financial goals. Even if we are nowhere near those goals, awareness is the first and biggest step.
Health
When I go to the gym or make time for yoga, I find that I eat better and feel more productive in my day. I prefer to exercise in the
When I exercise and eat well (have a plan for what I will be eating throughout the day), I don’t feel distracted by thoughts of “What will I eat for lunch today?”, or make excuses about going to the supermarket when I should really be getting work done. I start off with an early morning accomplishment, setting the tone for more accomplishments throughout the day.
Basically, by getting to the gym in the morning I’ve already succeeded at something on my list for the day. I set enough time in my schedule to get home, shower and eat a quick breakfast before starting work.
Time Management
When I start work at the time I planned, the rest of my work schedule flows into place. I can then also be sure that I will have enough time to do some of the household stuff as a PLANNED activity, not a form of procrastination.
So, like I said, I know what works for me. The challenge that I face is following through on the things that I know.
So what can I do about it?
I get a bit better the more I get into a habit of doing small steps towards my ideal schedule/goals/plans. And each time I stumble and get back up, I’m stronger than I was before.
So my advice is really, keep trying.
If you start and then fail, you will be even stronger the next time you start again.
What about you?
What do you find that you struggle with the most when it comes to knowing the right things to do for your success vs. actually doing them? Leave a message in the comments below and let’s help support each other.
