Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Bulletproof, a company I’ve been a customer of for years. I love all their products, and everything that they stand for. You’ll find grass-fed ingredients, no added sugar, and high quality products are their standard. Check them out if you get a chance. Thanks for supporting the companies that support YBC®.
If you’ve followed me closely, you know that 2019 was a challenging year of change for me. I opened up a boutique yoga and fitness studio, hired a team to help, all while traveling all over the world and trying to do #allthethings. I constantly felt behind on work and overwhelmed. Upon end of the year reflection, I realized I hadn’t been honest with myself. While I felt like I was working hard all year, I don’t think I was actually being all that productive with my time. This year, I want to really own each day, and make the best use of my time. Ultimately, I believe that will lead to a better work/life balance and a happier me. Here are the three practices I’ve started incorporating into my schedule that have helped me to own each day.
Snacks required when getting up earlier! - This is a peanut butter breakfast cookie: 1 cup peanut butter, 2 chia eggs, cacao nibs, 1/2t vanilla, 1 scoop Bulletproof collagen protein unflavored, 1 scoop MCT powder, salt to taste
Get Up Earlier
One of the struggles I had last year was trying to find time to do it all. I decided I needed more hours in the day, so I started getting up an hour earlier than I needed to. I’d meditate, set an intention for the day, and do a little yoga in order to feel physically good in my body. This really set the tone for the day, and allowed me to start my work day a bit earlier. The challenge was that getting up earlier was a big change for my body, and I felt like I needed more energy to feel good throughout the day, so I started getting creative and making snacks to keep me energized throughout the day. When I had the opportunity to work with Bulletproof, I was ecstatic. This is a company I have loved for years (I always take their Collagen Protein Bars with me when I travel). They sent me a bunch of their Bulletproof Coffees which I’ve been using around mid-morning to help me feel energized. I love that they use grass-fed butter and no sugar, and that their products are designed to add to your energy tank, so you can meet your daily goals. I’ve also been using their Collagen Protein in breakfast cookies as well - see the caption in the picture above for the easy recipe I made up.
What was surprising to me, was that after about a week into of getting up an hour earlier, I loved how my days were panning out so much that I decided I wanted even more time in my day. So, I’ve recently started getting up an hour and a half earlier. That gives me thirty extra minutes to start my day off on the right foot. It feels so good!
Typical weekday schedule
Plan Out the Day
I’ve always been a fan of to-do lists, but I realized in looking back at the past year, I haven’t been making the best use of my time because I never seemed to be able to work my way through my to-do lists. Why? Because I didn’t map out the time it’d take for each task. Adding this vital component to my daily plan has made my daily tasks much more attainable, and has held me accountable for how I manage my time. As you can see, I also schedule in a snack time, because I know I don’t operate well when I’m hungry. The Bulletproof Collagen Protein bars have been a favorite of mine for ages, so I’ve been bringing one to work as my snack in a quick fix so I can eat and enjoy the moment and then get right back to my to-do list.
Mid-afternoon stretch instead of scrolling through my phone
Schedule Rest, and Actually Rest
This has been another major change for me. In the past, I’d take a much-needed quick break, but in that time, I’d scroll through social media and inevitably get sucked into some click-baity post that would stress me out and fire me up. I was essentially doing the opposite of resting because while I wasn’t physically working hard, my mind was stressed out. Therefore, when it was time to get back to work, I felt more zapped of energy than before. Now, when I take a break, I step away from my phone and computer completely, and do something guaranteed to relax and restore, like a stretch on my yoga mat, or if I’m working from home, take a quick walk with the dog. The movement helps my body to feel physically better, and it helps calm my mind.
I’d love to hear how you own the day down in the comments section below or share on social media and don’t forget to tag me and Bulletproof so we can see!
