New Habits I am Implementing into My Routine

I am a creature of habit.

I love routine and I love knowing what to expect. As you can imagine, pregnancy has made this more of a challenge and I’ve had to learn how to be more flexible with my time, schedule, and routine. But, that’s not what we are here to talk about today! :)

In the midst of letting go of my strict routine, I have also worked towards implementing some new habits in my life and business. Even though my routine is different lately, I believe that I can implement and work on new habits in the flexible routine.

For me, trying to break habits is much harder than trying to form new ones.

Breaking habits seems like a few negative head space to live in. When you focus on your bad habits, you are constantly speaking negativity over yourself. You are finding the ugly parts of yourself and trying your best to get rid of them. What if we decided to add positive habits instead?

When you choose to add positivity, you are able to feel more motivated and willing to make the changes. For example, instead of saying “stop being lazy” as a goal, try using the goal “exercise three times a week.” This gives you action and doesn’t make you feel like a terrible person.

So, since the beginning of the year, I have been working on some new habits I am trying to form. My hope is that by sharing these new habits with you, you are able to add more positivity to your days and life!

Positive affirmations every morning: I know this may seem weird, but I truly believe it is the way to combat negative self-talk. I have a list of affirmations that I read outloud to myself every morning. Some days I add to the list because there is something specific that I need to remember. I encourage you to make a list of affirmations that you can read outloud to yourself! This is slowly helping me add more kind words to myself throughout the day, rather than tearing myself down.
Scheduling time for an afternoon walk every single day: For me, getting outdoors is vital for my mental health. This means that I need an extra dose of fresh air in the afternoons. I start everyday with some form of exercise, but once the afternoon rolls around, I am in need of a mental break. I always make time for a walk at some point. Sometimes I wait until my husband gets home, sometimes I go with my mom, sometimes I call a friend, but most of the time I allow this time to be for me. I turn on a podcast and just disconnect for a bit. I always come home refreshed and ready to get more work done!
Turning off notifications on my phone: this is an exception to the rule of adding instead of taking something away. But, ever since I turned off all notifications, I feel way les stressed, more focused, and able to get way more done. I am no longer distracted by my phone lighting up all the time! It also takes away the need to look at my phone and check if anything happened. I know there aren’t any notifications there, so the temptation to look is no longer there. I tell ya, this is one of the best things I have done for my head space this whole year!
Taking a nap when I really need it: I’ve never been a napper. I typically wake up feeling even more tired and grumpy, and it seems like such a waste of time. Even since getting pregnant, I didn’t like taking naps and have rarely done so. However, in the last couple of weeks, I have felt a huge need for naps a couple times. And boy, I am so glad I took those naps. So, when I really feel the need, I let myself take the nap. It happens about once every 10 days, but it’s been good for me to realize that they aren’t a waste of time and can actually help my energy and productivity.
Daily devotional: in addition to waking up and doing my positive affirmations, I also wake up everyday and do my devotional. This was a big goal for 2017 for me and I am so glad I have done it. It helps me put my mind and heart in the right place every morning. And I honestly believe it has made me a better business owner. When I start my day giving everything over to Jesus, I am able to make big steps towards my goals. When He is in control, I can be free to just do what is in front of me.
Block scheduling: I must admit, I haven’t done the best job at this! But, I am working on it :) I am trying to add more scheduling to my to-do lists. Instead of trying to chip away at every single thing on my to-do list every day, I am working on picking a few things every day to work on. That way, I can fully focus on those items without stressing about everything else on my list. If I know that tomorrow I will be working on blog posts, I don’t need to stress about it today! Have you tried block scheduling for your day?
Asking for help: I don’t like to ask for help or trust other people with things in my business. But getting help is the best. For example, when it comes to my website and shop, I rely on Nicole to help me. She knows what she’s doing. I don’t. Or, sometimes I need help with making a business decision. So, I reach out to others to get their opinion. This can also mean that I ask friends or family for help with life responsibilities. I cannot do it all and trying to do so doesn’t help anyone.
Drinking more water: since being pregnant, I have noticed the need for more and more water. It really effects how I physically feel and my energy levels. I have been working really hard to drink more water. This 'lil tumbler has helped A LOT.