31/07/2024
Some non-negotiables.
These may seem very small tasks (which they are), they may seem irrelevant (which they aren't).
We all have non-negotiables, these are my top 4.
Move daily:
This could be the gym, swimming, walking. Anything to get my body moving. It doesn't matter how tired I am. It doesn't matter what else has happened, I need to move. The more I get this done, the more I feel I am in control of my mood, my anxiety, my energy levels.
There are times, I am so exhausted that the only thing that can fix it, is to go for a gentle swim, go for a nice brisk walk. The amount of energy this gives me, is incredible.
Sleep:
I have spent years trying to get this right. It took things such as having a light up alarm clock rather than a normal alarm, black out blinds, sleep music, sleep hypnosis videos on YouTube, putting my phone on night mode. It even took for me to use key "sleepy" words to make myself tired. When I first tried it, I would say things such as "my eyes are so heavy" "I feel so tired" and in the same way sales people use buzz words, this worked wonders for me.
Shower:
This probably sounds obvious! I could have a shower right before bed and wake up smelling fresh as a daisy, I will still jump in the shower every morning though. This is along side brushing my teeth. I find jumping in shower helps with my planning. My organisation, to calm my anxiety before it gets the better of me, it gives me the energy I need to start my day. It's amazing how much benefit you can have by simply showering.
Prepare:
I start my morning making sure that I prepare everything I need for the day (within reason). This could be meal prep, this could be getting all my bits I need for work, it could be making sure I have my training kit packed. The more prepared I am for the day, it leaves a lot more space for me to deal with things when they are away from the norm. There is only so much that our bodies and mind can deal with that is different to what we expect before we panick and make rash decisions. I find that if I prepare regularly, when things come up, I am a lot better at managing the unexpected and make better choices and decisions.