Hi Reader!

I never realized how much I value sleep until I got a puppy. And wow - it makes ALL the difference in nearly every aspect of your life. Sadly - even though Fiona is 10 months old - we were still dealing with disrupted sleep almost nightly. I was barely functioning and something HAD to change. So this is what I did…

I created a routine for Fiona (and for me!). Each night for the last week, I removed her food bowl and didn't feed her anything after 7:30 pm; we took her harness off and played for a while to tire her out. Then I gave her a doggy cbd snack and we relaxed a bit before one last potty run. When it was time for bed, we turned on a white noise machine and then hoped against all hope that she would sleep through the night. In the last week, we’ve had 4 nights of blissful SLEEP! I feel like a new woman!

And I realized - OK - I can apply this to my own life and business. Fiona clearly does better with a routine and when I do everything I can to set her up for success. That was the inspo behind today’s article. lol

So here’s to another week of sound sleep and setting ourselves up for success!
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Last week, we talked about having a power phrase or a word for the year to help set your mind up for success. But while your mindset is the first and most important step, the rest of your life needs to be set up for success too!

To make your life more conducive to achieving your goals, take a look at your environment, your schedule, and your routines.

Your Environment

When was the last time you looked at your home or office space objectively and determined whether it was working FOR you or against you?

If you want to develop a reading habit, are there books strategically placed around your room? If you want to change your snacking habits, are there nutrient-dense foods readily available in your fridge? If you want to go work out in the morning, are your gym clothes laid out and ready for you when you wake up? If you can’t work when there’s clutter around you, have you developed a system where your office doesn’t clutter in the first place? Does your TV live in the same space you work in? Should it?

Ask yourself: what in your environment is setting you up for success, and what is setting you up to fail? Start by eliminating what is setting you up to fail, and then add in something that can set you up for success. You need to both remove the barriers that block your way AND set up aids to push you in your desired direction. Both are different and necessary steps to setting yourself up for success!

Your Schedule

How do you plan your day? Do you just make a to-do list and hope that it all gets done at some point, or do you actually plan and follow a schedule?

My most productive days are when I write out a list of all the things I need to do and then schedule each task in my calendar. This helps me to see what I can actually accomplish with the hours I have available and forces me to prioritize my most important tasks. I am also careful to schedule time for lunch, walking the dog, and driving time to and from appointments, etc. That way, I have a realistic picture of what I can get done. If I don’t have time for a task, I simply schedule it for a different day of the week. Having a realistic plan for your day is the key to getting more done!

Your Routines

I LOVE morning routines. I think they truly make a difference in the type of day I have. The right morning routine can set you up for success both mentally and physically. Let me share what mine has been for the past handful of years (yes years - that’s how effective it is):

6:30 - 6:45

I wake up, take the puppy out, drink a full glass of water, and take my vitamins. Then I immediately get dressed in my gym clothes and make myself breakfast and some coffee or tea.

6:45 - 7:30

Journaling and writing my to-do list is next while I get caffeine in my system.

7:30 - 8:15

Then I go into the back room (or head to the gym) and get some exercise while listening to an audiobook.

8:15 - 9:00

A quick shower and then I’m ready to start the work day!

To be completely honest - adding a puppy into this mix was stressful and threw everything out of whack for most of last year. Through that experience, I realized how much I depended upon my morning routine to calm and center me for the day. I’ve finally gotten back on track and it has made a huge difference!

This is MY routine, but it might not include the things that you prioritize. The important thing is to find one that works for YOU and that helps you work toward your life goals.

For a while, I tried to add making the bed to my routine because I heard all of this advice about making your bed first thing makes you feel accomplished or whatever. It didn’t work for me or my life. First of all, I wake up before my fiance, and it never felt natural to me to force myself to go back and make the bed after I’d already started my day. It also didn’t magically make me feel accomplished or proud. So I stopped trying to make that one fit in my routine. Journaling does SO much more for me and my mental state than making the bed! So the takeaway here is to figure out what centers you and helps you feel prepared to take on the day!

What’s your perfect day?

This exercise helped me a ton as I was figuring out my environment, my schedule, and my routines: come up with your perfect day. I have a list of things that would happen on a perfect day in both my life and my business: I would take all my vitamins, drink my tea, walk for an hour, and drink all the water I was supposed to. I would clear my to-do list, read or listen to a book, and post on social media. I would organize something, clean something, and text a friend or family member. If all of those things happened, I would have had my perfect day.

I actually have a checklist that I created for myself (it’s titled “Daily Greatness Habits”), and I do my best to check off everything I can every day. Do I succeed every single day? Nope. But at least I know what I’m trying to shoot for, and that’s half the battle.

So I challenge you this week: come up with a list of things you would do on your perfect day! Then start setting up your environment, planning your schedule, and establishing routines to accomplish those things. You’ll be amazed at how much quicker you’ll move towards your yearly goals!

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More on setting yourself up for success...

• ​5 ways to set yourself up for success​
• ​These Daily Habits Will Set You Up For A Successful Life​
• ​How to Improve Your Health and Productivity Without Thinking​
• ​How to Build a Daily Routine That Works for You​​

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