What Eat the Frog Actually Means

Most people get "Eat The Frog" all wrong.

Attributed to Mark Twain, “Eat The Frog” is widely known as doing the hardest thing first thing in the morning. 

It's very "just do it."

But let me use my graceful yoga teacher voice here.

"Eat the frog" isn't about doing the thing you despise the most.

It's about:

Doing the 1 thing that requires your freshest energy and you want to give your freshest energy to

Example:

You may have considered your "Frog" a morning workout because it's the thing you despise the most.

BUT

Maybe a workout is the thing that requires your freshest energy so that's why you do it in the morning.

OR

Maybe it doesn't require your freshest brain power and your workout could be moved to after work when your brain is ready for a break.

--

Identify not what the hardest thing is, but what you want to dedicate your freshest energy to.

When you do this --

"Eating The Frog" it's no longer about forcing yourself do the hardest thing in the morning.

"Eating The Frog" becomes you following through on your commitment to become the best version of yourself.

--

Want to start “Eating The Frog?” The Morning Routine Workbook as a 3-step guide to get you started + 12-month habit tracker to hold you accountable!

Break The Work, Eat, Sleep Cycle: The 2-Step Guide To Start Healthy Habits and Hobbies

At the ripe age of 23, I had my first identity crisis.

I sat at my corporate job knowing I wanted to BE more and DO more than work, eat, sleep.

I eventually went on to:

• Start a podcast

• Complete 200-hr yoga teacher training

• Launch a business

BUT it was a 4-year winding road with a lot of breaks and doubting

Here's how I went from sitting at my corporate job with big ideas to taking consistent action on my health & hobbies

(so you can do it in less time than I did)

1) Start a morning journal practice

Start with answering 1 journal prompt or question each morning to explore who you want to become.

My favorite: The Life Pie Exercise

If your life was a pie, what are the 4-6 pieces?

(health, family, friends, hobbies, etc.)

This represents who you want to be & how you want to spend your time.

BUT DON'T GET STUCK HERE

Start taking action right after that!

2) Habit stack action

Once you get a consistent journal practice down, take action on something that contributes to your Life Pie.

Most common action is doing something for your health or hobbies since these get lost in our day easily.

Example:

• During my journal practice - I got clarity I wanted to start a hobby of podcasting

• After my journal practice - I would work on the podcast

Before I knew it, I wasn't just a corporate employee.

I was also a daily journaler, podcaster, and proud of the person I was becoming. 

THE KEY:

Doing this in the morning!

Pairing a morning journal practice + action helps you…

1. Prioritize what's important to you (so it doesn't get lost in your day)

2. Use your freshest energy on what's important to you (instead of someone else)

3. Gives you purpose to get out of bed (and eliminate the dreadful mornings)

So what are you waiting for? Start tomorrow!

--

Need the push to get started? The Morning Routine Workbook as a 3-step guide to getting started + 12-month habit tracker to hold you accountable!

3 Tips For Doing Your Morning Routine While Traveling

1 of the most important times to do a morning routine is when you're traveling.

Why?

• Your eating is different

• Your workouts are sporadic

• Your sleep schedule is weird

• Your social battery is possibly drained 

So you don't feel like you're completely losing yourself -

take a brief moment in the morning to check in!

Here's a 3-step playbook to make it happen:

1) Have an Anchor Activity

An Anchor Activity is doing something for 1-2 minutes each morning to check in with yourself.

(likely a shorter version of what you do for your regular morning routine)

Journal, take 5 deep breaths, take a walk.

Make your first, feel-good decision of the day and it becomes the catalyst for everything else!

2) Find a spot to do it

Maybe you're crashing on the couch in the living room at your aunt's house and you have limited privacy.

Sneak in your Anchor Activity when you go to the bathroom, go out to your car, take the walk.

This may be your only "me time" in the day so put it to good use.

3) Remember your why

Who are you becoming by taking a moment for yourself in the morning?

Someone who is…

• Aware

• Present

• Motivated

As we enter the busy holiday travel season, how do you want to show up?

1 LAST THING

Maybe you find it is challenging to show up as your best self when traveling or around the holidays.

Remember -

You not doing your routine is the "holiday version" of you, not the "everyday version" of you.

Meaning -

1) not doing it is temporary

2) come the Monday after the holiday you'll jump back into it :)

--

I go deeper into each of these topics in the Morning Routine Workbook. Get it now and start taking action on your morning routine!

3 Tools To Level Up Your Life in 2025

1 thing I know about you is that you want to level-up!

Steal these 3 tools I used to level-up this year that I plan to use again!

(and just in time for the 2025 edition of all of these to be on sale this Black Friday)

—

The Big A** Calendar

If you're a planner and want to make time for the RIGHT things, this large, 3-foot calendar is amazing!

I have mine up in my home office and it's a way to see my whole year in 1 place! It fills me with both excitement and gratitude for the year ahead!

And if you're not following Jesse Itzler (the creator) yet, you're missing out!

—

The Wealth Planner

If you want to track your budget, savings, and net worth - this is a 1-stop shop!

Money with Katie created this extensive excel sheet that has completely changed how I look at my personal finances (not to mention feel excited about my progress)!

She also has a podcast and newsletter that I highly recommend checking out!

—

The Morning Routine Workbook

If you finally want to do a morning routine for more than 3 days, my Morning Routine Workbook is the key to making that happen!

This workbook is based on my proven, 3-step morning routine method that has gotten my clients to:

• wake up earlier

• workout in the morning

• quit their bad phone habits

• start working on their side hustle

Not to mention includes a 12-month tracker to hold you accountable! 

Digital + hard copy will go on sale Black Friday!

You’re This Close To Becoming More -- Get Started With A Morning Routine

When I was 23, I sat at my first job saying "I think there is more than this."

I loved my job, but I knew I wanted to be…

• Healthy

• Seek out new interests

• Live an exciting, well-rounded life

I didn’t really have anyone around me showing me this or to tell my crazy ideas to. 

But I knew I had to do something….

1) I started with healthy habits like journaling and morning routines.

2) I explored interests like strength workouts, yoga teacher training, podcasting, blogging, etc.

3) I started to feel excited to get out bed & felt in control of my life!

I started to believe…

“I am more than this.”

So if you're in the "I think there is more than this" stage, I want you to know

• You're more than your work

• It takes 1 journal entry, 1 morning to get started

• The ideas in your head are not crazy

Don't wake up next year in the same place you're right now.

Start taking action towards the person you want to become.

—

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about using your morning to make time for your ideas!

Setting Realistic Goals For Your Morning Routine

You decide you're going to start waking up at 5am to workout.

You make it to Thursday…

• Alarm goes off.

• Hit snooze.

• And there is no way you're getting out of your cozy bed!

You aren't getting out of bed because you're lazy, but because you've set an unrealistic goal!

Here are 3 steps to setting a realistic goal for your morning routine:

—

Step 1: Identify 3-6 pie pieces of your life

Think of your "Life Pie" and the 3-6 pieces represent how you want to spend your time:

• At least 3 to diversify where your happiness & identity come from

• No more than 6 to get clear on what you're prioritizing 

Some ideas:

Health, family, friends, partner, hobbies, work

Get specific on what activities each pie piece encompasses

(hobby activities: podcasting, pickleball, yoga)

Do this step first so you KNOW you're waking up for something that's important to you.

—

Step 2: Use your morning routine to make time for 1 of the Pie Pieces

For example - you could:

• Pick your hobbies pie piece

• Choose to start a podcast

This is a good choice for your morning routine IF:

• You're usually too tired to do the activity at the end of the day

• It requires your freshest energy

• Something your body/brain naturally craves

• A year from now, you would be bummed if you didn't start taking action on it

If it doesn't hit these things, you will likely not wake up to do it.

—

Step 3: Meet yourself where you're and add 10 minutes

You have to make time for this new activity, so let's build that time in a sustainable way!

1. Take your current wake up time - 7am

2. Start waking up 10 minutes earlier - 6:50am

3. Do that for a week - Mon-Fri

4. Prove to yourself that you can be consistent - track it

5. Then add 10 more minutes - 6:40am

After 4 weeks, you will have found a consistent 40 minutes a day to work on your podcast.

—

Setting realistic morning routine goals is about doing something:

1. You've identified as a priority

2. You are excited to wake up for

3. Meeting yourself where you're at before going bigger!

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we get can set you’re realistic goals!

3 Sneaky Phone Tricks Productive Morning People Are Using

With phones in our hands at all times, the odds of being productive are stacked against us.

Here are 3 sneaky phone tricks productive morning people are using:

1) Don’t look at your phone 1st hour of the day

When we check email or social first thing in the morning, we are allowing someone else to choose what we think about the moment we wake up.

Take the power back and challenge yourself to not look at your phone the 1st hour of the day or until your morning routine is over.

This creates a full hour you can dedicate to your self care, ideas, or interests!

2) Bed is a “no phone zone”

When we bring our phones into bed with us, we are allowing the world into our space.

Think of your bed as your safe, private space, and make it a “no phone zone.”

This can reduce the scrolling you’re in the morning and replace it with something you’ve been wanting to make more time for!

3) Special Spot is a “no phone zone”

Your Special Spot is a place in your home where you do your morning routine. For most people, it’s a place to find calm and check-in.

Challenge yourself to make this a “no phone zone” so you can start the day in a calm, present, productive way.

—

I recommend choosing 1 goal that resonates the most and go from there!

Eventually you will have to use your phone, but can use it in an intentional way, such as making it a reward for when you've completed your morning routine!

—

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about getting these sneaky tricks integrated into your morning routine!

3 Goals To Set To Get Out of Bed Faster

It takes the average American 24 minutes to get out of bed.

Based on my experience as a Morning Routine Coach, it's not always because we're too tired.

It's because we're getting out of bed without a purpose.

Here are 3 goals to set if you want to get out of bed faster & with purpose:

Goal #1: Set alarm for time you want to wake up for you

Most of us set our alarm for the time we need to wake up for work. 

What if you set your alarm for the time you wanted to wakeup to do something for you?

Something that feels very purposeful for you?

• Journal

• Workout

• Just sit outside with your coffee

Starting your day on your terms is more motivating than starting on someone else's.

But what about when that alarm does go off… 

Goal #2: Only hit snooze once

If you’re a frequent snoozer, going from hitting snooze 5x to 0x can feel unrealistic.

Set an intentional goal to:

• Only hit snooze once

• Create a “sleep buffer” that allows you 10 minutes to slowly wake up

It's the sweet spot between not rushing out of bed and still getting up in a timely manner.

But be aware of what you could plan to do in the morning to make getting out of bed easier… 

Goal #3: Do something you crave

Many of us try to force ourselves to do things in the morning we don't naturally want to do. 

When choosing what to do for your morning routine, make sure it’s something your brain or body craves in the morning.

(besides laying in bed)

• Do you feel most creative in the morning?

• Do you need slower activities in the morning?

• Do you want to get organized in the morning?

Get in tune with what you need (and how the other people in your home operate), and sync your schedule accordingly.

Plan smarter, not harder!

—

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about how you can get out of bed faster!

3 Reminders When You Feel Judged For Your Idea

I've gotten "The Look" a lot.

6 years ago - I got it for the first time.

Today - I get it less, but it's still there.

"The Look" I'm talking about - 

The confused, possibly judgmental, face someone gives when you tell them about your idea, interest, endeavor, or business.

• Starting a podcast

• Opening a business

• Posting online

It's a look of "you're crazy" and it's the #1 thing that holds us back from pursuing our idea.

If you've experienced this -  

3 reminders that helped me overcome the "The Look" and kept me moving forward on my ideas (so that you can too)

— 

1) You're not crazy

Believe in your idea - because if you don't, no one else will.

Who knows - your unique perspective and life experience may be exactly what the world needs.

(and you may be doing the world and you a disservice by not sharing it)

But I understand it can be scary to share…

—

2) Some people will never get it, and that's ok.

Doesn't mean you need to cut people out of your life who don’t get it, yet it's not our mission to convince them of our idea.

Remember - "The Look" may even come from a place of confusion, instead of judgement.

The right people will cheer you on along the way!

But sharing your idea may give you the opportunity to meet "your people"…

— 

3) Your people are out there

They're on podcasts you can listen to, online communities, and events in your city.

The people who truly get it and want to know more.

But you'll never know until you put your idea out there.

--

The Key:

Even if you get the dreaded "Look," keep showing up!

Morning routines can be a great way to make time for your idea!

And if you want to connect with someone who definitely won't give you "The Look" -

Schedule a free 15 min call this week and we can chat about your idea + how you can use your morning to get it off the ground!

You Don't Need To Wake Up At 5am

I am a morning routine coach and I don't wake up at 5am.

Here's why: 

I don't have to and you don't have to either.

(except for 1 reason that I'll get to at the end)

95% of people's first goal for a morning routine is to go from waking up at 7am to waking up at 5am.

And I've observed 5% of people make it past the first week.

This is because they're aiming for a TIME instead of a WHY

To help identify your why for a morning routine (past society telling you should it’s good for you…

ASK:

• Why do I want to have a morning routine?

• Who do I want to become?

• How can I use my morning to help me become that person?

Then identify what time you need to wake up in order to do that.

Wake up:

• 10 minutes earlier

• 90 minutes earlier

• 2 hours earlier

But if you do get to 5am, make sure it's for a good reason:

To do something that gets you closer to the person you want to become.

Because aiming to wake up at a certain time is not going to get you out of bed on the hardest days.

Your why will.

—- 

If you want support in identifying your why…

Schedule a free 15 min call and we can find what would get you out of bed!

3 Steps To Make Time Weekly For Your Crazy Idea

The crazy ideas you have likely aren’t crazy at all.

Whether it's….

• Starting a podcast

• Opening a wedding venue

• Creating a website for your (potential) business 

I recommend this 3 step method to start taking weekly action on your idea!

—

Step 1) Start writing it down

When you think of an idea throughout the day, write it down or put it in your phone.

Whether you're sitting at your 9-5 work desk or walking the dog, jot the note down!

Start writing it down because…

• You will forget later

• It's a way to build on your ideas

PRO TIP:

This also allows you to get the idea out of your head and onto paper, making it feel…

• More real

• You feel less crazy (because you aren't crazy!)

• Wanting to make more time to think about it… 

—

Step 2) Set designated writing time

If you want to start making time to think more about it, start journaling in the morning!

To make this easier:

• Wake up 10 minutes earlier than you normally do

• "Habit stack" or place journaling after something you already do (like brushing your teeth) 

PRO TIP:

Journaling is a key place to start, but don't get stuck in this step! 

Journaling is a safe space to understand ourselves, but the uncomfortable next step is likely what moves the needle forward…

—

Step 3) Start taking action

Since you already have designated time setup to journal, you can now "stack" taking action on it right after you journal.

Journal, then write the blog post.

Journal, then email that connection.

Journal, then start researching.

This allows you to brain dump and then take more organized action!

PRO TIP:

Doing this journal + take action method works for many people because it's…

• Purposeful - gets you out of bed

• Doesn't require perfection right away - gets the brain dump out, then organize

--

You're already waking up early.

You have the time set aside.

You have the momentum.

Now get after it!

—- 

If you want support in taking action in the morning…

Schedule a free 15 min call and we can talk through your not so crazy idea!

2 Ways To Stop The "So What Do You Do?" Question

Why is "SO WHAT DO YOU DO?" the go-to question when meeting someone new?

Probably because…

70% of us see WORK as our purpose!

We've likely learned this idea from: 

• Older generations passing it down

• College focusing solely on you getting a job

The challenge with WORK being our sole purpose:

• Puts pressure on work to be perfect

• Happiness is coming from 1 thing

• Becomes our identity (that we can sometimes lose)

INSTEAD, what if we…

1) Started seeing ourselves as more than work:

Family, hobbies, entrepreneur, cook, reliable friend

2) Asked different questions to give others the opportunity to be more than their work:

"Do anything fun this weekend?"

"Have anything exciting coming up?"

You're so much more than your work.

So why not start living like you're?

29 Powerful Questions That Helped Me Grow Personally & Professionally

I turn 29 this week - and I thought I would have all the answers by now.

Surprise, surprise I don't - but I have learned to stop & ask myself powerful questions!

Here are 29 questions that helped me grow this year (organized by category):

 —

Personal Health & Values

1) What do I do just for fun?

2) What do I believe? Where did I learn that belief?

3) How many days a week do I need to workout to feel healthy?

4) What do I want my relationship with social media to look like?

5) What would make me happy?

 —

Relationships

6) Who are the most important people in my life and how can I make time for them?

7) Do I put my perfectionism onto other people? Is that fair?

8) What is my ideal day with my partner?

9) Do I give other people the same recognition & appreciation I expect to receive?

10) How could I meet more people?

11) How can I listen & learn more about people?

 —

Corporate Career

12) How do I want my professional connections to describe me?

13) How can I improve this process (not settle for the status quo)?

14) What actions do I need to take to make it easy for someone to give me a raise?

15) What is my ideal work situation & how can I make that happen?

16) How can I be a leader as an individual contributor?

 —

Entrepreneurship

17) Who do I need to connect with to grow my business?
18) What are my quantifiable goals and why that number?

19) How can I build my business around my life? (and not my life around my business)

20) Who do I want to help and what is my mission?

21) How can I dream a little bigger?

22) What progress have I made already that can motivate me to keep going?

23) Am I spending more time planning or taking action?

24) What data points did I gather (instead of declaring something a failure)?

— 

Finances

25) What is my net worth and how can I grow it?

26) How much money will make me happy?

27) What am I saving for?

28) What am I proud to spend money on?

29) What could multiple streams of income look like?

—

The Key -

Using morning journal session to reflect on these questions - absolute game changer for my growth!

Boost Your Professional Brand By Changing Your Morning Commute

If doing a morning routine before work seems like too much, level up your workday with a "transition" instead.

The transition from personal life to work life in the morning is often overlooked and underutilized.

Take your drive into work for example.

This may currently feel rushed, frantic, possibly a waste of time.

But you could look at this as your "transition" to the workday and use this time to:

• Mentally prepare for the day

• Pump yourself up

• A moment to breathe

That could tangibly look like:

• Identifying the 1 thing you want to get done today to make your priorities clear

• Putting on pump up music to set the energy & focus for the day

• Taking 5 intentional breaths to ground yourself

For my work-from-home friends…

Your "commute" or "transition" could be stepping outside for 2 minutes before you hop on your laptop to do these same things.

This could be the difference between you starting the workday…

Rushed & scattered brained 

Vs.

Calm & clear-minded

How does this impact your work?

• Who is more present in that first meeting?

• Who's decision-making do you trust more?

• Who do you want to be around?

Rushed & scattered brained person

OR 

Calm & clear-minded person

Even if a morning routine seems like too much, a morning "transition" could determine the professional brand you're building for yourself.

Find 90 Mins A Day To Pursue Interests By Changing How You Use Your Phone

I get asked all the time how I have time for anything other than work.

Things like:

• A side business

• Dog training

• Pickleball with friends

• Workout classes

Disclaimer: it doesn’t have much to do with being single with no kids — and everything to do with what we all have!

A phone!

Here's how I found 90 extra minutes a day to pursue my interests by changing the way I use my phone:

—

1) Making my desk a "no phone zone."

This means when I'm at my desk working, I don't use my phone. It's face down or on do not disturb.

This allows me to:

• Be present at work

• Get work done faster

• Leaving me working less hours

• Having time for other things

Getting up from my desk to use my phone can make a great, intentional break too!

Saves: ~30 minutes

--

2) Having little to no notifications on my home screen.

99% of notifications that pop up on our home screen don't need our attention THIS MINUTE!

This:

• Distracts us

• Slows us down

• Keeps us from doing other things we want to do

We can adjust our phone settings so the only things we need to be notified of NOW show up (like texts from loved ones). 

3 phone settings to not overlook:

—Remove email notifications from popping up on home screen

That way you get to choose when you look at emails instead of someone else choosing for you

—Mute group chats

These can blow up your phone! Mute it & choose when you want to check it instead of 10 other people choosing for you 

—Limit social media notifications

Sorry not sorry but you do not need to know when Eggnog the Bulldog posted a new video! Even consider if you need your DM notifications on.

My apple watch friends - think about how you can apply this to your watch too!

If you're worried about staying in the loop -

I like having an intentional time to check these notifications like lunch or evenings.

Saves: ~30 minutes

-- 

3) Delaying phone usage in the morning

I like to challenge myself to do my morning routine before picking up my phone.

The time I would spend scrolling in bed first thing in the morning is replaced with:

• Hobbies

• Interests

• Self-care

The morning is the most underrated time to get these things in; don’t pass it up!

Bonus!

Delaying your phone usage allows YOU to choose what you want to think about first thing in the morning & set the tone for your day!

Saves: ~30 minutes

--

That's 90 minutes a day you've found to pursue interests without even thinking! 

The key:

YOU can take control of your time & attention, instead of someone else taking it from you!

You will be amazed the time you get back & the things you can do!

3 Ways To Still Take Action On Your Goals When Your Family, Friends, Partner Don't Get It

If you want to do more than work, scroll social, watch tv, and drink, you're not alone.

When I was 23 and started my first job, I wanted to…

• Start a podcast

• Maybe start a business

• Have a morning routine

— and I got very mixed responses from the people in my life!

Some people encouraged & enabled me

(shout out to my 1st roommate for letting me turn off our loud air conditioning for a hour so I could record a podcast in the closet)

Some people didn't understand my mindset at all

(I encouraged an ex-partner to get into more things, and the response I got was "I don't do projects like you do." Ok got it.)

So do the people in our life need to be on board with us doing more?

Yes and no.

If you want to be more, start doing more.

Set the example for the life you want to live.

Some people will:

• Encourage you

• Make it easier for you to do it

• Want to do it with you

Invite them, hold onto them, have gratitude for them!

Others will:

• Not understand or encourage

• Not make it easier to do it

• Not want to join you in it

3 ways to still take action when people don't get it:

1) Don't force anyone to do or think anything; set the example

Ex: you want to go on a run in the morning with your partner

Invite them along, but forcing them may not be the move.

You can still go if they don't want to & set the example for the life you want to live 

2) Still communicate what you want to do

Ex: you have a friend or parent who doesn't understand that you want to start a business

Tell those you trust what you're working on, little by little (yes, it can be scary!)

That's the only way you'll give them the opportunity to support, enable you, or connect you to someone who has a similar mindset to you

3) Sync your schedule to their tendencies so you can keep living the life you want

Example: my Maisy pup

She has so much energy in the morning, but I want to work on my business. So I cater to her first and get her energy out, and then work on my business.

—

Don’t let other people stop you from doing what you want to do.

Set the example, communicate, sync your schedule.

The more you take action, the more likely you're to find your people.

3 Habits I Don't Recommend Adding To Your Morning - Without Considering This

I got asked if I speak to moms.

My answer:

Although I don’t usually cater my morning routine content to moms since I am not a mom and don’t pretend I know all the things moms go through (because moms are the heroes of the world!)…

Some of the information could still be applied to their life!

It's like with any information we consume….

Some can be applied to our situation and some can't.

Take morning routines for examples.

3 common habits people try to add to their morning without considering if it works for them:

1. Waking up at 5am

2. Working out first thing

3. Doing the same thing every single day

Why these don't work for everyone:

1) Waking up at 5am:

If right now you wake up at 7am every day, starting to wake up at 5am every day all of a sudden isn't going to be super sustainable.

Meet yourself where you're at and then work your way up!

But it really isn't about what time you wake up, but why you're waking up at the time you're. 

What and who are you waking for?  

Make sure you like the reason, and that will make 5am seem a lot easier.

2) Working out first thing

I encourage people to cater their daily schedule to what their body/mind naturally crave.

When does your brain feel the most stimulated?

When does your body want to move?

Sync your schedule with your body/mind if you can!

Then the things like working out won't feel as forced in your day. 

3) Doing the same thing every single day

There is a chance your schedule is not the same 5 days a week, and definitely not 7 days a week, so why do the same routine every day?

You're allowed to have versions of your morning routine!

For example, you could have a:

• WFH routine & go to the office routine

• Workout morning routine & a writing morning routine

Pro tip: if you're worried about staying consistent…

• Have an "anchor activity" like journaling that you do every day

• Then after journaling, maybe you do yoga when you WFH and nothing when you go to the office

It’s a way to have consistency without doing the same thing every day!

Because it's not about doing things perfectly every day, but are you showing up majority of days!

--

I've made the mistake of applying what other people were doing with their finances, career, dog, etc. to my life, and then beat myself up when it didn't work!

YOU know YOUR situation best!

Take what you think works and leave the rest for someone else.

Happy, Successful 9-5ers are Doing This 1 Thing Differently

If work hasn't been your favorite thing lately, read this.

Over the past 2 years, I've had a few friends take sabbaticals (voluntarily taking 6 or more months off work). 

I was shocked to hear how they were feeling after 6 months off of work:

• Bored

• Lonely

• Lazy

• Lack of purpose

It exposed the often overlooked perks of having a 9-5:

• Feeling wanted or needed

• Not feeling alone or isolated

• A little structure can get us moving

• Having purpose

Something to have gratitude for!

But is work the only thing that can give us these feelings?

Over the past 5+ years -

Some of the happiest, most successful 9-5ers I've interacted with live as if work is a valuable source of purpose, but it isn't their only source.

They also get purpose from -

Family, friends, hobbies, health, volunteering, etc.

It is this balancing act of deriving purpose from work, but not too much that it starts determining your happiness in life.

A good reminder to ask ourselves -

• Where is your purpose coming from?

• Is it coming from multiple areas of your life?

2 Ways To View Weekends If You Want To Have A Life Outside Of Work

If you want to have a life outside of work, weekends are not time "off work."

There are 2 ways 9-5ers usually look at weekends…

1) Time off work

2) Time to live your life

The first makes work the cornerstone in your life.

The second makes work just 1 thing in your life.

You get to choose how you look at the weekends.

--

If you're like me, I notice myself taking the "time off work" mindset when work is overly busy.

2 ways I get myself back into the "time to live your life" mindset:

1) Use my morning journal session to think about the MANY pie pieces that make up your life (there are more than you may think)

Examples: work, family, friends, relationship, health, hobbies, home, organizations you’re in, etc.

2) Schedule time to act on them: before work, after work, weekends.

Pro tip: the morning can be a sneaky way to get health & hobbies in so you can have time for socializing evenings and weekends

Work is always scheduled, so make sure the other things are too.

—

It’s up to you to decide if work if going to be 1 piece vs. the whole pie.

But always here to remind you that you're so much more than your work!

3 Confidence Boosters For Implementing Work/Life Balance

For the past 5+ years, I thought people needed the TOOLS for work/life balance (and they still may).

But they really need the PERMISSION and CONFIDENCE to implement work/life balance.

— 

3 reasons I find this true:

1) We were taught in college the most important thing was to GET THE JOB.

So when we have interests outside of work, how and when do we pursue those?

2) We want to be good employees SO BAD.

So we allow our boundaries to be pushed, but how far is too far?

3) We live in the new, BLURRY age of flexible work.

Companies have documented guidelines for flexible work, but they also have "unspoken guidelines" -- so which "unspoken guidelines" are ok to implement to help your work/life balance?

— 

3 permissions for my fellow rule-following, people pleasing, perfectionists:

1) Build the ideal work/life you want to live.

Where/when/how you do work and life is in your control more than you think.

2) Trust your own discretion.

You know when you're pushing the limits vs. can use the "unspoken guidelines" to achieve work/life balance.

3) You're more than your work.

When you go to bed at night and wake up in the morning, you know who you're…and it is so much more than your job title.