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.

2 Sneaky Ways To Take The Control Back From Your Phone

HOT TAKE:

When you wake up and check your phone first thing, you've decided that SOMEONE ELSE is choosing how your day starts.

This happens most often with:

• THE EMAIL: that makes that puts you into work mode before you've even gotten out of bed

• THE TEXT: from a friend asking for a favor

• THE SOCIAL MEDIA PICTURE: that makes you compare your life to others who look "better"

Instead:

YOU decide how your starts and make 2 small changes to how you use your phone in the morning!

--

1) Delay when you look at your phone in the morning

The morning is likely the only time & space to have an original thought and find a moment of calm in the day.

Don't let your phone ruin that moment!

Pro tips to delay using your phone:

• Make your bed a "no phone zone," meaning you have to get up to use it

• Put your phone on do not disturb so you don't see the notifications

• Challenge yourself to do 1-3 self care activities before looking at your phone

That way YOU get to decide how the day starts.

--

2) Pick a time you'll check your phone and stick to it

If you pick a time and are consistent with it, other people will….

• Start to learn how you operate

• Know what to expect from you

• (Hopefully) respect your boundaries

Example:

For the past 4+ years I've delayed checking my phone until after my morning routine is over.

The results:

• My mom waits to call me until after 8am

• Work knows I'll respond to inquiries at 9am

BUT If you're in situation where you need to check your phone first thing:

Some people will take a quick look just to make sure nothing is an emergency, meaning this thing has to be done NOW and by ME.

(but you'll notice very little things are an actual emergency)

--

An important note for my perfectionists:

Delaying using your phone still makes you a good and reliable employee, daughter, friend, etc.

You're just taking control of your life and deciding how your day starts.

6 Harsh Truths for Achieving Work/Life Balance and Career Growth

It's been 6 years since I entered the battle.

The battle I'm talking about (that you're probably in too):

Navigating career growth WHILE striving to maintain a strong sense of work/life balance.

In the past 6 years, there are 6 harsh truths I had to accept to propel my professional growth without sacrificing my personal life

1) People notice consistency. Be consistent at the right things.

DO

• What you say you're going to do

• Stick to the boundaries you've set so people don't expect your attention during non-working hours

DON'T

• Be the person who doesn't communicate

• Continually rush in late

Start to Ask Yourself: What do I do consistently?

People notice, and relationships are going to be the wind in your sails for your career. 

2) Relationships are EVERYTHING.

• Chat with people before or after the meeting

• Have coffee or lunch with someone you want to connect more with

• Make an effort to go to the office if you're hybrid

Building relationships and trust can push your career forward almost more than the day to day tasks you're doing.

However - no one is coming to save you.

3) No one is coming to save you.

Even if you've built strong relationships, you still have to directly ask for:

• The raise

• Someone to advocate for you

• Extra support or training

Don't assume someone is going to make it happen for you.

Taking initiative and going above & beyond is essential to growth.

4) Just doing your job is not going to be enough (if you want to grow).

In order to excel, you have to find time for:

• Digging into root causes, instead of slapping band aids on a problem

• Leading projects that aren't in the original job description

The time may not seem there, but what are the little things you can do that make a BIG difference?

And despite what you've been told, it's possible to do this without burning out.

5) Your ideal job situation exists.

We've been told that working 60 hour weeks, going to the office every day, and feeling burnt out is normal.

If you don't want to do this to be YOUR normal, your ideal work situation DOES exist!

Starts with getting really specific about what that looks like:

• when do you work

• where do you work

• how much flexibility do you have

Then integrate parts of it into your current situation.

If this doesn't seem possible, don't stop dreaming about it.

You're in control of this more than you think.

6) Wakeup for you, not for work.

Whether you're in your ideal job situation or not, consider WHO you're waking up for.

• Who is choosing what time you wake up?

• Who is choosing what you do when you wake up?

Even if you have to be at work early, you can:

• Set your alarm for the time YOU want to get up so you can…

• Do something for YOU before the work day starts.

This is the difference between work controlling your life vs. you controlling your life.

This mindset shift helps you:

• prioritize you

• takes pressure off of work

• makes you a more effective employee because you've fueled you

--

To recap,

1. People notice consistency. Be consistent at the right things.

2. Relationships are EVERYTHING

3. No one is coming to save you.

4. Just doing your job is not going to be enough (if you want to grow).

5. Your ideal job situation exists.

6. Wakeup for you, not for work.

If I had a billboard to sum up the first 6 years of my career, it would say:  

You're more than your work.

--

What would your billboard say?

You're Probably Doing A Morning Routine & Don't Even Know It….

You're probably doing a morning routine and don't even know it….

• You get up

• Brush your teeth

• Get dressed for the day

• Etc.

The foundation is there, now what if you could take it to the next level?

Level 1:

Do your morning without rushing

(maybe try only hitting snooze once)

Level 2:

Add something you've been wanting to do, like 2 mins of journaling

(habit stack or place it after brushing your teeth to make it easier)

Level 3:

Make it a non-negotiable

(remind yourself that you're living your life on your terms, so you're going to start your day on your terms)

THE KEY: starting from where you're at & taking small steps forward

You've already built the foundation so now take it to the next level!

And always here to cheer you on!

Is Your Perfectionism Ruining Your Morning Routine?

8 times out of 10, if a moment gets ruined, a perfectionist ruins it for themselves. 

Take a yoga teacher who happens to be a perfectionist.

They will likely…

• Come with a complete plan for the class

• Teach the class

• Receive praise after from students

BUT they will have criticized themselves for the whole 60 minutes about how they could be teaching better.

I know this because I've been that perfectionist yoga teacher (and I know I'm not the only one)!

For so long I thought yoga is about doing poses correctly, but it's actually about modifying poses and doing what feels good to your body and mind that day.

Probably a lesson we could apply to everything else…

~Stop ruining the moment with your perfectionism.~

--

When it comes to morning routines, 8 times out of 10, we ruin the morning for ourselves.

(the other 2 times coming from an external person or situation)

I hear things like:

• "Yea I hit snooze, so the morning just went downhill from there."

• "I could only do a 30 min workout instead of 45, so I didn't really do my full routine."

• Or the BIG one: "I didn't do my routine perfectly."

There is no perfect morning routine.

It's about adjusting, adapting, and doing 1 small thing to fuel you that day.

Don't let your perfectionism stop you from enjoying your morning (or doing your routine at all).

Turn Your Vacation Morning Into Your Everyday Morning

The morning routine you wish to do on vacation is the morning routine you can do every day.

(maybe minus the beach if that's included)

I thought about this as I'm headed on 10 day family trip.

What is my ideal morning on vacation?

For me, it's getting up to

• Journal

• Have coffee while looking at a view

• Maybe do some writing or a walk

4+ years ago, I asked myself why I was waiting till vacation to do these things.

Why couldn't this be my everyday morning routine? Or at least parts of it be?

--

1600+ mornings later, my ideal vacation morning routine is my everyday routine.

Yea maybe my view isn't the beach, mountains, or Eiffel Tower, but it's looking out the window to the trees with a pup right beside me.

And it's a pretty great way to start the day if I do say so myself!

I challenge you to consider:

"how can I start living my ideal vacation morning right now?"

You may be surprised how creative you can get.

Are Morning Routines A Privilege?

There's 1 subject about morning routines I've steered away from talking about, but is an important conversation.

Are morning routines a privilege?

I'm talking the morning routine where you wakeup at 5am or after to journal, workout, or have a moment to yourself before you start work.

Is there privilege in…

• Choosing what time you wakeup?

• Choosing what you want to do in the morning?

• A schedule, responsibilities, and a body that allows you to get enough sleep?

• Working typical 9-5 or flexible hours?

• Having financial or people support to watch over those you care for while you take time for yourself

My or your situation may make morning routines more accessible than someone else's situation.

This is important to recognize, find gratitude, and not take for granted.

It also makes me wonder how we can make morning routines more accessible for those who want a moment to themselves?

Does it come from…

• Companies having a flexible start time for work?

• Educating people on the morning routine options?

• Providing support to parents and caregivers so they can have a moment to themselves?

• Reminding people that they're worth getting out of bed for

For you -

Maybe this conversation gives you gratitude for your situation, a kick in the butt to not take it for granted, and grace for others' situation.

For me -

Amongst the many articles on morning routine tips and benefits, the conversation around accessibility is something I would like to explore more.

3 Decisions Successful Leaders Make About Their Morning Routine

Sometimes we forget there is a human behind successful leaders.

Behind the fancy accolades and job titles is someone…

• waking up

• turning off the alarm

• making the decision of what the first moments of the day are going to look like

I recently came across this Balancing The Grind article about morning routines of successful leaders.

(people like Sara Blakely, Whitney Wolfe Herd, Gary Vaynerchuk)

Here are the 3 decisions they make about their morning routine:

 —

1) Being aware

When asked what their morning routine entails, no one is saying "not sure."

They're aware of what they do in the morning and are pretty specific about it.

Makes you think this awareness translates into their success in the business world.

—

2) Being intentional

They have a reason for why they do the things they do.

Whether it's working out or "putting around," there is a reason they do it, and it’s usually because there isn't another time in the day they're going to get to do it.

—

3) Taking control

These leaders are starting their morning on their terms. 

They aren't saying "I have to do XYZ."

Instead, they say "I like to do XYZ."

It's the mindset of taking control of not only your morning, but your life.

—

1 MORE THING

When looking at people we admire, before we adopt the tactics they use, I like to consider if I value the same things as them.

More specifically how our time is spent.

With family, friends, working, exercising, etc.

What we do comes from what we value, and if we don't value the same things, we don't need to do the same things.

3 Ways To Embrace Your PTO

Vacation & PTO season is upon us (woo!)

How do we actually take time off from work, be present, & feel good about going on vacation?

—

1) Turn off email & chat notifications on your phone

If you can, turn off your work email and notifications on your phone.

That way YOU get to decide if you want to look a work emails/chats, instead of someone else deciding for you.

I also know some people who use vacation as a social media detox, or limit social media to only when they're in their hotel room so they can be fully present for the experiences.

—

2) Continue your morning routine

Vacation usually involves different workout, eating, drinking, socializing, and sleep habits, leaving us feeling a little off.

If there was any time to do a morning routine, it really is on vacation!

Plan an "anchor activity" like meditation or journaling in the morning so you have 1-5 minutes to yourself.

This will recharge your social battery and keep you feeling like yourself.

—

3) Take an extra day off when coming back from vacation

I have not done this before, but want to try it if I have enough PTO!

I know some people who take an extra day off to catch up on work email, get personal things done (like groceries), & get organized after coming back from vacation.

May allow you enjoy the entirety of the vacation and calm those extreme Sunday Scaries when coming back.

-- 

Want to setup your morning routine before going on vacation? Or work on it when you get back?

Let’s book a time on the calendar to chat about it! I have a few free spots left this month :)

3 Ways A Morning Routine Impacts Your Career

Let's throw out all the traditional reasons to have a morning routine for just a second.

If you're a 9-5 worker, here are 3 reasons why a morning routine actually matters:

—

1) When you get the Sunday scaries about work on Monday…

You have your morning routine of journaling or working out planned so you can wakeup for YOU instead of work

—

2) When you have a rushed morning…

You have an Anchor Activity, something you do each morning to pause & checkin, to slow down and decide who you're and who you're going to be.

(A quick & easy Anchor is 5 deep breaths in the car before stepping into work)

—

3) The person you show up as at work determines if…

• People are going to trust you in a business aspect (more likely to trust a calm & collected person vs. a rushed & scattered person)

• Want to be around you in a people aspect (the calm person is more approachable than the frantic person)

So how do you build these into your morning routine?

1) When picking what to do in the morning, ask yourself,

• what is something easy you could do for 1-5 minutes to ground yourself (this is your ANCHOR)

• what do you crave

• what would you do in the morning if you were on vacation (yes you can do that now, minus the beach)

• what's something you want to do that you're too tired after work to do

2) To get rid of the rush

• Once you have something planned that is worth waking up for, you're more likely to get out of bed

• Attach your Anchor to something you already do, like brushing your teeth

• Time block your morning so you have checkin points of when you need to move onto getting dressed or making breakfast

3) Use your morning routine to push your career forward

• Journal or walk to get clarity & manifest where you want your career to go

• Do something besides work to take the stress & pressure off of working determining your worth & happiness (I call this "diversifying your happiness")

3 Essential Routine Shifts To Make If You Want To Pursue New Interests & Be More Than Your Work

If you're an ambitious 20-something, you may have reached the point where you want to do more than work, scroll social, and drink with friends.

How do you pursue other interests and expand your identity? 

(Especially when we're stuck in our ways and too tired from work to do anything else)

3 Essential Routine Shifts To Make If You Want To Pursue New Interests & Be More Than Your Work

1) Do something for yourself BEFORE work

There's something about waking up for yourself vs. for work.

Establish some kind of morning routine, like walking or reading, so you choose you before work.

2) Journal about things you're curious about

If you haven't journaled before because you don't know what to say, answer the question, "what am I curious about?"

Start listing those things out.

If you find yourself thinking about 1 more than others, that may be the thing to research more or start pursuing.

Pro tip: do this at the time of day you feel the most creative or expressive (ex: morning vs. night).

3) Change your default activity AFTER work

 If your default or go-to after work is sitting on the couch, maybe change your default to a walk or workout class.

 Decide the night before what you're going to do so you remove decision-making after work, making you more likely to do it.

 Also makes you consider what your other "defaults" are in life. It can be a good reflection point if you’re proud of the life you're living.

3 Ways To Make Time For Reflection Before Work

In 2018, I thought my 30 minute commute to work every day was going to be the biggest waste of time. 

Looking back, those were some of the most valuable moments of my early 20s.

The biggest thing I discovered:

Time for reflection isn't important, it's ESSENTIAL

It's the a moment to say to myself "here's who I am and who I want to be" so the world doesn't end up deciding for me.

—

3 ways making time for reflection ended up impacting my life:

1) I decided I was going to start blogging vs. be the person who falls into scrolling social every day after work.

2) My go-to at a social event was going to be a mocktail vs. everyone else ordering cocktails so I could manage my anxiety better

3) I was going to have business AND a full time job vs. the following the entrepreneurship measure of success of "getting out of your job as fast as possible.”

—

I'd like to say I intentionally found the time to reflect, but I kind of fell into it with these long drives.

If you haven't found reflection time, 3 ideas for you:

-The drive to work

-Journaling before work

-Taking a walk before you sit down to work from home

Those 30 minutes could be the difference between you vs. the world deciding who you're and who you're going to be.

—

If you want help in making time for reflection, let’s chat about it!

I open up a few 15-min spots on my schedule each week to chat with people about their routines!

Feel free to grab completely free :)

3 Essential Routine Shifts To Make When Getting A Dog (or Experiencing Any Life Change)

My co-workers have been lovingly laughing at me.

 I got my puppy Maisy almost 6 weeks ago and she has turned my life upside down.

As someone who likes routine, it's been disrupted by:

• waking up 2x a night to let her out

• morning starts with her first, then me

• interrupting what I'm doing to get whatever it is out of her mouth or let her outside

My co-workers with kids and dogs lovingly smile as I tell them this when I walk into the office, as I am starting to empathize with what they go through.

To look at the bright side, I'm learning some new, important routine tactics.

3 essential routine shifts to make when getting a dog (or experiencing any life change):

—

1) Be thankful for the good habits you've already established

The good habits I already have in place ground me and make me feel like I'm in at least a little bit of control while this big change is going on (even if I don't get to do all of them).

The good habits I have already have remind me of who I am before being becoming a dog mom.

AKA start good habits now!

—

2) Do not force it, sync to what is craved

But not all the habits are going to be EXACTLY the same as before, and don't force them to be.

In the morning, I tried taking care of myself and then her.

NOPE

Maisy has her highest energy in the morning.

My morning was so much easier when I tended to her and then went on with my morning.

Just like we need to sync our routine to how our brain/body operate, who knew we also needed to sync to our dogs.

—

3) Add time buffers

Let me repeat that, ADD TIME BUFFERS

Everything is going to take longer, especially starting out:

• mornings

• getting out the door

• basically any task as it can be interrupted with a puppy needing to go out or chewing on something they aren't supposed to

Give yourself extra time to do everything so you aren't showing up frantically late all the time.

Because showing up as the calm & present person may also require giving yourself a little extra time & grace.

Also - thank goodness she's cute!

—

If you happen to be going through a life change too, let’s chat about it!

I open up a few 15-min spots on my schedule each week to chat with people about their routines!

Feel free to grab completely free :)

12 Step Checklist To A Calm & Productive Schedule

I made a 12 step checklist to a calm & productive schedule that I keep coming back to.

For the past 4+ years, I’ve studied morning routines & time management diligently and the amount of information can be overwhelming.

So the Time Management Checklist was born:

1. Identify the person you want to be

   Who do you want to be? How do you want to show up. Present, calm, someone with boundaries, responsive, etc.

2. Do the Life Pie exercise

   Split your life into 3-5 pieces (ex: health, family, work). Get really clear on what these are. This not only determines where your time is spent, but where your happiness is coming from.

3. Time block

   Take your pie pieces and time block where they’re happening in your week. Example: family time happens after work, workout time is in the morning. If it doesn’t have a time block, it’s probably not happening.

4. Aligned with what you crave

   Is your schedule aligned with how your body/brain operates? If you brain works best in the morning, maybe that is the time to work on that dream business. If your body has the most energy in the morning, maybe that’s the time to workout. This limits the amount you’re FORCING yourself to do something.

5. Beginner mode

   Is your schedule set to beginner mode? Do you have habits or things on the schedule that feel manageable and sustainable, and won’t lead to burnout? For example: if you normally wake up at 7am, but tell yourself you’re going to start waking up at 5am to workout, you’re going BEAST MODE instead of BEGINNER mode. First try waking up 15 minutes earlier and then work your way up so that 5am becomes a lifestyle change, instead of a short term goal.

6. Wind down time & activities

   It takes longer than we think to get our brains to shut down for bed. Instead of having a bedtime, have a wind down time 1-2 hours before bed to get your brain to slow down. That could include not working, leisurely reading, or journaling. Anything that prepares you to be ready to sleep when bedtime comes around.

7. Sleep buffer

   The goal isn’t to rush in the morning, so why rush out of bed? Here’s your permission to give yourself a sleep buffer or 15 minutes to leisurely wake up. This is also a good benchmark if you’re someone who continually hits snooze.

8. Rest days

   This is scheduling unscheduled time. This is time to reset, relax, or maybe get caught up on something that didn’t get finished this week. Creating more flexibility and rejuvenation in your schedule.

9. Special spots

   This is designating a special spot for each thing you do. Where do you work? Where do you sleep? Say your Special Spot for work is your desk. That means your desk is where you go to focus on work, and maybe not scroll social. Likewise, that means work doesn’t occur in bed. The purpose of this is designating a place you can be fully present for what you’re doing, and your brain can easily switch into the mindset it needs to be in.

10. Phone settings aligned

    Are your phone settings aligned with the person you want to be? Are they aligned with your Special Spots? For example, if you want to be present, maybe you limit the notifications popping up on your home screen. Or maybe work emails only get checked at your desk, and not when you’re at the gym.

11. Routine options

    Give yourself options for routine so you’re more likely to do it. For example: you could have a go-to-the-office morning routine that is a little shorter, and a work-from-home morning routine that is a little longer. It doesn’t need to look exactly the same every day and you can give yourself options.

12. Anchor activity

    Have an Anchor Activity for yourself, or something you do for 2-5 minutes each morning no matter. This could be journaling or taking 5 deep breaths. The purpose is to show up and check-in with yourself. It doesn’t always have to be all or nothing when it comes to your morning routine.

Reminder - you don’t need to integrate all of these at once.

Pick 1 that resonates the most right now and start integrating into your schedule.

I have the full 1-pager checklist if you want to download & save for later!

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Need guidance on which 1 to get started with?

I open a few 15-min spots on my schedule each week to chat with people about their morning routine & schedule (for free)! Feel free to grab one before they’re gone :)

3 Ways I’m Finding Calm In A Hard Work Week

To my friends who are in the thick of a hard work week and looking for some relief…

Right there with ya!

This is when I tap into my learnings from the past 4+ years studying how to create a calm morning and schedule!

So here are 3 ways I’m finding CALM in a hard work week:

1) Strategically protecting my energy

2) Remembering I’m more than my career

3) Having an Anchor & prioritizing it

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Here are the details:

1) Strategically protecting my energy

Most of my time and energy is being spent on work, so really not trying to drain myself even more.

A few ways I think about doing this:

• Limiting the number of things going on after work

• Less multi-tasking, focusing on doing 1 thing at a time

• When being a sounding board for co-workers, know your limits & when negativity is affecting your energy

Don’t worry - this doesn’t mean you can’t do it all or are weak; you are just trying to show up your best during a hard time :)

2) Remembering I’m more than my career

Sometimes work needs to be THE thing right now, and that’s ok!

But I like to remind myself I’m more than my work, and my happiness & worth comes from multiple places:

• Family, friends, dogs

• Cozy home

• Exercising

• Hobbies/interests

PRO TIP: highly recommend doing the Life Pie exercise of identifying the 3-5 sections that make of your life, and seeing the many parts that make up you :)

3) Having an Anchor & prioritizing it

An Anchor Activity is something you do for 2-5 minutes in the morning before work no matter what.

Some favorite Anchor Activities my clients and I use:

• Journaling

• 5 deep breaths

• Stretching

• Writing down 3 things you’re thankful for

• Setting the 3 priorities for the day

In the busyness of it all, it’s a chance to say to myself…

“I am here and this is who I am”

…before the rest of the world gets to influence you.

And by prioritizing this day after day, you slowly become the calm, strong person that is ready to take on the day!

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If you feel like you need some relief now and want some help getting healthy habits to stick in your schedule, here to chat about it!

I can direct you on where to start in a quick 15 min phone call! Let me know if you want a spot on the schedule this week :)

Who or What Are You Waking Up For?

I’ve always coached people on “waking up for yourself.”

But I’m going to put an asterisk* on that now.

My 11 week old pup Maisy has made her entrance into my life & I am absolutely not waking up for myself anymore!

I am waking up to take care of her (and admittedly so she doesn’t have an accident in my house)!

There’s a selflessness that’s come over me since I’ve gotten her.

It challenges what I always thought about waking up for myself and gives me MORE purpose to get out of bed!

I take care of her and then we snuggle up & do my morning routine!

So I challenge you to…

LIKE WHO OR WHAT YOU'RE WAKING UP FOR

Many of us wake up for work.

If you’re happy with that reason, great!

If not, you can change it!

Wake up for:
-Yourself
-Your partner
-Your pet
-Your kids
-Your dream side project

Whatever or whomever gives you the drive to get out of bed!

And if it is someone else, still pouring into yourself in some small way in the morning is a beneficial way to start the day.

Make YOU the priority early on in the day so you don’t get lost in the list of everything else!

5 Ways To Setup Your Calm & Productive Work From Home Life

1 blessing many of us have is the flexibility to work from home.

But if we don’t think about HOW we are using the flexibility, it can actually lead to more stress and less focus throughout the workday.

Here are 5 ways to setup your calm and productive work from home life:

1) Build a Command Center
2) Make your Command Center a “no social zone.”
3) Create a transition between meetings
4) Put the laptop to bed
5) Have a morning routine before the workday starts

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Here are the details:

1) Build a Command Center

Pick 1 special spot in your home where work happens.

I call this your “Command Center.”

This is where you go to focus, become a powerful decision maker, and fully be present in work.

Mine is my desk in my office!

Yes, the couch or bed can be nice sometimes, but these are usually our sacred resting spots, so consider keeping them that way.

2) Make your Command Center a “no social zone.”

Decide what happens and doesn’t happen in your Command Center.

For me, 1 of my biggest distractions is my phone!

Therefore, I try to make my Command Center a “no social zone” where I don’t check social or respond to texts.

Instead, I get up to do these things, making for the perfect break between meetings.

BONUS: I also use this mindset for my desk when I go into the office!

3) Create a transition between meetings

When we have back to back meetings, it can be tough to be present for each and easy to get burnt out.

Try to create a transition between meetings.

That could be:
-Taking 3 deep breaths to ground yourself for the next meeting
-Getting up from your Command Center to take a break
-Getting a drink of water or petting the dog

This can create calm throughout the day and allow you to be a more sound decision maker as you go into the next meeting.

4) Put the laptop to bed

If you want to mark the end of the workday, consider putting your laptop “to bed” or away in a drawer or backpack.

This creates a:
-Stopping point for the workday
-Starting point to be present for the rest of life

Consider how easy or hard you want to make it to “jump back on & answer 1 more email.”

If you want to create calm & boundaries, putting the laptop to bed can be a helpful tool.

Also a good marking for the start of the workday the next morning!

5) Have a morning routine before the workday starts

If we want to live that calm life, it starts in the morning!

Start the day taking care of you so you can be your best self when you show up to your work/Command Center.

After all, who decides how you live your life, you or your work?

⭐ Reminder: you’re worth getting out of bed for!

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If you want to create your ideal morning routine that transitions nicely into your workday, let’s chat!

Feel free to schedule a free 15-min call to chat morning routine or time management coaching.