Make it Suitable and DOable!

A suitable and doable schedule sets you up for success. The ability to create an optimal routine, plan ahead, set boundaries and practice discipline. Create new habits that are positive reinforcements and cancel out the old habits that lead you to feeling lazy or guilty.

Life is constantly changing and we as individuals are evolving, therefore having the ability to create a schedule or routine with habits that benefit you, will allow you to be successful and live a fulfilled life doing the things you love. There will be times when the going gets tough and the last thing you want to do is do the task or new habit you have set in place. There is no telling when these phases will come. We roll with the punches and remember our WHY. Our WHY is what motivates us to keep pushing, remain disciplined and trust that we will come out stronger on the other side!

Finding your WHY.

Why do we pick the Wrong Why?

If you have ever started a new habit or set a goal for yourself whether that be health, fitness, relationship or business related and you did not see the results you wanted, I’m guessing you've encountered “The Vicious Cycle of Failure”. Don’t fret! This isn’t because you aren’t capable of achieving your goal...you just had the “wrong why” - an initial motivation for starting a new diet or program that sets us up to fail before we even start.

Depending on your goal, whether that be weight loss, healthy lifestyle habit change or competing in a race, the meaning behind that goal is the root of our motivation for doing it. Our meaning is generally constructed of our knowledge and feeling about the goal from our past socialization and experiences with it. But...there is also the underlying reason (primary motivation) for why we are choosing to do it in the first place.

For example…

A surface level “Why” may be;

 “To lose weight”

 “Build healthy habits” 

“Create a sustainable healthy diet plan”

These “Why’s” are not bad. But they are not the real reason for your motivation. The reason for this is that these reasons do not provide immediate rewards or feedback. How is a far-off potential reward going to motivate you today when you need to get off the couch and go to the gym? It won’t. 

Creating the Right Why

Understanding your meaning determines whether or not you will make time, day after day, to do it. Find something that is relevant to you right now. Find a meaning that is positive and is a “gift” rather than a “chore”. If we dislike something, we will not do it.

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Lifestyle Changes

Another factor that is changing is our lifestyle. Maybe you just changed careers which changed your schedule, or maybe you’re kids just started school which requires pick up times that interfere with your gym routine. Or maybe you just had a child or began menopause and your body is adjusting to new hormone levels. All these changes can affect how we feel physically, mentally and emotionally. These changes will naturally occur in life, as we are also constantly changing. It is important to remember that everything is temporary. Experiences and feelings both happy and sad will pop up and just as they come, they will also fade away. It is easy to get caught up in those experiences. If it is a sad or upsetting situation where hindering feelings arise, it is common to let those feelings determine your productivity. You may want to curl up in bed, close the blinds and sleep all day even though you have goals to accomplish. This is when you must remind yourself that this moment is temporary, this feeling is temporary, and it will pass.

Creating a Plan

Create a plan that will set you up for success without you having to make big changes to your current and future schedules and routines.

What not to do when creating your schedule.

If you are anything like me, you may have a million ideas and things you want to do in your day. You have great ideas for habits, schedules and hobbies to implement flooding your mind. You take notes on the business models you want to create and more. Here is the issue…how are you to complete any of those many tasks when you also have a full-time job, a family and kids to care for, social events and gatherings to attend, etc. You will give up before you even begin. I don’t know about you, but even thinking about a full schedule like that is overwhelming!

Another thing to avoid when creating a schedule is forcing yourself into doing things you dislike. Just like we discussed when creating your WHY, doing things you dislike is not motivating and eventually you will stop doing them. With that being said, I’d also like to make it noted that implementing and establishing new habits isn’t always easy. So be prepared for some friction to occur but make sure that friction isn’t so unbearable that you despise the task you are doing.

Create a Schedule that is DOable and Sustainable

1. Map it: Begin by mapping out each task (big or little) and anything you spend time on, that you do in a full working day from the moment you wake to the moment your head hits the pillow at night. 
2. Batch it: Now, mark each task on a scale of 0-3 of its importance to be done at that time with (0) being “Irrelevant”, (1) “Somewhat important but can be done later”, (2) “Important”, and (3) “Very Important, DO NOW”. 
3. Scratch it: After assessing your current daily tasks, go back and scratch out your tasks marked as (1). 
4. Organize it: Write down your list of (3) tasks in order of most importance, then do the same with (2) tasks, then again with your (1) tasks.

Another thing to think about is whether any of these tasks need to be done by you specifically. If they can be done by someone else or designated to another person, that frees up space for your important tasks as well as other things you would like to do in your day!

5. Place it: Now, we strategically place the most important tasks in the time frame when you are most productive and alert. Research studies have shown that the 0-8 hrs after waking up are optimal for doing “New Habits”. Our dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine tend to be elevated which supports an alert and focused state where we are better able to engage in activities that require more focus. 

By placing your “very important tasks” or new habits in this phase of the day, you will be more likely to accomplish them. These tasks don’t need to be done at the same exact time to the second each day, just in the window of 0-8 hrs after waking up.

6. Prioritize yourself: Create time for things that make you feel good! Whether it be reading a book, going for a walk, playing with your kids, or taking a bath…make room for it. Self health is incredibly important to creating a balanced life. If you are not at your best mentally, emotionally and physically, how can you give your best effort into achieving your goals? 

After placing your (3) tasks, then your (2) tasks, place a timeslot for your self care then continue to place your (1) tasks in the remaining time you have on that day. If there is none, luckily those (1) tasks can be placed at another time or handed off to someone else.

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Something Fun & Extra!

Pick a theme for the month.

Each month offers opportunity to dial in focus on a particular set of habits or task you'd like to incorporate and accomplish. Grab a notebook, journal or calendar and write down a theme for the upcoming month. This could be anything from building on your business and creating a new social media content for advertisement, to starting a new hobby such as learning a language or even a project such as building a home gym so you can achieve your fitness goals!

Picking a theme makes things fun and keeps things fresh. Doing the same thing day after day can become boring and a "chore", so spice it up!

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Be graceful with yourself.

Lastly, be graceful and kind to yourself. We tend to be the hardest on ourselves. Judgement, disappointment, guilt, regret and so on...With any new endeavor, there will be mistakes. Rather than viewing these mistakes as failure, look at them as opportunities to learn and grow. Some of the best work is created from a mistake or accident!

If you fall off your routine or forget to do that new habit you just started, don't beat yourself up over it. It happened, it's in the past and we move on. "All things are temporary"...Remember! When you feel those emotions of disappointment, guilt or anger arise because you feel like you failed, take a moment. Breath and assess the situation from a different standpoint. It is not the end of the world and no one is going to get hurt except you if you continue to let negative emotion consume you. Step out of that and write down the mistake that occurred, what you learned and what you will do differently to make sure it doesn't happen again.

We should always be students to ourselves. After all, we are only human and all humans make mistakes which a beautiful thing because we get to grow and become better versions of ourselves!