I was sitting at work recently when one of my colleagues turned to me and said..”How do you do it all Michele?” How do you have time to workout, prep meals, work, coach, take care of your child, have a blog, be a wife and still have fun? Not to mention, be good at it! I laughed as I normally do when I am uncomfortable and said “I drink a lot of caffeine”. But as I took a sip of my coffee I thought more about her question. I realized that although I get asked this question quite often, I have not shared how I actually do this on a daily basis. I also realized that so many women struggle with this like I did. So am I here to share with you some tactics that have worked for me and other busy women.

First, here are some obvious morning habits that everyone could benefit from that I myself do…

• Get my ass out of bed!
• Workout
• Eat Breakfast
• Listen to Personal Development
• Review my Calendar
• Then finish my morning with checking my email

GET UP EARLY.

If you open any books or articles on habits of successful people, the number one item on the list will be get up early. What do I mean by early? Well, it depends on your schedule. For me, I have to be up by 6 am to be able to accomplish what I need to before I get out the door.  Most sources will say get up at 5:30 am, but if you have read my post on How to Be a Morning Person, you know that I have a bad relationship with the snooze button. But, if I am being honest, I really should get up at 5:30 am so I am not rushed, but pick a time that works for you and start making it a habit. I will not lie it is hard at first, but now I cherish my early morning time.

CREATE A ROUTINE.  

Start with small changes, like getting up 30 minutes earlier a day and be consistent. Be patient with yourself. It will take time to get into a routine that is best for you and your family. Since my husband leaves so early in the morning, I do not have the option of going to a gym or class, so establishing a home workout routine was a great place to start. By starting this when my daughter was less than one year old, I was able to create a sustainable schedule over time. Others like to start there morning with a cup of coffee and positive affirmations which is awesome too, it just depends on how you want to make your morning YOURS. Yes, there will be days where life gets in the way, but if you fill your morning with successful habits, you will see progress every day. Having a routine was also a game changer for Melissa Marin, blogger, network marketer, product developer and a single mom of a very active 6 year old. She says “This routine was a lot of trial and error. It took me months to find a routine that worked so don’t be discouraged if you start building a routine and it takes a while to find what works. Putting myself on a schedule has allowed me to get my work done and find a healthy balance between mom and business woman. Creating a schedule and sticking to it is what has saved me and my sanity. It has allowed me to bring balance back to my life and be more productive.”

MOVE YOUR BODY

Did you know that 76% of the rich exercise 30 minutes or more day? Hell that is reason enough for me. Why is that though? Because moving your body every day helps to reduce stress, improves memory and mental sharpness, and promotes creativity.  It also gives you the energy you need to power through the day. For me, my early morning workout fuels my entire day and gives me the energy to get everything done and maintain my smile..most days anyway. Give me a sports bra and my favorite leggings and I am good to go!

PRIORITIZE

Take a moment and write down everything you MUST accomplish in one day.  Then begin to prioritize that list. Somewhere on that list should be time for YOU, especially you moms out there (See Finding Your Identity in Motherhood). Then write down everything you WANT to accomplish in one day. You may see some differences between the two. Then write down what your IDEAL routine would be. Take your 2 lists and attempt to merge them into a routine you can be happy with. This will take some tweaking, but it is a great way to keep your priorities in check. Tiffany Heiser author, graphic designer, personal assistant and mom boss says “The number one thing is writing down or keeping track of everything you have to do, then prioritize them. Putting any projects due soon as number one and then scaling down from there. I usually have my jobs written up in my phone, it’s my go to for everything. Then work on what projects are ranked higher in my list and go down from there. It’s tough to get through it all, but us women are known well for being able to multi-task and that’s what being successful is all about. Don’t be afraid to have to stop and breathe every now and then, but once you’re done go at it again.”

MEDITATE OR BE PURPOSE ORIENTED

I seriously have failed at meditating on multiple occasions. I’ve tried everything and it is just not for me, so I prefer to be purpose oriented. What does this mean? Thinking about what your true purpose in life is and how you want to live out that purpose.  For example, I am a physician assistant and health coach. My purpose is to help others focus on building healthy, sustainable habits that will allow them to be happy. It is to help those struggling with cancer and guide them on their journey. It is to be the best mother and wife I can be to my family. I take time to think very specifically how I will make this happen every day and what steps I need to take to be successful. This allows me to fall into my routine easier each day as I know my ultimate purpose.

GIVE UP ONE AND GAIN ONE

This may sound weird but think of one thing you could take out of your life right now that could make you more productive. Mine was mindless TV watching. Maybe yours is spending hours on social media, online shopping, or spending too much time at the bar. Whatever it is pick something and stop doing it. Replace it with something like reading a book, writing a blog, or just connecting with your significant other. This was literally life changing for me. Turning off the TV and bringing personal development into my life has given me the tools to be more confident and be here writing this for you today. Don’t get me wrong, I still love me a good episode of The Crown or Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but ultimately to meet my goals I know I have to give one to gain one.

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I guess that was a long-winded answer to how I do it!! The key is to establish a consistent routine that will work for you to live out your purpose. Want to know more about how I stay consistent with healthy habits? Email me to get more information on how to Join the Spandex Squad or participate in my upcoming FREE course Clean Eating for Dummies!]]>