Finding a Routine that Works
I think January is a great time to asses your life and make sure you're on track. When I came back home to London after two weeks off for Christmas I found it really hard to get back to work and I had almost forgotten what my daily routine was. I had such a lovely time at home relaxing and enjoying time with old friends and family I suddenly felt a little lonely and disorientated being back in London.
Having a Reason to Get up Early
After last week I wanted to get my grove back and find a schedule that suited me perfectly. Today I woke up slightly earlier and headed to the gym. Pre Christmas I would go and work out in the morning before starting my working day at home but over the holidays I totally lost the morning habit. I've booked myself a weeks worth of morning gym classes to make sure I'm up and out the door early.
Breaking up the Working Day
Working from home has a lot of positive aspect but as no-one holds me accountable for my work sometimes it's difficult to feel motivated. I adopted the Timeboxing technique to ensure I'm as productive as possible. I've discovered that working in 25 minuet intervals and then treating myself to a 5 minute break means that I work so much harder. So every 25 minutes I make a cup of tea, stretch or watch a short YouTube video and then back to work for another 25 minutes. It works for me and I really suggest trying it out.
Finding A Signature Style
It may sound silly but I feel so much more "me" when I've had my haircut. I've found a style that suits me and my lazy attitude to hair maintenance. A chin length blunt bob is probably the easiest style to look after and it's just the right amount of modern and classic for me. My most recent cut was at SuperCuts Archway, I'd never gone before but I was so happy with it. It was great to be able to pop in somewhere to quickly get a trim, boom back home within the hour.
Each month or so I have a wardrobe clear out which feels so refreshing. It's interesting to see what I wear all the time, it makes it easier to shop as I know exactly what I wear on a regular basis. No more impulse buys for me!
Finding an Excise Schedule That Suits me
I've always liked exercising, I was very sporty in school but adult life gets in the way sometimes and it can be hard to stick to a schedule. I used to workout at home using videos on YouTube but after a few years I wanted to step up my game. Since I work at home joining a gym was a way for me to get out of the house everyday and meet people too, I also have access to equipment I would never be able to have at home. I definitely work out a lot more now I'm paying for the gym. Here's what I do...
My Workouts in a Week
Monday - day off
Tuesday - Weightlifting
Wednesday - Core Workout
Thursday - Self Defence
Friday - Spinning (urgh it's so hard!)
Saturday - Trampolining
One Evening Per Week - Yoga or Pilates
Sunday - 4 to 7 mile walk. At the moment Simon and I are walking the Capital Ring which is a 78 mile loop all around the edge of London. So far we've done Stoke Newington to Hackney Wick and Hackney Wick to Beckton District Park. The wall takes you through lots of parks, waterways and hidden gems of London. The other day we found the house where the Big Breakfast was filmed!
I hope these routine / scheduling tips were helpful, let me know what you like to do to feel productive.