photos by the amaze maria lloyd photography
happy fridayyyy! any fun plans for the weekend? i’ll be making a point to see some of my best gal pals this weekend, which i am SO looking forward to. i’m telling you, girlfriends are good for the soul.
to round out this week’s posts, i wanted to focus more on how i’ve “cleaned up” my routines and really put some thought into what i do in my daily life. to me, routines create the structure i need in my very chaotic world. i’ve been conscious of how i can add value and self-care into my routines, and to be totally honest, i feel like they help me maintain a level of gratefulness i’ve never had before. i’m not sure what it is, but each little bit of routine ‘delight’ in my day just takes it to another level. here’s what i do:
DAILY:
– i workout. i make sure that i walk [almost] every morning. sometimes i’ll try to hit a yoga class here or there, but getting that consistent half an hour, to myself, before the rest of my family wakes is SO IMPORTANT to starting my day off on the right foot [no pun intended!]. taking that time to do something good for my body usually leads me to make healthier choices throughout my day, and helps me build a foundation to create healthier patterns
– i listen to podcasts that help put me in a productive mindset. this has been SO impactful in the past few years as i have consistently commuted 2+ hours everyday. i now feel like i’m not wasting my time in the car; rather multitasking and getting myself geared up for the day. on the flip side, i have specific podcasts i listen to to unwind at the end of the day [true crime fan!!!]. it’s a routine that i’ve built that really sets the tone for the next phase of my day
– i get ready for the day. for the most part, i have a “standard” of how i want to present myself, and it helps me feel like myself to have my hair done and a little makeup on. for real, i didn’t realize the importance of this until i became a mom. i remember having this thought on maternity leave of “WILL I EVER FEEL PRETTY AGAIN?!” i’m telling you, a little mascara works wonders for your psyche.
WEEKLY:
– i take a solo target run. our family is amazing at recognizing that there i thinks i need to do, and sundays are usually my day to do them. everyone pitches in to watch logan so i can get my things taken care of, including stopping into my fave store for all of our fam necessities for the week. i try to hit it at a point where it won’t be as chaotic as the ‘after church rush,’ which helps me just take some time to zone out and take a little time to myself. the downside to this: unless i’ve made a list, i fall trap to the “what did i come here for?” and come away with literally nothing we actually needed.
– i meal prep. this one doesn’t happen every week, but i am usually able to get a little bit done to get us through the week without scrambling too hard at night. we are guaranteed to have at least 2, if not more, sporting events going on during the week, so having any sort of lunch/dinner item prepped frees us up to spend more time together goofing around as a family. the process of of cooking has also become relaxing to me too. disclaimer: i’m not a great cook, and i know how to make, like, three dishes. hope you like sheet pan meals, because that might be the only recipe you get from me.
– i clean the house. i know this one sounds crazy as a self-care routine, but the process of cleaning and the result of having a clean house help put my mind at ease. going to work monday with a clean house is one of the best ways to start the week the right way.
what about you? how do you incorporate mindfulness into your routines? i’d love to know … i LOVE hearing about other people’s routines!
happy friday, and have a great weekend!
