Recently, I’ve been adding a lot more to my routine to step up my self-improvement game. One of the best things about starting a new job is setting up a new schedule and starting fresh. Here are a few ideas to share that I feel have helped me reach more of my full potential lately. Hopefully, these are some small but impactful habits (that aren’t on every self-care list you read) that can help you change your life for the better!

-Wake up an hour earlier

If you are someone who already wakes up at the crack of dawn naturally this is not for you. However, anyone that relatively knows me knows that I have never, ever, naturally been a morning person. As long as I can remember, I would wake up with just enough time to get ready for work or class and be in a frenzy from the second I hopped out of bed until I arrived at the destination. I did this because I would sleep past many, many alarms and just HATED the feeling of waking up when I knew I didn’t get enough rest. However, what I am just now realizing yes, in my mid-twenties, is that I need to trick myself into going to bed earlier to get my eight hours and to wake up with well enough time to get ready. My poor mom tried to instill this in me at a young age but better late than never, right? Therefore, even though I am actually waking up sooner I feel so much more well-rested because I can take my time getting reading. Instead of running around like a madwoman trying to get out the door. Poor Chase is the one in charge of keeping me accountable so some morings he has to keep nudging me and saying my name until I finally sit up. So, I am definitely improving but can get better at going to bed early.

Side note, there is interesting research that proves some people are naturally (yes, genetically) wired to be early-risers or night owls. You can read more about this here. Science is on my side for those days I get to sleep in. It’s in my genes. 😉

-Listen to Podcasts Daily

Specifically, the Rise podcast hosted by Rachel Hollis. It is honestly SO good for the soul! She features different industry leaders every week on her show and there is always something different to learn. I know that no one is perfect, but I seriously applaud her for the amazing change she is leading in women’s lives. Obviously, it’s free, so if you haven’t jumped on that bandwagon yet I strongly suggest it, there’s no judgment here.

-Go on a Walk

Of course, this goes hand in hand with getting more exercise in general, which I am bad about, but I recently started going on walks around the neighborhood while listening to my favorite podcasts (two birds one stone) and I feel so much more centered the rest of the day. It’s different than other types of workouts because you can just chill and be left with your thoughts of mentally digesting whatever content you’re inhaling.

-Help Someone Every Week

It may sound counterintuitive but one of the best things to get yourself out of a funk is to help someone else with whatever they’re going through. I’ve got to volunteer a few times recently with my job and organizations I am involved in and no matter how tired I am I leave feeling oh so good knowing that I helped someone else just a little bit. There are tons of non-profits to get involved with but it can even be something as simple as helping a co-worker with a project. Life is hard, let’s help each other through it.

-Talk on the Phone with Someone Every Week

Can you tell I’m an extrovert yet? But really, long-distance friendships can be SO hard! My sweet friend Lisa lives in Austin and a few months ago we started talking on the phone more regularly and it is so good to connect on that level. It can be so easy to fall in the monotony of texting those we love but we are able to talk about so much more on a call (talk about free therapy, right). I highly recommend it!

-Make a list of all of the “life things” you need to get done and… get them done!

I found that the stress of not doing these tasks but constantly seeing the papers on the counter and being reminded that I did not do said thing, was more stressful than just getting the dang THING DONE! We make all kinds of excuses for doctor visits, getting back to someone, etc. Save yourself time and energy by just scheduling a time to get it done once and for all.

-Learn Something New

Cue Google! Not just the search bar but all of the FREE courses that are offered here and there’s probably more than you think. There is a course on everything from how to land your next job to understanding the basics of code. I’m trying to get in the groove of reading books more regularly as well. We all have unlimited options here to expand our horizons, which is the beauty of the Internet, so learn away!

-Make Time for Yourself

Whether it is in the hour you are waking up earlier, after work or right before bed you need to make sure that you have some time block in the day where you can do whatever you want. It is those crazy seasons in life when we feel we have lost control. A good way to battle that is to make time for the things you love whether it’s just relaxing or pouring into one of your favorite hobbies.

There you have it! I hope these small habits help you as much as they’ve helped me. Thanks for reading!

Xo,

Lauren

Image courtesy of stocksnap.io