Day 4 – Get Creative
Routine is a huge motivation sapper. Following the same routine day-in and day-out could be preventing you from being your best and having your best week ever. The goal of this challenge is to enable you to break routine by unleashing your creativity.
It’s not carved in stone that you should schedule your week in a certain way. You won’t go to jail if you don’t make foot-long to-do lists or multitask. The conventional methods of planning may not be working for you because they’re not personalized to your needs.
The key to designing your best week ever is to find new and innovative ways to plan and work, according to your preferences and needs. This will be a process of trial and error because what works for you may not work for someone else. However, here are some tips to get you started:
- Consider grouping all of your errands together on one day. Block out a couple of hours to grocery shop, go to the bank, and so on. This is a huge time-saver.
- Do tasks differently, such as mixing up the steps, or for mundane tasks, challenging yourself against the clock.
- Work outdoors if you have the ability to do so. The fresh air and natural surroundings will fuel your focus and alleviate stress. This should be easy for people who work remotely and require nothing more than a laptop.
- Take creative breaks by doing what you love. For example, practicing a short meditation, listening to relaxing music, or taking a short walk. You might enjoy this more than the typical coffee break or gossiping around the water cooler.
- Personalize your workspace with your preferred colors, wall art and office supplies. This will help to keep you motivated and relaxed.
- Take advantage of empty chunks of time. Remember, we agreed that your schedule should be flexible. This means that sometimes, you may finish a scheduled task early with time to spare before the next one.
Or, a meeting or appointment could be canceled. You will be left with a chunk of time that you should always use wisely. Depending on how much spare time you have, choose an appropriate task to complete and put behind you. Remember, you should have already scheduled your breaks, so the spare time should not be wasted on taking an extra break! The precious time you have saved should go toward doing something productive.
- Save fun tasks for the end of the day. We all have specific tasks that excite us and that we look forward to doing. This could be anything from a brainstorming session with coworkers to doing web research. Save the tasks you enjoy most until the end of the day. That way, you have something to look forward to that will make getting through the day much easier.
The goal: Use the suggestions in this challenge and come up with your own ideas for planning creatively. Remember, the point is to find what works best for you and to break from traditional routine.
Day 5 – Stay Energized
It’s just plain common sense. Your energy levels have a direct impact on your performance, mental sharpness, and even your mood. We’ve all experienced energy crashes and mental blocks that have taken hours or even days to recover from. They have probably caused your whole week to go downhill. This happens when we neglect to monitor our energy levels, but this challenge will change that.
This challenge will help you develop a powerful habit that will serve you well for the rest of your life. Your goal is to monitor your energy and ensure that it is always at its peak. The following steps will help you do that:
- Sleep is fundamental. No discussion about energy can be complete without addressing the power of sleep. Quality sleep is the main source of physical and mental energy. Nothing will sap your energy more than late nights, sleep deprivation, or restless sleep. Be sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night and establish a good bedtime routine that allows you to get quality rest. Also, make sure to seek professional help for any chronic issues such as insomnia or frequent waking.
- Nutrition matters immensely. Nutrition follows sleep in order of importance. Make sure that you are eating plenty of nutrient-packed superfoods that will keep your energy levels high. These foods include fish, berries, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Superfoods boost cognitive health and help improve memory, focus, and concentration.
- Start with breakfast. Just like fueling your car tank, a good breakfast will fuel your body with energy and keep you going strong for a longer period.
- Choose energy-boosting snacks. If you are used to snacking during the day, choose foods that will up your energy levels rather than unhealthy snacks like chips and cookies. A cup of fresh berries, a granola bar, or a bowl of cereal will quickly give you a much-needed energy boost.
- Avoid processed sugar. It will give you a fast energy spike, followed by a big crash. If you crave something sweet, opt for fresh fruit juice or use honey as a natural sweetener. You will get the benefit of satisfying a sweet tooth while boosting your energy at the same time.
- Limit evening screen time. If you spend long hours at work in front of a computer screen, give your brain a chance to wind down in the evening by avoiding technology. Technology is a big drainer of brain energy and can lead to memory lapses and brain drain. Allow your mind to wind down in the evening by listening to music, reading, or solving puzzles. You can also arrange to use one weekend day for a digital fast, where you abstain from using technology for 24 hours.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise is essential for maintaining physical and mental energy. No matter how crowded your week is, be sure to schedule time for regular exercise.
- Monitor your hunger. Never ignore a growling stomach. Letting your hunger go on unchecked will very quickly drain your energy and leave you fatigued and listless. You can avoid this by scheduling fixed mealtimes or keeping a healthy snack at hand.
- Avoid needless conflict. Confrontations can rile up toxic emotions that can distract and stress you out, dramatically draining your energy.
- Release repressed emotions. Bottled-up feelings can lead to high stress levels and erode your energy. The best way to release them is by immersing yourself in creative activities that will release negative emotions and calm your mind.
The goal: Learning to monitor your energy levels can keep your week running smoothly and keep you positive, motivated, and at your best mentally and physically. As you can see from the steps presented here, you can keep your energy supercharged with just a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle.
Stay tuned for part 4.
Hello, I’m Lorene Troyer, a designer and digital creator, passionate about turning ideas into beautiful, sellable products. I help coaches, mentors, and entrepreneurs transform their wisdom into income-generating digital businesses through polished templates, printables, and ThriveCart sales pages. See my book on Amazon My articles on Medium: https://medium.com/@LoreneTroyer and please connect with me on X: https://x.com/LoreneTroyer1