I have many many flaws (I’m not going in to them) but self-motivation isn’t one of them. In my ‘normal’ life I have often wished I could slow down a tad and have some more home/garden time but it is proving a blessing in this strange and challenging staying-at-home world we currently live in. A lot of my friends and students I am in contact with are saying to me “how are you getting so much done and why are you so motivated?”

Firstly, I live with my lively toddler (Pearl) so the chance of chilling in the garden or Netflix afternoons are zero which is why I am hugely aware of the need to fill our days with activities that fulfil her needs as well as mine. It’s going well so far 🙂

Routine.

Routine is essential, particularly if kids are involved. It’s amazing how quickly you can make your new routine habitual too. Our lockdown routine consists of early morning reading and play in bed with our tea/milk before breakfast and online dance classes. We go out for our walk before lunch then I do my other dance/yoga videos while Pearl naps and I do something for me for an hour before our afternoon activities (mostly suggested by Pearl’s wonderful nursery) and     dinner. Once she’s in bed I have a couple of hours to clean up, plan the next day and catch up with loved ones.  A followed (albeit loosely) routine leads to a sense of achievement at the end of the day. We all need that right now.

Plan.

Within your routine plan ahead. Most people who tell me they aren’t achieving anything also tell me they aren’t planning anything. Whether it’s planning what exercise/walk you will do or which chores and works tasks you will do, it’s essential to plan (and delegate if you’re within a family) and make sure you’re planning some fun things to do in amongst the necessary. Planning meals is also great as you’ll end up eating a much more balanced diet.

Be active in the morning.

Starting your day with some kind of exercise has proven to energise you throughout the day. This can be anything from a walk outside to a dance around to your favourite track in your PJs or 20 minutes gentle yoga. OR of course join in the MBD morning Facebook Live dance/yoga videos at 9.30 😉

Limit technology.

There has never been a worse time to endlessly scroll through social media or news. You will get nothing positive from it. You will loose hours of time, feel more anxious, less motivated and of a low-mood. Other than for working-from-home purposes, be strict with yourself. Set a couple of short periods in your day whereby you can connect with people and chat to loved ones or reply to messages. Then switch off. The same with the news. Find a way that works for you that doesn’t overwhelm. I listen to the Radio news bulletin twice a day. That’s it. That’s enough.

Set meal and rest times.

Casually grazing whatever you can grab throughout the day will leave you feeling undernourished, fatigued and a bit rubbish. If you have kids then they will follow suit too (and no one needs that!). Set your meal and snack times and stick to it. Sitting down for nutritious and soulful meals and snacks is one of my biggest pleasures in my day and Pearl absolutely loves it too. The same for down time and sleep; have a set time,  be self-disciplined, go to bed early and wake up early!

Brain rest

Our mental health is everything and it’s being put to the test right now. As someone who regularly ‘goes inward’ through meditation to notice how they’re feeling, I am recognising many different emotions I wouldn’t normally need to deal with on a daily basis. It’s fine and normal to have these emotions but we all need to let them out. The very first step is to notice and accept hem. Then have some quiet time through meditation, mindfulness or prayer or whatever works for you to breathe and quieten your mind. I do this daily for about 30 minutes each evening. It’s amazing.

Avoid toxins

I know, I know We are in a global pandemic and it’s stressful to say the least but it’s also a great time to really get healthy. I’m not suggesting go T-total (unless you fancy it of course) but quit the binge drinking, smoking and excessive sugar/caffeine intake. I limit my coffee and cake to once a day and I really look forward to a small glass of wine of an evening but that’s it. If you’re a ‘half a bottle of wine an evening’ person then try have a small glass instead and maybe enjoy it in the bath too 🙂

Love to hear from any of you, With love, Lisa x