Learn something new today!
Is there something you’re curious about, a skill you want to learn? Choose something specific, then decide how you want to learn about it.
If you’re feeling ambitious:
- Take a class! Is there a community college or university near you? See if you can enroll for a course as a non-degree student, or take a continuing education course.
- Learn a new language! I know, that’s really ambitious–but there’s a “free educational website for language exchanges” at language-exchanges.org. Pick a language you would like to learn, and the website connects you with a speaker of that language who is interested in learning your language. You’re both teachers & learners, via Skype!
Moderate motivation:
- Check out quora.com–I don’t know how to describe it. . . A search engine based on questions. . . Pinterest for nerds. . . You can follow topics like “Positive Psychology!”
- Read a book. Looking for a good book and can’t get to the library or bookstore? Check out the Digital Public Library of America, described in Fast Company as “Google books done right.” This resource includes maps, photos, and full online versions of books! Click on Bookshelf to search for books by topic or author.
- Take an online course–check out Coursera for free online college-level courses.
- Download the iTunes U app for free classes from major universities.
- Or take a class online with Udacity! You can take classes for free, or if you need college credit, you can pay $150 to get entry level college credits in classes such as Intro to Psychology.
If you need something easy:
- Watch a TED Talk–if this is new to you, TED Talk is a blog with video lectures given by opinion leaders in many different fields. Subjects are as varied as introversion, happiness, and quantum mechanics. The talks are usually 3-20 minutes long. Here’s a link to 12 of TED’s most inspiring talks.
- Look something up on Wikepedia.
What did you learn about today?
The bedtime ritual may be the most important daily ritual because it triggers your mind and body to relax and unwind in preparation for a good night’s sleep.
Adequate sleep is critical for everything we do.
Aspects of a Bedtime Ritual:
At least 30 minutes before the time you want to go to sleep:
1. Start a wind-down routine.
Straighten up a bit, check that doors are locked, turn out lights, take care of evening hygiene, etc. These activities will become your brain’s trigger that it’s time to shift gears toward sleep.
2. Engage in a relaxing activity that does not involve screen time of any sort.
By screen time, I mean TV, computer, iPad, phone, etc. And yes, sadly, this includes reading books on your iPad or other backlit e-readers. (Apparently, the Kindle is okay because it isn’t backlit; Apple suggests switching to “white on black mode” to decrease blue light.) We all know people who fall asleep with the TV on, and most young adults can’t conceive of not checking their phone for messages before they go to bed, but please try to avoid this. These screens emit blue light which activates the brain and suppresses melatonin; plain and simple, this disrupts your sleep. TVs are the least of the offenders because they are farthest from your eyes. For more information, read this Chicago Tribune article. Instead of screen time, try reading just before bed–that’s always the number one suggestion from the top sleep researchers. If you’re not a big reader, flipping through magazines is just as effective.
Don’t focus what you need to do the next day–this is not the time for that.
If you need to plan the next day, do that before you start your wind-down routine. Do keep a notepad by the bed and if something pops into your head, jot it down. But don’t start a list! (Make sure your morning ritual includes gathering any notes from the night before.)
These are the most important aspects of a bedtime routine.
Decide which step(s) you can incorporate and get started this evening! Check out Daily Routines–a blog about how “interesting people organize their days.”
Want to share what works for you?
Yesterday, we talked about working on a morning ritual and hopefully you embarked on that this morning. Your Daily Shoring tip today builds on the idea of a morning routine–“bookend” your day!
Bookending your day means that you have defined transitions from 1) your morning ritual to the productive/busy part of your day, and 2) the productive/busy part of your day to your leisure/family time. Bookending your day is a step toward building “mindfulness” into your daily habits. Suggestions:
The work/productive part of your day begins at the end of your morning ritual.
Don’t drag your feet–get going with your day and you’ll enjoy the sense of accomplishment!
Decide how to mark the end of the work/productive part of your day:
- If you work outside your home, this is more defined–it ends when you leave work! When you get home, try to take a few moments to unwind and transition. This can be as simple as having a quick snack or beverage, reading the mail, or taking time to get out of work clothes before jumping into home/family responsibilities.
- If you’re not working outside the home, this is a challenge but very important for your emotional well being. Decide on an “end of the productive day” task–planning and organizing for the next day? Then decide on a transition activity that marks the beginning of your leisure/family time. See above.
The goal of bookending your day is to train yourself to be more focused and productive when you should be productive, then transition so you can fully immerse yourself in your relaxation/family time.
This is what is referred to as mindfulness–fully engaging in what you’re doing when you’re doing it, whether it’s work or play. I’ll be writing more about mindfulness in future posts because it’s an important part of emotional well being.
Here’s a link to a great article on bookending your day from The Art of Manliness (female readers–this article is applicable to you, too!).
I know I’m throwing a lot at you over the past few days with all these rituals and routines–if you feel overwhelmed, break it down by thinking about what’s realistic for you in terms of a morning routine and activities for bookending your day.
Then pick one easy thing to add and try it for a day or two. It’s okay if all you do is mentally note the transitions in your day, i.e., “The workday is over–I need to take a deep breath and shift my thoughts from work to home.”
Each step helps to build new habits.
Want to share what works for you?
The next few tips are a “miniseries” aimed at creating a rhythm for your day.
I know some people bristle at the idea of structure or routine, but that’s not really what this is about.
This is about establishing rituals that trigger your brain to shift your thoughts, activities, and energy levels as you move through the stages of your day.
If you’ve lost all structure because you’re depressed, this will help you start moving back toward a normal routine. Even if you’re not depressed, many people find that establishing a daily rhythm improves focus and productivity, ability to relax and enjoy leisure time, and sleep habits.
The four most basic stages of the day are:
- Morning Ritual
- Productivity
- Leisure/Family Time
- Nighttime Ritual
Let’s start with getting up in the morning!
Getting going in the morning is not easy for most people. Is there a way you can make your first moments of the day a little more pleasant? I know, getting up even five minutes earlier is asking a lot but try it for at least one day. If you’re not on a tight morning schedule, that’s great but you may need a morning routine even more than people rushing out for the day.
Start the morning by rehydrating.
If you’re a coffee drinker, you’re hydrating. In the past, medical professionals thought coffee was a diuretic, i.e., dehydrating; now they’ve changed their minds and believe coffee hydrates as well as water, as long as it’s less than 5 cups a day. Yea! Of course, water is probably the ideal choice.
Think of something you will enjoy first thing in the morning.
This may motivate you to get your head off the pillow! Everyone’s schedule is different, so it may be something that lasts 2 minutes (reading a favorite blog, scanning the sports pages) or something longer if you have the time (reading the newspaper, watching a TV show). Just be sure that the activity has a definite “end”–that’s your cue to get moving! For example, read a favorite blog but don’t start researching online, because where does that end? If your activity does not have a definite end (listening to music, meditating, praying), consider using a timer.
Other vital aspects of your morning ritual:
- Breakfast (most important meal of the day!)
- Daily hygiene (enough said)
Bonus:
- Five minutes to straighten up before you leave home for the day so you return to an organized, peaceful environment
- If you can, expose yourself to sunlight in the morning–this helps maintain your sleep/wake cycle
And finally:
- Make certain you make the shift from your “morning ritual” to the productive part of your day. More on that tomorrow!
Spend today deciding what you want to do tomorrow morning, then make it happen!
Find something to laugh about today! Scientific studies show many benefits of laughter–it can increase “feel-good” endorphins, decrease stress hormones, and facilitate bonding with others.
Everyone’s sense of humor is different, but here are a few suggestions:
- Watch a movie or TV show that you find humorous
- Call a friend who usually makes you laugh
- Find an online site that makes you laugh–for example:
Find the humor in life around you–if you look, it’s easy to spot the absurd!
