ROUTINES RESET | Getting Back on Track + Routines for Stress
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I was talking to something recently and they joked…
WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF WE JUST STOPPED FEELING STRESSED? IF THE STRESS &
OVERWHELM JUST STOPPED AT A CERTAIN POINT…
WELL, THAT’S OBVIOUSLY SOME WISHFUL THINKING—NOT TO MENTION NOT GOOD FOR OUR SURVIVAL—BUT IT’S ALSO UNREALISTIC.
In today's fast-paced world, we are constantly bombarded with tasks, responsibilities and deadlines. It's no wonder that stress and overwhelm have become a common part of our daily lives, affecting our mental and physical health. However, something that I really emphasize with my clients—and that I try to embody for myself—is to have a lifestyle and routines in my life that support me through all the things that life throws at me. Now, I’m by no means saying that I’m perfect with this routine, but I do my damndest to show up and do it as often as possible.
Here’s a rough look at my daily routines that help me manage stress and overwhelm…
Now, I contemplated not releasing this because, well, my routines have been in flux all summer. What with moving, having early morning students, and having a lot going on this summer, I’ve been struggling to get my feet underneath me when it comes to my routines. So much so that I have even been playing around with going back to the Miracle Morning, which I used to do 6 years ago. Hell, I’m even re-reading the book right now. So, we’re going to treat this today as more of a routines that I’ve been trying, what I’ve been running into with them, and what’s actually been working.
One thing that has been consistent is when my morning begins. Ever since I got my Eight Sleep Pod Cover, which I will be sharing more about soon, I have been going to bed between 10-10:30 pm and waking up around 6-6:30. This is a crucial part of the routine for me. Beyond the obvious, I am not in good shape when I don’t rest enough. I put on weight. I’m a crabby asshole. And my immune system lets me know. When I wake up in the morning feeling sick, having headaches, etc. it’s because I haven’t been sleeping enough or well. So, this is the cornerstone of my day.
Not only that but waking up at a good time like this helps me get a start on my day before the to-dos and responsibilities can make me deprioritize myself.
Once I wake up, the first thing I do is meditate. Now, even as I’ve been experimenting with my morning routines, meditating first thing has still been a constant and I like to do it first thing, though I will admit that sometimes I fall asleep while doing it. Okay, oftentimes I fall asleep while meditating. Meditation falls into the first S of the Miracle Morning SAVERS acronym, but even then, it’s been a constant in my own personal morning routines. I use guided meditations, or simply sit in silence and focus on my breath. But usually, I’m using the Calm app. If I’m really on top of things, I’m sitting on my meditation mat, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I often just sit up again the wall and meditate in bed. If you want to know more about getting started with meditation, check out this previous post OR drop a comment below and I can share more about my meditation journey.
Now, this is where my routine has started to vary.
For a period of time, I was really trying to channel my inner Andrew Huberman. I’ve been really inspired by his podcast and his YouTube videos, so I tried to do his whole morning, which—after meditating—included:
Reading
Journaling (with salted water)
Walking outside (10-15 minutes)
45-60 min workout
Cold Shower
AG1 (Athletic Greens Green Juice)
Cup of coffee (finally!)
Banana
Get to work
Now, I loved this as an ideal morning routine, but, it wasn’t a practical morning routine for me. I often didn’t have the time in the morning to do the full routine before my day actually started and I didn’t like the fact that, frankly, it constantly made me feel like I was failing at taking care of myself.
So, I had an epiphany recently. I asked myself something that I constantly ask my clients: when was a time when you really felt like you had this figured out and what were you doing? So, I thought back to a time when I really had my routines figured out and down pat and what I was doing. Enter the Miracle Morning.
I did the Miracle Morning for about 2-3 years and I used to swear by it. I ultimately got away from it because I kind of felt like I was stagnating and it started to feel very routine. So, I started mixing things up. But, now that I’m struggling again with my routines, this seems like a good way to reset myself. Now, in brief, the Miracle Morning is a 6-step morning routine and the acronym SAVERS encapsulates the steps in the routine: Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (aka journaling).
So, in the very recent weeks and days, I have been falling back to this, but still trying to incorporate some of the other good habits from Andrew Huberman’s routines.
I still wake up at 6-6:30 am. I still meditate first thing. But, now what I’ve been doing is the SAVERS steps. For a couple of days, I was sitting on my couch listening to my affirmations and visualizations. I didn’t mind this but it did feel like it took a bit too long and used up way too much of my precious morning time. So, recently, I have started getting changed into my walking clothes after I meditate, grabbing my headphones, and doing my affirmation and visualization while I take a morning walk. I try to take a quick walk and experiment with different routes I can take from my apartment. I don't want to have to drive to the water every morning to get my "waterfront fix" - just seeing the bay from the rooftop of my building can be enough. Plus, it makes those waterfront walks feel more like a special treat. Walking can help you reduce stress, boost your mood, and improve your cardiovascular health, but perhaps the biggest reason I like to do it is because it gives me some physical activity right off the bat during the day, helps me set my circadian rhythms by exposing me to more Vitamin D ASAP in the morning, and tons more. I’ve been really loving combining these 3 activities together too because it kills 3 birds with one stone—I get the affirmations, visualization, and exercise parts of my morning routine done in way less time (and have time for a longer walk).
Then, when I get back, I usually grab my Kindle and my iPad and go upstairs to my rooftop. I’ve been really loving finishing up my routine on the roof. Since I don’t have an outdoor space attached to my apartment anymore, being on the rooftop gives me those summer morning, outdoor vibes in a space that I don’t have to take care of. I read for about 15 minutes to start. I used to do this right after I meditated and, in complete honesty, I used to drift back off to sleep and smack myself in the face with my Kindle. #honestly. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen as much anymore. Then, I do my morning Notion check-in and journal for about 10-15 minutes.
If I have time in the morning, I try to work out immediately after my walk. There’s no reason for this other than the fact that it’s the best most reliable time of day for me to get a workout in. The longer I wait, the more I get caught up in the to-dos of the day and the more I lose my willpower to actually do my workout. So, ideally, I like to get my workout in then. Then, I like to shower—including tagging a cold shower on to the end of my hot one which is great for building stress resilience—then, it’s time for showers and some food. I have been still trying to fit in cold showers as often as possible at the end of my regular, hot shower but am still not quite consistent enough to do this every time. Cold exposure builds stress resilience, so I’ve been really trying to do that.
After showering, it’s time for some food. I try to make some Athletic Greens—a new supplement I’ve been experimenting with—and a cup of coffee. Athletic Greens is a superfood powder that contains a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help support your immune system and improve your overall health. I also make something for breakfast. My breakfast has been varying a lot in recent months. Sometimes it’s oatmeal, sometimes it’s cereal, but now I’m testing out a new method for eating called the Slow Carb diet. So, lately, it’s been more of a protein-heavy breakfast, like egg muffins or an egg sandwich, though my meal prep game has been weak lately and I don’t always have something prepared. Still working on this.
So, a lot of the same things still happen, but it’s a lot more condensed than it otherwise would be because, well, I’m human, and I don’t always have time for the long crazy routines!
From here, my "self-care routines" are a little bit dependent on the day and my schedule. If I have a lot of meetings that require a lot of me, I try not to take them while standing. When I’m doing brainstorming, writing, editing, or other computer-only work, I consider firing up the walking pad and walking while working at the same time. I’m still getting used to this, so I don’t walk for too long, but if I get super immersed in what I’m doing, I may end up walking for like an hour.
I have also noticed that, for myself, I have been enjoying making my lunch the heaviest meal of the day and doing something more veggie-heavy for dinner. Heavy meals weigh me down before I go to sleep, so I try to avoid it at night. Instead, I opt for lighter meals that are rich in nutrients and easy to digest in the evenings. I’ve actually been enjoying a lot of cauliflower substitutions lately. I know—my childhood self would cringe at the thought of that, but cauliflower pizza, cauliflower gnocchi, or cauliflower rice! Good and so healthy!
In the evening, I don’t have the typical anti-stress wind-down routine. I’m hoping to build one, but, for now, I am not opposed to watching Netflix, but perhaps the biggest thing that I try to do is read some fiction to wind down for bed. Then, I fire up the Hatch Sleep alarm clock, which has a pre-programmed wind-down for bed and ambient noises that can help you sleep. Last, but definitely not least, my Eight Sleep starts cooling down about an hour before bed so by the time you climb in, it’s exactly the temperature I want—nice and cool in the summer. I can’t wait to warm that baby up in the winter time.
This isn’t a foolproof stress routine and in a lot of ways, I’m still figuring it out. Returning to the miracle morning has been helpful because it gives me a framework that adapts to the amount of time I have. Anyways, I thought I’d share. The things I do won’t work for everyone, but, by thinking of stress and overwhelm prevention as a lifestyle with self-care routines that you prioritize, you can improve your overall well-being and better manage stress and overwhelm.