On Daily Intentions.
Beginning with intention and ending with purpose, in our days, our months and even our years, feels like a powerful mindset to embrace.
As we enter the last month of the year, we tend to “hang on” for the holidays, as the general feelings of mental and physical fatigue set in. We may start to think about how next year things may be different or better, and how we might make some better choices in terms of our health, our lifestyle and our habits. There is, however, also the option to begin with simple improvements now, and already be reaping some of the positive benefits when the old year clicks over into the new.
It can be immensely empowering to design a positive morning routine, and tailor-make it to suit your lifestyle. You may think that you are too busy or too rushed in the mornings to introduce a routine into your life, but the truth is, you already have one. The question is, is it a positive or negative series of actions; and is it serving you, and beginning your day in the right way?
How soon after you wake up do you check your phone for messages and emails? Or read the news? Or check your social media feed? If we aim to start each day consciously, and get a few small wins under our belts, this can help to set the tone for the rest of the day.
Hal Elrod, in his book The Miracle Morning says “How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) dramatically affects your levels of success in every single area of your life. … By simply changing the way you wake up in the morning, you can transform any area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible.”
The way that our day begins also has a lot to do with how the day ended the night before. Getting enough sleep so that you feel energised and rested, not eating and drinking too late so that your body does not feel tired and sluggish, and not working long hours so that your mind has had recovery and relaxation time – all these things play a role, and can form part of your overall design.
Make the decision to incorporate a few positive practices into your mornings, by choosing those that you know you will benefit most from.
A mindfulness practice: Gratitude, meditation, deep breathing. Anything that works for you to focus your mind, and bring it into the present.
Exercise: Moving your body first thing in the day generates endorphins, and mood follows action. It can be 5 minutes or 50 minutes, but moving always feels good - not always before, or even during - but definitely afterwards.
Stretching: Either before you exercise, or a few minutes afterwards, or even for a few long seconds as you wake up, as a practice on its own.
Hydration: Water (add lemon if you like), an herbal tea, a coffee. Whatever you decide, drink it mindfully, and if you can - try doing it device free.
Journalling/time with your diary: Gratitude can also be included here, as well as what you’d like your day to look like, and what your priorities are.
Nature: The sunrise, or watering your indoor plants, or a brief walk outdoors.
Smiles, and Hugs: Start the day with appreciation and affection for those in your close proximity.
Reading: Depending on how early you’ve woken up, and what reading you’ve selected to relax, learn, or broaden your mind. Social media and news don’t count – they can come later, if you still really need them.
Remember not to follow anyone else’s “winning” routine – rather create your own, and tweak it as you see fit. Your personal morning ritual can be over an hour, or it can be just ten minutes. It can look different on different days of the week. The idea is that you have consciously made time at the start of each day to be present, and focused, and with yourself. Your day will follow on after that, but you will have begun well; and the intentionality is what can make all the difference.
Finishing the day well
Many of us start our days off strong – well intentioned and motivated, healthy and focused. Too many of us finish those same days off weakly and unhealthily, with a lack of intention and discipline, and feeling overwhelmed and unnecessarily tired. Finishing the day in a slump often starts the next day in a similar way. You may find that you rise feeling tired and lethargic, without a clear sense of what you would like the day ahead of you to hold.
The end of the day can be a quiet and calm space; a time to process the day’s events, set our intentions for the next day, and embrace relaxation. We can choose to spend the time enjoying our hobbies, having fun with friends, spending quality time with loved ones or quiet time with ourselves. The exhausted couch slump with a drink in hand does not always work as well as it should to “park” our days and have them end on the same positive note that they started.
One of the best ways to improve your experience of this time of day is to work on the quality of your day itself, by degrees. Try to have less of the things that overwhelm you in your days – take on less commitments, select the ones that are most important to you, and focus on the satisfying manner in which you do them. In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport reminds us that “what we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore — plays in defining the quality of our life.” To experiment with an exercise to incorporate more focused work in your work day, you can refer to this brief article that I wrote in July as a result of reading Cal’s book.
Stick to your plan during the day as much as possible and use your values to guide your choices. Choose to enjoy your day as it progresses; because for one of the days in your life to come, your evening will not arrive to be appreciated. The more energy you bring with you to the end of your day, the less likely you are to “check out” with unhealthy habits.
Have a plan for your evenings too, and fill them with things that are both good for you and your family, and bring you joy. Spending time with those you care about, a shared meal, quiet reading, music, a rowdy game, in-depth conversations, an interesting documentary, a fun movie. Being intentional with the time together, or alone, is what lifts the quality of the experience. You can decide to include simple pleasures and practices at the start and end of your days that leave you feeling clear, calm and contented. If you begin now, that peaceful and more “in control” feeling will carry over to the start of the next year too.
Photo by Jordan Wozniak on Unsplash