Here is a little idea for you guys. It is something I’ve been working on today. I’ve printed out a daily routine for myself that will help me get in better shape and help me to the important things we read about here on bmindful.
———————————————————-
Morning Wake-Up Routine
I wake up after a refreshing five to eight hours of sleep.
I remain quiet for a couple of minutes listening to my sleep tape affirmations. (About 2 minutes)
I sit up and turn off my cd player. (2 Seconds) I spend a few minutes visualizing the life I want to live.
I say a quick prayer for my friends or anyone else who crosses my mind and give thanks for the many blessings in my life. (About 2 Minutes)
I grab my notepad from my bedside table and read off the things I’m going to get done. I’m going to remind myself to make sure I get the “least palatable” things done first if I can. For things you “hate” doing engage “robot” mode. (About 1 Minute)
I make my way to the bathroom and brush my teeth. (About 3 Minutes) After I brush my teeth I have a nice, loving little conversation with myself in the mirror and discuss my plans for the day and anything else I want to talk about. (About 3 Minutes)
I throw on something comfortable and grab my vocabulary for the day. (You do have a stack of vocabulary words at the ready, don’t you?) (About 3 Minutes)
I drink a full glass of ice water.
I ride my recumbent bike for one minute full out to get my heart going and rev my metabolism.
When I get back I put on some music if I’m in the mood. I shower and shave and dry my hair. (About 15 Minutes)
I lounge around peacefully and fix a small light breakfast. During my weight loss phase it will be tuna. (About 10 Minutes)
After I eat I very intentionally take two to five minutes to sit quietly and just visualize the life I want to have. After my short visualization I sit quietly for another five to ten minutes and just be. (15 Minutes Max)
Now, I’m ready to begin my day! And what an amazing day it is going to be!
I check my e-mail and surf the net for a few minutes after which I will work on learning something or work on my life plan.
I will eat a very small meal several times during the day and stay completely hydrated with plenty of water. I will drink at least one gallon of water every day. I will ride the recumbent bike once in the afternoon and once again in the early evening. I do not eat anything for at least three hours before I go to sleep.
After Work Routine
Before you retire to your bedroom (your sanctuary) in the evening
get out of the “mind-killing television habit”. Relaxing is important and there’s nothing wrong with watching television, just don’t let it become the center of your free time. Pick a few shows you enjoy and eliminate the rest. DVR your favorites so they are ready for you when you are ready to watch them. I LOVE skipping commercials. Have a few uplifting movies available. Have some favorite cd’s available. Have some worthwhile reading material available – a novel or something educational that you are genuinely interested in. It is good for you to read a wide variety of things, expand your thinking. Read some biographies. Read a book on science or math. Read a book on politics or history. Read a book about cooking or wine. Read a book about a foreign country. Read a book about your state history. Some evenings go out to a movie or a restaurant or visit with a friend. Fix an enjoyable dinner. Check your favorite websites. (Don’t get sucked in to the internet, it can be very useful and it can also be very addictive!) There are LOTS of things you can do after work. (It is also important to know how and when to say “no” to stuff.) With just a little effort you can take care of the “want too’s and the have too’s” and still have time for the “need too’s”. The “want too’s” are family things, social things, community things. The “have too’s” are laundry, bills, home and car maintenance, and stuff like that. The “need too’s” are the things you have to do for yourself like quiet time, journaling, affirmations and planning.
————————————————————————————————————-
Sanctuary
Okay, now for the real shut down part. You even get to include a little extra tv here if you want. These things are more fluid than my wake-up routine. The time will vary from day to day – anywhere from one to three hours depending on what I do. If you are going to watch a movie in your sanctuary before you go to sleep, be sure to allow for that. Your minimum “need to” stuff is going to take 30 minutes at the very least. If you need to be asleep by midnight and you want to watch a two hour movie you are going to have to be in your sanctuary by 9:30!
1. Go to bedroom and leave the world behind. I think it would be useful to get into the habit of thinking of your bedroom and bathroom as your personal sanctuary.
2. Quiet time. (10 to 20 Minutes) (10 Minutes Minimum – Always Do!)
3. Journal. (10 to 30 Minutes) (10 Minutes Minimum – Always Do!)
4. Affirmations. Write them out and read them aloud as you do them. (10 Minutes – Always Do!)
5. Planning. List the things you are going to do tomorrow. Review short and long term goals. (5 Minutes to 1 Hour) (5 Minutes Minimum – Always Do!)
6. Reading, Music, T.V. or Other entertainment. (1 to 2 Hours)(Optional)
7. Always remember to turn on your affirmation cd before you go to sleep.
————————————————————-
Okay, so I printed that out and put a copy on my vision board, but I also am making a little folder that I’m going to put next to my bed. I got a little folder that has those little tabs in it so you can add sheets of paper with the three holes in the sheet. I am almost finished with it and stopped for a minute to add this post.
Well, I’m putting a few sheet protectors in it so I can easily edit the contents of my folder. I can just change whatever I want in this folder easily by just typing up new instructions and replacing the sheets.
Now this is something I want to keep simple so I’m only going to have a few sheets in it. I’ll include my daily routine, but I’m also going to add something that this thread gave me the idea for.
I haven’t come up with the wording yet, but it will be something along these lines…
“Dear Jeff, the studio called and they are very interested in having you as the leading man in a new big budget action/romance film. You are in the running with George Clooney and Brad Pitt who are both chomping at the bit for the part. I’m certain you will get the part if you want it. You have six months to prepare for the “audition”, though that is really just a formality. The roll is yours if you want it, but it would be a good idea to get in great shape. The leading man in the movie is a really cool, handsome, stylish, charming man of action – kind of like 007, only better. Many actresses are interested in working with you and the studio has already hinted that you will have final approval on any casting decisions. Get back with me and let me know what you think.
—————————-
I’m going to add something like this to my folder. What do you think? Wouldn’t you guys find something like that motivating? Wouldn’t it get you thinking of possibilities and put a little pep in your step? A folder like this would be great to add images to. Pictures of models that you’d like to be as fit as, places you’d like to go and so on…
I have also printed out a few little monthly calendars that I’m going to tape to my bathroom mirror to help me stay motivated. I found a cool site that was perfect for printing out small monthly calendars that are perfect for what I want. The calendars are made to be printed out on index cards, but I just printed them out on plain old paper. Here’s the link.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
— Gandalf, J.R.R. Tolkien
I’m Alright
Life Less Ordinary
