3 Things I Do Every Day

There is something to be said about routines and their effectiveness on every day life. There wouldn't be books or articles about the habits of highly effective people if the practice wasn't important. Research suggests doing something 21 days in a row establishes it into one's routine officially making it a habit. Of course that means getting over the first few days of forgetting or just not really committing to make it happen. There are a lot of habits to consider adding into a daily routine from different places whether it be creating avenues for greater success or just adding wellness elements to feel better. Advice comes from plenty of diverse sources and ideas, but when crafting my days there are three things I always complete.

Drink lemon water

In the morning start your day with hot lemon water. It seems boring, but lemon water aids in digestion, is a natural diuretic, and contains Vitamin C. It balances a healthy weight while flushing the system of toxins. Not everyone loves lemons, but I do. On days when I'm running late I'll add some lemon juice and cayenne to a water bottle and take it with me while running errands or at work.

Schedule, Plan, and Prioritize

I don't know where I would be without a day planner (this one is incredibly effective). Every morning I take a few minutes to look ahead at the day, organize tasks by priority, and get started on the quickest ones first. I learned this from an article on successful women and incorporated it into my day. It creates balance and no matter what unexpected event happens during the day I've completed at least one thing. This is incredibly useful at work because tasks that take longer and require more care and attention aren't being cut short by other tasks that move quickly. Once I'm done I highlight the to-dos and notes and whatever isn't finished is easily worked into the following days or rescheduled for later.

Meditate. Meditate. Meditate.

Meditating is one or two times a day I can attempt to shut my brain off, sit quietly, or re-center when things get crazy. People usually fall into two camps: 1. It's really easy! You just sit there quietly and relax or 2. It's complete mumbo jumbo and a waste of time. Well, it's not actually just sitting still being quiet and often takes a bit of practice and time to get it right for you. There are plenty of different kinds (Guided, Chakra, Transcendental, etc). I'm not an expert and I switch back and forth between the kinds depending on how I feel. I enjoy the peace and quiet it brings. Sometimes it's the only way of slowing down the chaos of life, relieving stress, and bringing in calm.

I recommend using apps no matter what type of meditation you're curious in. I've tried all of these and use them regularly.

• Yoga Studio - Not just for Yoga and contains the easiest meditations. Just lay on the floor, relax and be still.
• Meditation Studio - Guided meditations with teachers and experts. Features collections and guided meditations for health, confidence, relationships, and many more.
• Buddhify - Guided meditations for your daily activities like working, browsing online, going to sleep, waking up, setting intentions, and more. It suggests meditations based on time of day or allows for browsing a click wheel for activity and amount of time needed.
• Take a Break! - Guided meditations for stress relief. Perfect for use on breaks at work.
• Headspace - Really great for beginners or just people looking to get a grasp on their own thoughts.