Wellness Wednesday Tip #42: Establish a Daily Routine!

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Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

     This week’s tip from Eric Uveges is to establish a daily routine! Establishing a regular daily routine is a great way to increase productivity, reduce stress, and improve consistency when trying to accomplish goals. In my own experience, I’ve found that establishing a daily routine allows me to streamline my day thus allowing mental energy for any surprise responsibilities or creative pursuits that may come up later. Below is my typical daily schedule with a few key points broken down at the end.  

  • 4:40am: Wake up, stumble around, make coffee, out the door by 5
  • 5:15 - 6:15: Gym
  • 6:15 - 7: Travel to work
  • 7 - 8: Breakfast, shower, prep for work day
  • 8am - 1pm: In clinic
  • 1 - 2: Lunch
  • 2 - 7pm: In clinic
  • 7 - 8: Drive home
  • 8 - 10pm: Dinner, unwind with wife, prep for next day, and get ready for bed
  • 10:30pm (hopefully): Sleep

     Pro Tip #1: Wake up at the same time every day - it allows your body (and mind) to get into a natural rhythm and expect to perform certain tasks on a regular basis.

     Pro Tip #2: Preparation is EVERYTHING! On weekends I spend time meal planning and prepping for lunches for the week, that way after I get home from work all I have to do is throw my meals into a lunchbox and I’m ready for the next day. Also in the evenings, I’ll pack my gym bag with work clothes for the next day and lay out an outfit for the gym in the morning so that I have to put as little thought as possible into it at 4:45am. (Sidenote - there have been days where I did not plan this well and have had to suffer the consequences, aka using paper towels to dry off after showering or wearing my nasty socks from the gym for the rest of the work day. One or two mistakes like this are always helpful for kicking you back into the normal routine.)

     Pro Tip #3: Take time to break the routine! On weekends, all bets are off. If I stuck to this routine 365 days per year, I would not be a fun person to be around. Hell I probably wouldn’t even know what fun looked like. For me, I crave the balance that comes with breaking the routine and having some freedom built into my week.

**Disclaimer** - this is what works for me, it does not mean that it will necessarily be the same routine that works for you! I prefer morning workouts because if I wait until later in the day I will slack off, and I know it. I’ve also typically been an early riser and find I’m more productive in the morning...if you are a night owl then this routine will probably leave you cranky and miserable. Again, the key is to experiment and find out what fits your lifestyle and your personality best.

     So give it a shot and let us know how it goes! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @fitnerdaimee, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew