A few weeks ago I discussed If you’ve found yourself feeling kind of stuck in the grind there are some easy things that you can do to start to pull yourself out of it. I’m sharing five of my favorite ways to make the most of every day, even when every day feels busy and over-scheduled.
When I can make these five things happen, I find that it helps ground me to what is truly important in life. And that’s not being a robot/task-master/highly-performing employee/super mom/any of the other highly-stressful expectations we put on ourselves.
Find time for play.
My girls are the #1 best reminder that I have for this. Whether it’s taking 5 minutes to get on the floor and have a cuddle party with them when I’m working from home or taking them out for walks/activities/trips, they never fail to remind me that there’s always time for play…and that play is FUN!
Connect with someone.
My BFF Dorie is my grounding force when it comes to connection. She has truly taught me how to pull out of all the stuff I have going on for check-ins, whether they’re 5 minute chats or 3 hour long wine nights.
I try to add more connection into my life by calling my family, rehashing the day with Tanner while I’m cooking dinner every night, texting or SnapChatting my close friends regularly and planning at least one friend get together a week. I don’t always succeed but I’ve gotten so much better. Life is so much richer with meaningful relationships and connection.
Get outside.
I crave fresh air and sunshine and getting outside does wonders for my head and heart space. Sometimes getting outside looks like sitting on my back deck for a 5-minute work break and soaking up the sun, sometimes getting outside is going for a walk or a run and sometimes getting outside is getting out of Charlotte and to the mountains or the beach.
Practice non-distraction.
I don’t know about you but I feel like I can spend 30 (or 60!) minutes on my phone or laptop, and it feels like 2 minutes. I am guilty of seeking distraction, as many of us are these days. I find that I have to make non-distraction a practice. Like, I’m going to close the Facebook tab open in my browser and focus on my work without having to check every notification that pops up. Or my laptop is not coming on the couch with me. In the car I try to listen to podcasts or audio books and keep my phone out of site. One of my friends religiously puts her phone on do not disturb every night at 9 p.m. and I think that sounds like a pretty great idea. It’s all about creating boundaries with distraction. Again, this is an area where I am definitely a work in progress.
Take the best care of your body, heart and head.
Body: exercise regularly, get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, get massages or other bodywork, wear sunscreen, establish a skincare routine, stretch and roll out, supplements when needed.
Heart: nurture relationships, be vulnerable, talk about your feelings, be choosy about the people you surround yourself with, learn how to breathe, strengthen and learn to trust your intuition.
Head: pray, meditate, journal, read, stimulate your brain, talk kindly to yourself, be gentle with yourself, give yourself space and time to think things through.
This post was inspired by this video from CocoaVia® about how Ryan Stutter lives with heart. In the opening line of the video he says, “To me, to live with heart means to make the most of every day.” And YES. That’s what it’s all about. Today is all we have, and it’s up to us to be present and living life to the fullest.
The CocoaVia® campaign is about encouraging people to “Live Your Life with Heart.” It’s a mission that brings together living with passion while also promoting the best in you every day. CocoaVia® is a daily cocoa extract supplement that delivers all the benefits of cocoa flavanols in each three capsule serving or one single? powdered stick pack. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that cocoa flavanols promote healthy blood flow from head to toe†. So taken daily, CocoaVia® can help support the best in you.
And today, I’m giving away a sample pack of CocoaVia® capsules and powdered stick packs. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment telling me one thing you do to make the most of every day…or share a tip on how you decrease distraction in your life.
Giveaway closes on Sunday, September 4 at midnight EST. U.S. only. One entry per person.
Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the CocoaVia® “Live Your Life with Heart” campaign. I was compensated for my time.
†This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
i always always always find time to be outside. i also read every night before bed (and of course put my phone on silent)!
Going for a hike and/or a surf is always the most grounding thing I can do. It’s like hitting the reset button on my attitude.
I try to say make sure I pause and reflect on what I’m grateful for. I am trying to cut off the phone and start reading at night.
I absolutely shut down my phone at night! usually by 7 pm, you can’t reach me via cell – the important people, if they really need me, can call the house phone!
I always spend time with my daughter without any distractions!
i make the most of every day by taking time to be grateful and thankful for everything in my life.
I make the most of every day by staying active so I can be a healthier self!
i make the most of everyday by doing something active, hopefully outdoors, everyday!
I try and call my family everyday whether it’s five minutes or an hour
By not letting my phone take over my life is really a way I make the most out of every day.
Each day I take 5-10 minutes to mediate. It’s the best clearing in the world. It keeps me grounded.
I love all of these and try to do them daily! Spending time outside, sweating it out, eating well and sleeping plenty make a huge difference. Yesterday I went to acupuncture and took an epsom salt bath. The difference in the way I feel mentally and physically today is huge!
My rule is at least one hug a day and I have to read before bed!
I always try to get enough sleep. It helps me stay alert and focused so I can make the most of each day!
I exercise to get the most of my day!
I like to go to the gym on my lunch break. It’s the perfect time to exercise, and I also get to socialize a bit with friends while I’m there.
I always take time to read at some point during the day.
I like to connect with a friend for at least a little bit each day – whether that is in person or on the phone. I find it makes a big difference in my mood.
I snuggle and play with my kids – even when there is laundry and dishes to do. We are all so much happier since I have ‘let go’ of having to have all the chores done and taken the time to spend together.
My #1 rule to decrease distraction was deleting my social media apps from my iphone!! I had gotten into the habit of checking them without even really WANTING to.. I wast just mindlessly doing it. I still have them on my ipad so when I get home and am relaxing, I can skim through the happenings of the day… and I have found that I don’t miss it throughout the day AT ALL!
I try to work out or move my body every day!
Making sure to take a lunch break away from my desk!
I take time to walk my pup every morning to mentally prep for the day and spend time outdoors.
I like to be active in some way every day, even if it’s an off-day from the gym. Neighborhood walks have been my jam lately!
I keep a gratitude journal and remind myself of my blessings. It keeps things in perspective when I start to complain, grumble or think the grass is greener in someone else’s yard. Writing one thing a day is enough to remind me of how lucky I am. Things may be not perfect but I have an abundance of the intangibles that money can’t buy!
Liz, I’ve been doing this for about 3 months with my 7 year old, where he writes one thing and I write one thing we are thankful for from the day. At the end of the month, we’ve been going back and reading them, and it is amazing to me that even after a short period of time I forget some of the little joys from the day! It has been a really nice habit to get into:)
make the most of every day: I work from home and turn off my computer at 5 PM to spend time with family!
decrease distraction: get outside and run, ride or hike. I found out yesterday I have a stress fracture and torn meniscus so I’m going to sit outside for coffee until I can start walking.
Love these types of posts. Thank you for all of these reminders and helpful life tips. Exactly what I need right now
Love these tips! To make the most of every day, I always take time to remember how grateful I am for all the blessings in my life.
I love this so much and wholeheartedly agree with your 5 things.
For me, my goal for this year is to turn off work when I get home as best as I can and leave the emotional stress at work. (I am a school psychologist in an urban district) So I am going to cuddle my cat more (which I already do plenty of) but I am going to make a conscious effort to choose love. Turn any negative or angry thought into a loving, grateful one. It has made such a difference for me thus far.
I pray every day. ?
Even if we have a busy day, I make sure I sit and eat meals with my daughter. For that time, it’s just us and so precious 🙂
I always find time to destress and relax at the end of the day, whether it’s by reading or doing romwod
I start and end the day with a short meditation. Right now I’m using “journey to the heart” as my daily meditations
I decrease distraction by turning my phone on silent at work and at dinner/meals i leave it in the other room
I LOVE this post. Such good timing. A close friend of mine just enetered inpatient treatment for PTSD and suicidal ideation, and it has made me pause and reevaluate. Life is so precious and short, and we as a society have begun to take it for granted more than ever. We are so “connected” that we are disconnected, if that makes sense. Thanks for always making an effort to help others stay grounded and reminding your readers to focus on the importance of self care and love. ?
I almost always read my bible and write in my journal every morning to get my day started!
All of these tips are so true and so helpful. I find I am a much happier person if I can get outside and do some sort of activity every day. It just makes me feel better. I also think that disconnecting from your phone, tv or laptop is so important. Like you said, I can waste hours sitting in front of the screen and I find all the stimulation can make me feel really anxious. It’s important for me to step away and disconnect or else I am distracted and don’t sleep well.
playing with my kids and really enjoying them!
Saying my morning prayer is how I make the most of my day.?
Being active everyday. Over the summer I have really enjoyed taking a long walk either really early in the morning while the sun is coming up or at night. I have a Fitbit and I try to get 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day.
These are great reminders and I know I feel better when I’m able to practice all five of these!
Ever since going through yoga teacher training in January, I’ve made an effort to incorporate pranayama into my daily life! Even a couple rounds of ujjayi before a potentially stressful situation helps!
I’m lucky to work in a building that is along a river with a lovely river walk out front. During the work week I make a point to step outside each day for a 15-30 minute walk to clear my head and get some me-time.
Stumbled upon your blog from a CnC link..love it!
Such good reminders! I really like to shut the phone off at 9 too– I have trouble sleeping if I don’t!
Yoga and intimate daily conversations with my husband, young adult children and their significant others, reading what I call gratitude pieces like your blog post today reminds me of all the peace, serenity, happiness and love that fill my everyday.
I CrossFit! Exercising helps me make the most of every day. It energizes me, helps keep me healthy, and most importantly, it makes me happy!
I try to move as much as I can every day, even if I don’t have time to get an official workout in–walking home instead of taking the bus, stretching sessions at home, etc.
I like to start every week day with a workout first thing in the morning (5:30 am). It is the best way for me to start my day and get me going. I feel better knowing my exercise is complete and nothing can get in the way throughout the day. Thanks for the great giveaway : )
I always try to find time for my pups. They don’t understand busy or hustle. They just want to play and spend time with you so the sad puppy dog eyes remind me to stop and enjoy their company.
I always take time for myself at the end of the day to unwind and reflect. And I love my me-time at the gym in the mornings, always a great kickstart to my day.
Such a great post! One thing I do to minimize distraction is to put my phone on silent and behind my laptop screen so that I can’t hear or see anything pop up on it while I’m working. Then every x amount of time (half hour, hour, whatever) I’ll give myself permission to check it and chat for a few minutes before returning to work.
This is a GREAT tip! Thank you!
I try to eat healthy and exercise most days to help me feel good inside and out!