Monday, 11/6/23: Talking about “life” routines I’m loving right now

Happy Monday!

It’s a new week, which means it’s time for your next Monday motivation newsletter.

Read on below for some steps to a happier Monday, a short story and a roundup of positive thoughts to get your week started.

Three Steps to a Happier Monday

Each newsletter starts with three prompts to inspire gratitude and simple intention setting. Take a moment and jot down answers to these three questions. To give an example, I share my answers below.  

Step 1: What are three things I appreciated from the weekend? 

Step 2: What is one thing I can be excited about today?

Step 3: What is my intention for this week? 

GRATITUDE: I’m thankful to be feeling better (had some kind of bug at the end of last week), beautiful FALL weather and quality time with Matt. 

TODAY: Today, I’m most excited to get my nails done after work 🙂 

INTENTION: My intention this week is to focus on going to bed early. 

Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂

Meaningful Musings: Life Routines I’m Loving Right Now

A few weeks ago, I wrote about three work-related routines that I was currently enjoying. Routines and rhythms are subjective to so many factors – and really do ebb and flow based on what else is on our plate, our season of life and other factors. So, I think it’s fun to capture in real-time what’s working well and where there might be area for improvement.

I’m back this morning with the same topic, but this time with a twist: three general “life” routines I’m loving right now. Nothing groundbreaking or especially innovative in the below, but all are things that bring enjoyment to my days and weeks.

I’m hoping by sharing them this morning they might help you too or inspire a thought that leads to a newer, simpler, more enjoyable way of doing things this Monday. And if there are any routines or rhythms you’re loving right now, I’d love to hear about it!

What’s Working Right Now: Life Routines Edition

1) Designating specific time spent off my phone. I cannot remember when I started doing this one, but I read Catherine Price’s How To Break Up With Your Phone in August and picked up the idea from her. I really liked a lot of her tips, including setting “no phone zones” (such as when at the dinner table and or in your bedroom) and “time limits” (like no phones after 6 p.m.). I mean, after all, I love a routine. So, for a few months now, I’ve been in the routine of putting my phone away in my desk drawer on Friday evening and not picking it up again until late Saturday morning/early Saturday afternoon. I’ve found the routine to be a really nice transition from work into the weekend. It does takes some prep – before I put my phone away I connect with anyone I need to, make sure I’m signed up for the workout class Matt and I like to do Saturday mornings, and set my Hatch alarm for the next day. Then, I put the device away and enjoy phone-free time, whether that’s catching up with Matt, starting a new TV show or reading my book. The next morning, I love to go to my workout class sans-phone and gently ease into my Saturday. Not having immediate access to my phone makes me move slower and more intentionally, setting the tone for the weekend. Of course, there are times when this routine isn’t applicable (such as when traveling, etc.), but when it does work, it’s great.

2) Adding three categories – work, relationships and self – into my weekly plan. This is something I’ve done on for a while, after first hearing about the idea from author Laura Vanderkam. When planning the week ahead, I think it’s fair to say that most know what they want to accomplish at work. But what I love about this routine is that it also makes you think about what you want to do relationship-wise and self-wise this week. When I’m making a three-category weekly plan, I’ve found I’m much more mindful of what I want to do with my time outside of work. It forces me to think, “how do I want to connect with others this week? What do I want to do for myself?” For example, on my list this week under “relationships” is to buy birthday presents for some upcoming loved ones’ birthdays and a Tuesday night dinner with friends I’m looking forward to. Under “self” includes getting my nails done, going to bed early (November intention!), and to enjoy starting to decorate my apartment for the holidays. I’ve found writing down things like this as part of my weekly plan not only increases the chances that these things will happen, but when they do, I’m also more aware, present, and likely to enjoy the moment.

3) Having mint tea after dinner. It almost feels comical to write this one because it is something so small, but it really is BRINGING ME JOY! Right before my half marathon in late September, I was focused on hydration and picked up some mint tea (this is my favorite) to have in the evening. Since then, Matt and I have settled into a routine of drinking it after dinner while we watch TV on couch. It is so ingrained now that when one of us cleans up the dishes, the other automatically starts making the tea. Such a cozy way to wind down!

What do you think? Are there any rhythms and routines you’re loving right now?

On My Monday Radar

Sometimes we just aren’t ready to jump into our Monday to-do list right away. In case you want some content to procrastinate with, here is a roundup of a few positive things on my radar:  

• Yum! Made this soup Saturday night and it is one my favorites. Delicious, comforting, and has a decent amount of vegetables in it. The recipe calls for gnocchi, but I love using the cheese tortellini from Trader Joe’s!
• I am getting SO excited to decorate my apartment for the holidays. Since this will be my first time decorating this apartment, I’ve been having fun browsing festive décor options. So far, my favorite decorations have all been from Target, specifically the Hearth & Hand and Studio McGee lines. Ahhh can’t wait!!
• I was excited about our extra hour to sleep yesterday, but ugh to it getting dark so early! These rechargeable lamps are going to be my best friends. I have a few around our apartment and it’s so fun to tap them on and off. Need to add the brightness somehow!
• I listened to this podcast episode about identifying as an early bird or night owl last week and really enjoyed it. I love the morning and definitely identify as an early bird, but it’s fun to think about habits over the years and hear from the perspective of a night owl!

Picture of the Week

That’s all for today! I hope you found something in today’s newsletter that sparked motivation, made you smile or inspired a positive Monday thought. Don’t underestimate the power of starting small… a fulfilling week starts with just one fulfilling day. You’ve got this! 

Let’s make it a great Monday!
Megan