Tuesday

Welcome to Tuesday! In today’s newsletter:

• The benefits of structure

• Signs you need a change in your routine

• Take control of your health

• Tips for creating a weekly schedule

The Benefits of Routine and Structure

Humans are creatures of habit, and we often thrive on routine. However, routine isn’t necessarily just a preference — it has real benefits, too!

Research shows that lifestyle, including the habits we form and develop — impacts our overall health in a number of different ways and can contribute positively to our well-being!

• Physical habits: Habits that include physical well-being — including good hygiene (showering, flossing), nourishing our bodies, getting enough rest, and more — all contribute to our physical health for the better.

• Nourishment: Eating a wide variety of foods consistently plays a critical role in our health.

• Mental care: Taking time for recreation, doing things we enjoy, and practicing mindfulness all help ensure we are feeling balanced and caring for our mental health.

• Decreased stress: When we have dependable routines, we don’t have to stress over so many micro-decisions throughout the day, which can help us feel more relaxed!

If your days are feeling a little chaotic, try implementing structure where you can — whether it’s through a morning or evening routine, weekly habits, or another way!

Signs It’s Time To Break Routine, and How To Do It

While routine can be great for our overall health, sometimes, we want to break out of it. Even if we’re very comfortable in our daily routines, it’s great to challenge ourselves and change things up every once in a while.

For example, if you find you’re feeling bored or unexcited by your day-to-day, this could be a sign it’s time to switch up your daily schedule.

Another great sign it’s time to change your routine is that you’re not feeling inspired or you’re straight up craving inspiration. Sometimes, all we need is a little change to spark creativity.

Lastly, if it’s simply been a while since you’ve done things differently, this is the perfect time to embrace difference!

A few simple ways you can switch up your routine include:

• Small, daily habits: Switch the order of your morning routine, eat dessert before dinner, or try journaling when you get home instead of right before bed. Even if you don’t keep these habits regularly, it’s a great way to temporarily switch your perspective!

• Change your scenery: Try a different place for lunch, take a different route on your daily walk, or try grocery shopping at a new store!

• Experiment with your closet: This is a great way to explore creativity, and you can work with different pieces you already own.

It doesn’t take much to change up your routine. Small yet mindful switches to your daily schedule and habits can go a long way to help bring a new perspective!

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Tips for Creating a Weekly Schedule

Schedules can help us keep routine and stay organized. However, if you’ve never had much of a schedule or if your work and personal commitments constantly change times, it can be challenging to know where to start.

However, especially if your days are constantly bounding around, a schedule can help you find some semblance of normality and appreciate routine where you can find it.

To create a weekly schedule, begin with the non-negotiables. Where do you have to be when? Build this time in. Next, fill out your schedule with “tentatives” — events you might go to or would like to attend but may or may not go to.

As you go, it’s helpful to think about the structure of each day. Where can you find time for those daily or weekly habits that you’d like to include?

For example, if you want to read a book a week, you’d want to ensure you have time open to spend doing that. This doesn’t necessarily need to be as structured, but if you build in time to do it before bed as part of your nightly routine, this is a great way to help structure your week.

Lastly, be sure to leave flexibility and free time. While structure and routine are great for our lives and weekly schedules, it’s important to build in a buffer that allows us to enjoy time to relax, too!

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ True or False: True, when we have a routine, it can help us feel more prepared and ease some of our day-to-day stress.

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: While there are unpredictables in every day, implementing a routine — and changing it up when we need to — can help our mental self-care!

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!