Focus On Feeding Yourself Healthy Nutrients

What are you thankful for? Then I’ll share sample daily routines for each stress type. I want you to have an example and guide to follow and try out. Pay attention to how you feel and make adjustments as needed. As you read through this example day, please keep in mind that it is a sample. Don’t feel that you have to fit into this schedule exactly. I’m providing it just to give you a sense of how everything fits in and how a schedule could look for you. Of course, there will be variations based on your life, work, commute, priorities, chronotype, and stress type and where you are in the stress recovery. The idea is for you to get a sense of what to aim for and where to focus on making gradual shifts. What are your intentions for the day? Get some sunlight exposure if possible. Walk your dog or take a cold swim if you can. Drink a protein shake and take morning supplements. If you feel ready to extend your overnight fast, you can delay your shake for a couple of hours.

Adjusting Tirelessly

Shower, brush your teeth, and get dressed. Perhaps put on music or a motivating podcast. Head to work or your office. Organize your thoughts and prioritize tasks. You’re ready to work or focus on a project. What would you like to get done today? Are there any phone calls you need to make or tasks you want to get done? Do them now if possible. Now and every hour while working, take a break for a few minutes. Go to the bathroom, drink water, stretch or do a few squats, clear your mind, and check in with yourself. It’s time to eat again in order to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and energy. Take nice deep breaths before you sit down to eat. Set aside other tasks for the moment and focus on feeding yourself healthy nutrients. Pay attention to each bite as you chew carefully.

Down The Line

Remember to take breaks to use the bathroom, drink water, take a few deep breaths, check your priority list for the day, take a walk, and get perspective on how things are going. Do you need to debrief with a friend or assistant? It’s time to eat again, perhaps a second lunch, with protein. Are there supplements you need to take at this time to help manage stress mode? Optimally, your workday will be done by now or wrapping up. Think about or write down what you accomplished and anything you need to continue tomorrow. Reply to messages and make arrangements for what can be done later. Start to wind down your brain. It may be a good time for a walk outside or a meditation. Take supplements and digestive enzymes. Talk to whoever may be joining you. Share your thoughts and experiences of the day with a sense of gratitude and pleasure. Read a bedtime story to your kids. If you’re looking for a new relationship, journal about what it will look like and feel like to have a loving partner in your life.

A Better Future

What do you need to do before bed? Plan to be heading to bed and ready for affirmations and a meditation or yoga nidra to help you progressively relax and get into sleep mode. Does this sound like your life? In what way does it sound familiar? Are there ideas you can take from this that you’d like to integrate into your schedule? What do you think would, or wouldn’t, work well for you? Journal about this and make note of what you’d like to try. Again, the idea here is to make gradual changes. Be gentle with yourself. If something goes wrong, it’s really a learning opportunity that’s letting you know what would work better. Take it at your own pace. In fact, for some people, making too many changes at once might cause the whole effort to backfire. Being a parent adds an extra challenge to fitting in time for yourself. For example, when I was waiting for her to come out of a dance class, it was the perfect time for me to meditate in the car. While making her lunch, folding laundry, or walking her to the bus or train, I could be practicing gratitude in my mind or listening to music or a podcast that helped me recenter and gain perspective. Creating a structure and sticking to it will establish boundaries for you and for others in your life, on your work team, or in your classes. You may find that it helps to put your schedule into a shared calendar and to set reminder alerts for yourself, including for your recentering and break times. They’re also unique to where you are in the Stress Recovery Protocol. That’s a good thing. By the time you get resiliency, it is all about maintaining your progress and preventing stress mode from happening again. Have mini meals on hand to eat every three to four hours throughout the day. Implement five minutes of stretching or yoga, then five to ten minutes of core strengthening. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day, and then at night choose protein, carbs, and healthy fats to balance blood sugar and hormones. Set aside the evening to dim the lights, listen to calming music, and take a bath, and then pull down the blackout shades and practice progressive relaxation. Spend time in nature, especially in the morning. Take deep breaths, journal, or call a friend. Do Pilates or go for a walk outside. Reach for a protein shake in the morning, and choose small meals containing a slightly higher amount of carbohydrates than protein and fat throughout the day. Set aside you time in the evening to journal, call a friend, or listen to music. When you wake, start with a meditation or mindfulness walk in nature. Take breaks twice during the day. Eat a meal/snack, served on a small plate, every two to four hours.