Good morning, dear reader. Did you miss me? Did you notice I’ve been out for a few weeks? I’ve been on a week-long vacation near the white sandy beaches of Florida, but in all transparency, before that, I didn’t have the energy to try to write and post in advance. I mentioned this in my last post, though: I worked hard to ‘prepare’ for vacation. It sucks to have to put in extra hours to get ready to go on vacation. Plus, I’m that person who has to have all the laundry done and the house clean before I leave. I also need my car cleaned out and vacuumed before I drive a long distance. I know. I have issues.

Anyway, this post today is late (or early…depending on whether or not you are a glass half full or half empty sort of person), and its primary focus is based on something that weighed heavily on me while I was away.

And what’s that? You ask. Well, grab a drink and settle in. I’m about to tell you.

I need more structure in my life. I can blame it on WFH or being extremely busy, but honestly…while those things are true…I’m also very disorganized and just plain lazy these days. Just when I had it all figured out, the school district up and decided my kiddo will go back to seated classes for five days beginning next week, and that throws everyone out of kilter again for a few weeks. But, true to form, I’ve been doing a little research, and I’ll share with you what I plan to implement starting Sunday and hopefully, my tips will help you, too.

I like my quiet time, and in my living space, there is little room for it. Unless I want to stay up until 1 or 2 AM, getting some time when no one else is awake will have to come in the morning. By nature, I am a ‘second shifter,’ meaning that my ideal work schedule is 11 AM – 7 PM, so this will be a significant shift for me. However, I’ve been following a friend of mine on fake-book. I’m inspired because she’s been getting up and going to the gym at 4:30 AM each day. No need to get so dramatic, but I will be implementing a few changes.

1) Get up earlier. This waking up at 7:45 AM and having my son to school by 8:30 AM business just ain’t workin’. I mean, he gets there, but I don’t get a shower, put on clean clothes, or get in a full cup of that golden brown liquid elixir of life. If I want to be productive at work, I’m going to need to set some boundaries on my time and get to bed earlier, so I can get up earlier. To accomplish this, I need to find a place for the cat to sleep, find a suitable temperature for my bedroom (too hot, too cold, just right…), and avoid alcohol after 8 PM. 

2)  Move more. Telecommuting from my bedroom to my office leaves me with about 9,940 steps remaining at the end of the day – so I’m going to plan out ways to move more. As much as I love yoga, it will need to supplement some cardio because I can be hyper-focused at work and find myself seated for hours without a break. Some quick things to implement: Actually use my standing desk (yes, my free Varidesk), and I might find one of those fold-up desk treadmills.

3) Change up my simplified wardrobe. I like to be comfortable, but even I can admit that I am sick of leggings twelve months in. Some cute little skirts or dresses, a few pairs of hippie-like drawstring pants, and nice t-shirts might do the trick. Plus, I’d be ready for a lunch date…should the need arise.

4) Simplify my menu. I’ve been ordering from Misfits Market recently and have found a love for pan-roasted veggies. I can eat a ton of these and I love them. At the beach I reconnected with fresh fruit and a Ceaser Salad topped with shrimp. And then, there is always my old stand-by: Summer sausage, cheese, and grapes. These are easy. These are cheap. These are delicious. I want more.

5) “Eat That Frog”: What does that even mean? If you don’t know, check out this blog. My frogs include making lunch for my son, making the bed, writing, and doing dishes. I’ll make a plan to make lunches and do dishes before going to bed. I’ll make the bed after rising, take a shower while the coffee is brewing (my pot takes for-eve-ah to brew four cups), and at a minimum, blow dry my hair. Seriously. These things might help me be more productive – but honestly, I’m just hoping to eliminate feeling like a slug.

So, what about you? I am certainly up for suggestions. I’ve been idle now for about a whole year and, frankly, feeling a bit gross. I’d love to hear what you do to keep yourself organized and fit these days.

I’m leaving you with this song today. Admittedly, I’m fascinated with this artist’s change in lifestyle and focus. I figure if he can make positive changes in his life, I can too.