Do You Have Bad Habits

We live in a world that is all about results. Deadlines are forever looming and the stress can build like you’re a living pressure cooker.

In this article, I want to show you how you can learn to thrive under pressure by using simple routines and consistent habits.

Some people thrive under pressure. They love being spurred on like a race horse to the finish line. They seem to enjoy it.

What’s their secret?

For me, I’m not great with too much pressure, and so I have had to learn how to cope when life gets busy.

I’m a mom, and I’m an elementary school teacher. I’m also an MFA writing student working on my thesis. In order to fit everything into my week, I need good habits and routines to succeed. If I didn’t have them, my life would literally implode like a house of cards.

When I was an undergraduate studying teaching, life was simple because I had no family and I was young. Doing a Master’s degree while juggling a family, and a career is not for the faint of heart. I have to have routines and good habits or my life would fall apart because it's not just my life anymore. It’s my family, my career and my studying too.

I have a lot at stake.

Think about your life for a minute. How do you use your time?

Do you rely on daily routines to get you through the day? Do you have simple habits that propel you forwards when you have a deadline looming?

When the pressure gets too much, we need a break, but is there another way?

Here’s the kicker. We can do so much for ourselves before we even get to breaking point due to stress. It’s all about being smart, and create good habits and consistent routines.

Here are 8 consistent routines that have become my habits for a healthy balanced family / school / study life.

1. Get a decent amount of sleep. Try and go to sleep & wake up at the same time every day. By getting a good night’s sleep, you are giving your body the rest that it needs and be more alert during the day. Also, your circadian rhythm is not trying to fight you ever day from sleep deprivation. It does your body no good to work in all the time zones every day. Sleep deprivation quickly leads to exhaustion which then leads to a lack of focus and eventually, well you guessed it - missed deadline.

2. Eat a good breakfast. Scientists have proven that eating a good breakfast every day sets our bodies up for the day ahead. The word breakfast, literally means break the fast. It means that it’s the first meal you eat after fasting while you sleep. Make a healthy breakfast with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

3. Create a good morning routine by being organized in advance. Nobody likes running round the house looking for a cell phone, a lost file or the car keys (and that’s just the adults). Always put your things in one place, and they will be there ready when you need them. If you have kids, get them organized the night before. Pack their school bags with their essentials for the next day like supplies, books and clothes.

4. A good morning routine will earn you time before your day begins. I often do some writing in the morning when my mind is fresh. Before I had kids, I used to work out.

5. Keep a calendar, so that everyone can see what’s going on during the week. I keep mine on the fridge door. Even my kids can read what’s going on. It’s a win, win.

6. Focus time. Give yourself time to work efficiently with built in breaks. This is hard if you are working in an office. I know, I’ve done it. I’ve lived in a big corporation cubicle and worked 8-6. I get how hard it can be to even take a bathroom break. What I learned during my time in an office environment is that your boss will thank you if you are sharp and focused. This is where you have to get smart. Go get a cup of coffee at the kitchen further away from your desk. It’ll buy you a few extra steps to stretch your legs. Instead of eating canteen food, go to the deli a block away.

7. Try and have some family time every day. I know this is hard but I manage it. I gather everyone together around the table and we enjoy dinner together. (Most nights) Then after dinner one of us will put the kids to bed. We take it in turn to do the housework.

8. Quality time. This is your time that you choose what to do with. Have a work out or relax. Enjoy a hobby. Have a bubble bath. Anything that will recharge your batteries. At the moment, I don't have that much time and I spent my evenings writing and researching for my thesis.

As a trauma survivor, family life is where I get my energy. I work and study hard so that my kids can have a better future. I never put my work before my family and my kids know that they are loved. Family time is the most important time in my day. It;s where we come together to connect and talk about things. It’s where we share our days and talk about things to come.

My name is Lizzy. I’m a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

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