10 Ways To Have The Best Day - Abby Saylor Armbruster

Though we all want to make every day the best day, this can be difficult when constantly juggling your work life, personal life and that annoying (yet inevitable) everyday stress. Working full-time while keeping up with blogging has been a balancing-act for me, but I’ve noticed everything in my life is more aligned when I follow these guidelines. Keep reading to see what I do to ensure every day is the best day.

Get enough sleep. This seems self-explanatory, but it’s something many of us don’t prioritize. I’m not the best at this, but luckily Justin sticks to a strict sleeping schedule — so naturally I follow his lead. Though I always make fun of him for wanting to go to bed early, I actually think going to sleep when he does has really helped me regulate the amount of sleep I get and maintain a constant level of high energy (or has high as it can be at 7:30 a.m. on a Monday morning) during the day.
Wake up at an appropriate time. Cut some stress out of your life by starting your day early enough to allow you to get prepared for the day (both mentally and physically) without having to rush. My most chaotic days tend to be the ones where I had to rush out the door in the morning, so I highly suggest evaluating your schedule to see how much time you need to allot for what and adjusting accordingly.
Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Again, this sounds simple, but it can be difficult to eat three proper meals a day when you’re busy and your routine is constantly changing. Plan meals you’re excited to eat and you’ll notice that this becomes much easier. Yay food!
Drink enough water. I’m terrible at this one, but it’s been a new item I’ve been adding to the goal section of my planner each week. I don’t drink much in general, so making sure I’m consuming enough water is tricky. I suggest adding lemon, mint, cucumber, or any other fruit or herbs you like to your water to not only give it extra taste, but also to motivate you to not let your fruit/herbs go bad (I hate wasting things so this seriously works for me).
Make lists and stick to them. I have the best day when I feel like I’ve been productive and have crossed things off my list. Make lists of tasks you want to get done for the week and categorize it by most to least important. This helps me to remember to cross off the bigger tasks first, while l still managing to make my way down the list and eventually complete it.
Take breaks. This is also something I’m not so good at, so maybe this list is just a compilation of reminders for myself. 😉 Regardless of what kind of job you have, it’s important to allow yourself to take breaks, walk around and separate yourself from what you’re doing, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Let you mind and body breathe, girl! I’ve noticed that taking regular breaks (about one every couple hours) allows me to maintain a stronger level of focus and actually puts me in a better mood.
Decompress socially, mentally, emotionally and physically. I can not stress this enough! This is the first thing I do when I get home from work everyday, and I’ve noticed that it honestly makes me the best version of myself. Whether it’s jumping in the shower, stretching, meditating (not my thing — I went to a Buddhist religious practice for a class in college where we did a 30 minute meditation and I literally stared at a squirrel outside the window the whole time and wanted to scream), or journaling, allowing yourself to remove the work day from your mind and focus on your home life lets you enjoy a calm evening.
Treat yourself. Do something fun just for you. Whether it’s watching an episode of your favorite Netflix show, baking or working on a fun little project, let your mind be creative and stimulated without being paid for it.
Relax, reflect and be present. Take time for yourself in the evening. Reflect on your day and get prepared for tomorrow by thinking about what you were good at today, what needs improvement, and what you’d like to accomplish tomorrow. Be present by spending time with a loved one and just chatting.
Practice a night routine. Whether you realize it or not, there’s a routine you go through each night while preparing for bed. Allow time to do all of those things, like lighting a candle, washing your face, fluffing your pillows and checking your email. Though it doesn’t exactly seem necessary, it’s great to get your body in a routine of “this means we’re going to sleep now” in order to successfully wind down and have a great night’s sleep.

What do you do to ensure you have a great day? Do you practice a specific routine or do you have certain activities you do everyday to de-stress and stay focused? Leave me a comment and let me know. 🙂