How Structure Can Make All the Difference
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Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.
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PROJECT OF THE WEEK
How Structure Can Make All the Difference!
As you likely know by now, I am all about structure and routine. The more structure and routine I have, the more freedom I feel around my life choices and where my time is going.
I highly value sleep and feel it's the most important piece to living a healthy, fulfilling life.
With a good night's sleep, I feel like there is nothing I can't accomplish or overcome.
For years, I have known that on nights when I read before bed, I sleep better.
Yet, I have found this to be one of the hardest habits to stick to.
At the end of the day, I'm exhausted. I feel like I don't have any energy left, and reading just feels like it's too much (until I start and then it's fine!).
So I would repeatedly find myself scrolling on Twitter or Instagram for those few minutes before lights out.
In March 2023, my Foster Daughter moved in.
I knew, for both of our sakes, creating a positive, relaxing bedtime routine would be key.
Every night, she has a bath, we read together, and then I turn on the bedtime story, "The Rabbit Who Wants To Fall Asleep” and leave her to fall asleep.
We play the bedtime story on Audible, which I currently only have on my phone.
Which in turn means, I leave my phone right outside her bedroom door for the 30 minute story each night.
Without having access to my phone, it has been simple to take the time to read each night, as part of my own bedtime routine.
After years of struggle, the only change was in the structure of my routine and my lack of access to my phone.
Every time I think about getting another device that can play Audible, I also think, I will surely go back to the nightly struggle to consistently read before bed.
Getting Started
Simply change your environment. I know, it’s easier said than done - or is it?
Changing my evening routine was all I needed to change the structure of my day and provide me the opportunity to read before bed again.
Have you experienced a change in your environment that has positively impacted a habit you have been working to implement?
We would love to hear about it!
Ready to Get Started?
If you feel excited about implementing this strategy and want some additional accountability and support to get started, the It’s All in the Planning Starter Pak was designed for you!
A Note from Happy Spaces
The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:
Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.
We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.
Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®
Sincerely,
Sarah Weingarten
Meet Sarah
Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.