Making the Most of Your Mornings

Does getting out of bed the hardest part of your day? Most people aren’t naturally what you’d call a “morning person” – the types who are bright eyed and bushy tailed upon rising at the sound of their alarm clock. Just because it doesn’t come naturally doesn’t mean it can’t happen, however. By following a few simple tips, you can train your body and up your A.M. productivity – and, in doing so, increase your health by sleeping more and starting your day without the stress of running late.

• Set a sleep routine – Don’t underestimate the importance of your circadian rhythm. This regulates how your body runs, and it craves routine. Ideally, you should wake up from a light phase of sleep, not a deeper stage. It’s that deeper stage that leads to a foggy head and lower functioning. If you set a bedtime and stick to it (within 30 minutes) and get up around the same time each morning, your body will reset to the routine. The hope is that eventually you will be able to wake yourself up sans alarm.
• Get active – Working out first thing in the morning may not sound tempting, but the effects pay off. Even if it’s as simple as taking a half-hour stroll, kickstarting your morning with cardio will boost your energy levels throughout the day AND help you wind down at night, leading to a deeper night’s sleep.
• Provide the right fuel – While a donut and a cup of coffee may be an easy way to get your blood sugar rising, it can also lead to a sugar crash a few hours into your day. Reach instead for some quality fuel – oatmeal, fresh fruit, or a veggie omelet. Always on the go? Make hard-boiled eggs that you can grab on the run for a protein-packed breakfast.
• See the light – Light has a huge effect on the body’s triggers to sleep or wake up. Switch on a bright light or open your blinds right when you wake up. Conversely, avoid bright lights – yes, including electronics – for that last hour before you plan to hit the hay. This will help your body begin to wind down from the busy day and slip into that deep sleep you need for rejuvenation.

What other tips and tricks work for you? Post your comments below! We would love to hear your suggestions!

New Year- New You... With a New Planner- FREE Printable for you! ***now with TWO versions***

Starting a New Year always excites me! I have to admit I am like an little kid in a candy store when it comes to planning and setting up a fresh start! (I even suffer from 'New Year Insomnia' and create these crazy planner pages, ha!) I took some time this past year to design a daily planner page to help in productivity, goal setting and execution to see some of my lofty plans actually happen. I am sharing a FREE DOWNLOAD ***now with TWO versions*** of this Planner Page for you to try as well. I would love your feedback as you use it! There are multiple areas to help in your 2014 success: 

• Agenda Section- allows you to plan each day in 30 min increments beginning at 5am and ending at 10pm
• Menu Plan- map out all three meals and assign a child to help in planning, preparing, cooking and possibly even clean up for the day. This is a great bonding time as well as helping your children learn the basics of cooking and all that goes into planning it too!
• Main Focus- assign a general task to each day
• Example: 
• Monday:  Bathrooms
• Tuesday:  Bedrooms (or pick another area)
• Wednesday:  Shopping/Errands
• Thursday:  Kitchen
• Friday:  Living Areas
• Saturday:  Planning/Goal-Setting for the next week
• Sunday:  Sorting + filing any paperwork, bills, etc. 
• Must Do Today- an easy checklist to jot all 'to-do' items down. Take this one step further and assign an action step with it. (even if you only have 10 min somewhere along the day you can easily find a task to check off) Use the short line next to each task to assign the action step: 
• G= Go- An errand to run outside/away the home
• D= Do- An errand to do inside/at home
• B= Buy- An item that has to be purchased 
• C= Contact- An email to send or a call to be made
• Self-Care- workout, planning and quiet time are as important as getting your daily recommended water. Practicing good self-care is important to optimizing your productivity and overall success. Just check each off as you go throughout the day as a reminder that YOU are important and must take steps to live a healthy lifestyle!
• Notes- open area for brainstorming, blog ideas, reflection, verses, thoughts or anything your little heart desires :-)

Here's to the best YOU in 2014! 

Daily Planner- General by Vickie Desemone Minnella

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD and start 2014 off with a bang... an organized bang! Print as many as you would like. I printed enough for 6 months and took it to my local office store and had them spiral-bound to carry with me and use everyday.

Daily Planner- General 2.0 by Vickie Desemone Minnella

You may also need some help with goal planning or menu planning/grocery shopping- Check out my other FREE RESOURCES to help you get organized and create a Rockstar Life!

***If have trouble printing you may access a copy here***
Planner Page 1.0
Planner Page 2.0

Use It or Lose It- Snappin' Out of a Funk

I always said, "There is NO WAY I could ever be a teacher!" But I have quickly discovered that those very things we think we CAN'T do, may end up being the very things we find a new excitement for, if given the chance.

This past week I began a journey of substitute teaching and I have to say, it has been a wonderful blessing filled with LOTS of laughs! I have heard so many funny things come out of the mouths of kids, especially since I have 3 of my own, plus a house full of 'friends' most the time. However, this week I have been given a different view. I looked at my students with a sense of wonder for what their lives may hold, a belief that they REALLY ARE our future and my heart went out to this generation as it IS the most difficult to grow up in.

What if us as adults, saw our day as that of a student... you could be anything you wanted to be, accomplish great things in life and still make a difference in the world? How would that change our motivation, drive and goals? How would that change our world? Being an adult is hard, especially when you are a single parent barely getting by, I get it! But, I made a choice to see life through a different lens this week.

I am usually a pretty positive person, until the last few months. I allowed my circumstances to TRAMPLE my faith and drive. I LET the negative creep in... and boy did it show! I wasn't the 'me I want to be' AT ALL! and I'll spare you the details, but my heart is heavy and my bank account is still empty, yet I woke up today with all of the tools I need to take one more step- in the RIGHT direction. So that is what I am doing... TEACHING MYSELF, one step at a time, one day at a time... Focusing on what I CAN DO and not on what I'm lacking. I made a few adjustments the last few weeks:

• Removed myself from negative atmospheres
• Reaffirmed my faith, both in church and with my daily devotion time
• Recommited to a healthy lifestyle again: Eating healthy, working out, etc.
• Surrounded myself with positive people. Let's face it, "you are who you hang with"
• Made a list of what I CAN CHANGE and what I have no control over. Then took the focus off the 'have no control over' list. (What and I willing to accept and what am I not?)
• Brainstormed ideas to pull myself up financially utilizing the talents I DO have
• Went back to the basics of planning my week- this is a HUGE thing for me: meals, schedules, activities, etc. 
• Listened to more uplifting music and read more positive quotes and articles- less of the funny, yet super sarcastic stuff I had drifted towards.
• And finally, let go of what others might say about me- who cares! They are not in my shoes and they do not raise 3 kids single-handedly, trying to provide financially almost 100% AND physically. 

Just like my students, I have a future ahead of me and can still be anything I want to be, with the right amount of hard work, planning and diligence... and of course a positive attitude. I can teach myself to use it or lose it!

"Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3

\