Finding Daily Rhythms
I use to HATE routines. So much so I would actively avoid them. They would make me feel trapped and not creative. It wasn’t until I figured out I just needed the right types of routines to create success in my life and business. Morning rhythms help to create balance and space for my brain to run free during creative time.
The word rhythm means : a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.
When I switched to the word rhythm over routine it really helped me see my day in a pattern of waves in the ocean rather than ridged movements. Running a small business is fun but there are lots of little details and tasks that need a repetitive movement to be implement for things to run smoothly. Here is my journey to finding that:
I lived in Italy for a few months in college while studying aboard at an art school. We followed a monastic lifestyle which looked a lot like the same thing everyday but with intention to find a rhythm. So I would wake for sunrise for a morning walk in the crisp Italian air to see the same people on their morning run. We would wave or nod just to acknowledge each others presence but would never speak. The walk was followed by breakfast, vitamins, and morning reading in the same chair as I watched the rest of my 20 friends sleepily wake to start their day before class.
I went to class for three hours, chapter meeting, lunch, afternoon break and nap time, dinner, internet time, sleep. At first I was annoyed and needed change. But slowly and surely I found creativity, rest, and rhythm in myself during this daily routine. These photos below are from my daily morning walk in Orvieto.
It’s hard for me to implement rhythms but once I do I can soar because my brain has the ability to dance while my body is on it’s track in motion. I grew up dealing with ADD in which my mind has 1000 things it’s thinking then I go to dream world because it can’t find rest. Even writing this blog took a lot for me due to the constant distracting thought of editing, internet surfing, to laundry sitting in my room, to being bored and wanting to go on a walk. Slowly and surely I push my mind back to the present in what my hands are doing and focus on the task. Finding a daily rhythm has helped my ADD because it gives my brain space.
Most of my friends will probably laugh when they read this post because they know how much I hate routines. It will come to a surprise when I share my morning rhythm because people will doubt I even made one none the less follow it. But it’s true, it works for me! I believe finding routines and rhythms are so important while running a small business because we have to wear 10 different hats during the day and it’s nice to have them laid out on the table at the beginning of the morning instead of having to go search for them all over the house. It creates efficiency, mindfulness, and a flow. Wow can my creative brain get into the flow so much quicker often times when I have everything already laid out from the night before and I don’t have to multitask the day of.
- Wake at 5:20am
- Gym at 5:40-6:40am
- Shower while breakfast simmers 6:40-7:20
- Eat breakfast while reading a business / money book + journaling 7:20-7:50
- Start work at 8:00am
- Daily tasks
- Lunch + tv break-12:00-12:30pm
- Tasks I keep putting off
- 20 min nap if needed-2:30pm
- log out of work-4:00-5:00pm
- I take breaks in between + little walks + phone calls + podcasts
- Evening-something creative – knitting, cooking, watercoloring, making something with my hands
- Read before bed EVERY single night 20-40 mins
Tips for finding your own rhythms:
- Find 1-2 things that make your heart come alive. Implement them early in the morning so you have something to look forward to when you wake up early. (Tea, smell of coffee, morning walk, reading, working out, etc).
- Turn music on that helps your brain focus on its task. Or turn ALL music off to find silence while you create your daily movements. I often listen to classical music in the morning because it’s calming. As my day goes on I adjust music based on activity. Working out- Rap. Cooking- Ray Lamontagne. Editing- Lake Street Dive.
- Write out your day hour by hour the night before. This sounds a little much but getting into the practice of having a tentative idea how your day will go will help rhythms come without having to think. The goal is to create movements your body will get use to daily so your brain can be creative and be present.
- MAKE LISTS all day. It helps to create space in your brain to focus on the task at hand but still get out what needs to get done sometime. Don’t break your rhythm by going off on different tasks. I use an app called To Doist which helps to organize ALL my lists and tasks.
- Put reminders in your phone to go off to help remind you of the next task or to take a break or to take a nap.
XOXO – Hannah Rose
