Revitalise Your Routine in 2024
By Ange Davies
As the summer sun sets on our beautiful Tweed Coast, it is time to bid farewell to the leisurely pace of the holiday season and gear up for a refreshed routine in 2024. After a tumultuous couple of years marked by the challenges of the post-pandemic world and local floods, many found solace in a well-deserved break. With the advent of the new year, it can be tough to reestablish a routine. So you can thrive as we move into 2024, here are some tips to help reestablish a routine to support your healthiest self:
Set Realistic Goals: Whether it’s committing to a morning walk each day or dedicating time for a home workout, start small and gradually build momentum. The suggestion is to commit to no more than 3 goals at once, when these are fully embedded you can add more to the list. Write these goals down and put them somewhere you can see them each day, this helps your commitment and keeps them front of mind.
Create a Daily Schedule: Allocate specific time slots for work, exercise, meals, and relaxation. Having a routine brings a sense of order and helps manage time effectively. It can help to look ahead to your calendar each Sunday evening and plan your week ahead. Adding in your priorities in first and booking the remainder of your week around that ensures you are meeting your goals.
Prioritise Sleep: Establish a bedtime routine including removing your phone from the bedroom and not looking at it for the first 8 minutes of the day when you wake. Once you rise, getting outdoors within 30 minutes to get the sunshine in your eyes helps to reset your circadian rhythm and prepare your body for sleep again that evening.
Develop a mindfulness or breathwork practice: Mindfulness and meditation have a myriad of benefits including improved mental health, reduced anxiety and increased creativity. Try and lower the bar on expectations of meditation. Perhaps try a 5 minute guided meditation on Spotify. If you arrive early to an appointment, set a timer for however long you have and do one of these: notice your breath is cool as you breathe in and warm as you exhale, or simply inhale for 4 and exhale for 6.
Use Technology Mindfully: Online fitness platforms offer flexible workout options. Utilise tools like calendars and reminders to stay organised. Be mindful when engaging with social media apps, they can teach our brain to look for distraction during the day. Perhaps set aside a specific timeslot for your social media.
Plan and Prep: Plan your meals for the week ahead and consider prepping ingredients in advance. Having healthy, readily available options reduces the likelihood of reaching for less nutritious alternatives. Some easy favourites are protein yoghurts, nuts and meatballs to have on hand when hunger strikes.
Stay Connected: Reconnect with social circles, whether in person or virtually. A supportive network provides encouragement and can make the transition into routine more enjoyable.
Reestablishing a routine after a break can be tough at times, by implementing a few of these tips, it will assist you to start 2024 feeling your best.
Ange is the owner and founder of Grit Pilates and she believes in balance with a capital B. Ange has been instructor for over 7 years and taught at the best studios in Australia and attended some the best studios around the world, bringing this knowledge, a bit of fun and of course RnB tunes to her classes. @grit.pilates
To kickstart your journey to a refreshed routine, Grit.Pilates Online is offering a special promotion for TCL Readers. The first 50 readers to sign up enjoy one month free access to their online fitness platform using the code TCL.
Sign up for 1 month free access to Grit Pilates online here
