2020: EATING AND SLEEPING
We can probably almost all agree that, the past year has been difficult for SO many different reasons. One of the most commons reasons I heard expressed was the feeling of uncertainty. No one knew what was around the corner or when we could start back on the forward moving train!
For most of the year, there were twists and turns no one saw coming, which we just could not have been prepared for. After a brainstorm, the only two knowns we mostly all had in common across the globe were: eating and sleeping.
SIMPLE HABITS
With all of the unknowns, I decided to ensure I was prepared for what I DID know was coming.
Eating
For example, with a stay at home order and working from home: the new arrangement quickly proved the need for increased cooking and decrease in my laundry. After briefly using a service like Home Chef, each week after I do my own meal plan and grocery shopping. Some weeks I want something easy to cook and some weeks I want to try something completely new.
Sleeping
Sleep hours are probably one of the easiest things for me to slowly chip away at to either stay up later, get up earlier or just do anything but go to sleep. Alas, as we all are aware, resting our bodies and shutting down, somehow is the second most important ‘fuel’. Ensuring that I was getting my 7-8 hours of sleep a night quickly became an important priority. Training myself to get to bed by 10pm to wake up at 6am wasn’t easy. But it had to be done. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, do what you can to start scheduling it in and being better about going to bed on time!
Margin
Most importantly, over my life I have learned to build in margin to my schedule. I stopped over-committing and started ensuring there was wiggle room before and after activities, enough time in case there was traffic (especially in Philly). This margin allows me to go through life ‘slower’. It makes it so when walking Bianca, I can ‘stop and smell the roses.’
The ‘just in cases’
I’ve always been the type of person to keep my gas tank full, even though I don’t really go too far. And, I am also the type of person to have some cash in different denominations for any tipping needs. I also always have stamps with me and at home. Go ahead and laugh if you want… but once this allowed for a super sweet moment in an airport.