The Sweet Spot

Hey guys!
It's been awhile since I've posted.  Like all of you, we've been getting ready around our home for Christmas.  The kids elf has arrived, we've been doing lots of Christmas activities around our lovely small community and of course, Santa has been busy in his workshop. 

Author Christine Carter, PH.D.

I did have time to finish a book called
"The Sweet Spot - How to Find your Groove at Home and Work" by Christine Carter, PH.D. 
She actually has a really get website where you can find her blog, life coaching, videos, online classes and free resources.  The link to her website is HERE
 

 

I picked this book up because sometimes I can definitely feel the whelm of being a mom of three, working full time, running the kids around to hockey, skating, gym tots etc. and having a business that I love on the side.  I can sometimes feel caught up in the busyness and start to feel run down, tired, stressed and overwhelmed with everything.  Each part of these areas in my life are important to me but I know I need to slow down and make sure I've got some relax time scheduled too.  I need to check and make sure I'm balanced in all important areas equally. 

Are you busy, on the go, feeling a bit run down and looking to balance your life out a bit more? This book and tips may help you.  

How can you ease overwhelm?
Here are Christine's tips from her book:

1. Make your bed - there is something true about the state of your bed is the state of your head.
2. Set your phone to automatically go into silent mode an hour before your bedtime.  Enjoy the peace and quiet.
3. Develop a way to "give good no: As in "Thank you so much for asking, but that isn't going to work out for me right now"
4. Turn off your TV unless you intend to watch something specific.  Never watch commercials - record your show and skip through them.
5. Eat at least one meal a day without doing anything else at the same time.  No driving, reading, or responding to email.
6. Make decisions about routine things once.  Buy the same brands at the grocery store every time; get the same outfit in different colours so you don't have to decide what to wear every morning; prepare the same basic meals most week days.
7. Clean out one drawer or shelf a day.  Eventually, everything in your home will have a place, and this will make it easy to find what you need when you need it.
8. Establish "predictable time off" with your colleagues and family.  When will you commit to not working.  Start with dinnertime, work up to weekends.
9. Stop multi-tasking.  It makes you error prone, and even though you think you're getting more done, it's actually quite inefficient.  
10. The a good old fashion recess in the middle of the day. For every 60-90 minutes that you focus, take a 10-15 minute break.  Go outside and play/take a walk!  Or at least sit inside and daydream.
11. Increase your ratio of positive to negative emotions by watching a silly YouTube video, expressing gratitude to someone, or reading something inspiring. 
12. Establish a tiny time saving habit.  Put your keys by the door where you will be sure to find them.  Set up your coffee machine at night.  Sometimes a small effort today can have a big impact tomorrow!  Allow yourself to feel gleeful when you succeed.
13. Establish a happiness habit.  Do a daily crossword puzzle if that does it for you.  Read a favourite magazine at lunch time.  Throw the ball for your dog every morning.  What would make you really happy if you did it every day?
14. Take 10 minutes to do nothing.  Unplug from you phones and computer.  Sit down in a room where you can be alone.  Stare into space.  It's fine if you feel bored - you'll be more productive later. 
15. Smile at the barista strike up a short conversation.  Or with the people sharing your elevator.  Or with the crossing guard.
16. Repair a mini crack in an important relationship.  Call your mom and invite her to lunch, even though your last conversation with her was tense.  Find something nice to say to your spouse, even though he can be frustrating. 

 
What I have learned from this book was to really make boundaries with my time.  I wake up early to get my workout in and set my day off on the right course.  When I'm at work, I'm at work and need to shut my phone off so I'm not distracted by messages and notifications (I check those on my lunch break)  When I'm at home with my kids, again, my phone is on silent so that I'm fully into my kids and giving them all my attention.  At the end of the day I get back to message and notifications, emails when I can be fully focused on them 100%.  Then I work on my business after the kids are in bed and I can focus on that without interruptions.  My husband and I make sure we have our date night about once a week, it's nice we're able to use a babysitter now.  And we also make sure we have visits or get togethers with friends once a week too.  Stopping the multitasking has been HUGE for me.  I would find my self doing 4 different things at a time and then getting frustrated because I wasn't doing anything 100%.  We've cut our cable and only watch Netflix now, and it's usually Saturday or Friday night together for some quality time, catching up with my husband.  I really make sure to guard this time together.  If we have something on Friday then we make sure Saturday remains open for this time together and vise versa. Being 100% focused in where you are at that moment, and carving out specific time for the important things has helped me HUGE in balancing our life and schedules, it's just really works for us. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend to relax or have some fun with family and friends. Remember to balance each and every day and really be in the moment where you are. 

 

There will be an announcement coming soon about the challenge group for the New Year.

This will be our biggest group yet and I would love to have you join us if you're ready to fully commit to your health and wellness. 

Do you want to keep and stick to your resolution this year and make 2016 YOUR year?

 

  Your happiest and healthiest?

 

I can help you choose a program that is right for you; keeping your fitness level, goals, lifestyle and schedule in mind.  

Along with other amazing coaches on our team, we will help support, encourage and help you stay accountable this year starting in January. 

 

Announcement coming soon !