Ever heard of the island town that wants to get rid of time?
 
They have constant daylight from May 18th to July 26th every summer.
 
Imagine boating at 3am or gardening at 4am.
 
The 300 residents of Sommaroy, Norway proposed this idea of breaking free from the “global clock” and having a time-free zone in 2019.

Visitors play along by leaving their watches on the bridge.
 
Some say it’s just a marketing strategy to attract summer tourists.
 
Can you imagine all of the logistical issues? 
 
When do you check out of a hotel or how do you know when a store or restaurant is open? 
 
You can take away time but at some point, you’ll need to decide when you’re going to sleep and eat regularly to function on a basic level.
 
YOUR BRAIN CRAVES A DAILY ROUTINE.
 
The more structure you give it, the better it'll perform.

Ever tried to make some healthy habit changes like going to the gym regularly and notice resistance popping up?
 
That’s partly your brain trying to keep you safe.
 
It doesn’t know that going to the gym is going to help you get stronger and healthier.
 
It just knows it’s a change in your routine.
 
Do you need to clean up any of your Daily Routines right now?
 
If you’re not sure, ask yourself:
 
Are you waking up well-rested, accomplishing the most important tasks each day, and feeling hopeful & happy overall?
 
On a more basic level (just like we monitor with babies)… are you eating, sleeping and pooping?
 
If not, you may need to make some tweaks to your routine and how you support your brain & body by prepping & planning better for your daily activities & rest.
 
Let’s review some ways to structure your day to be your most productive, energetic, creative self.
 
You can use them to help you get back on track or stay on track.
 
To begin, look at how you are scheduling your waking, eating, and sleeping times. Trying to keep consistent times in these 3 areas will do a lot for your overall performance.
 
You can also use the 8+8+8 rule to keep it simple. You’ve got 8 hours each day for:

• Sleep
• Hard work
• Play (hobbies, exercise, relaxation, socializing, creative & soul fulfilling activities)

 
DAILY ROUTINE CHECK IN:

Do a Daily Routine Check In to see what you might want to tweak.
 
*Remember when you want to make changes to your routine or add new healthy habits, always ease into them and try to tie it to something you're already doing. Example: breath work while you drink your morning coffee or tea; exercise after you walk the dog.

Need help narrowing it down to your One Thing? Check out this FIT Blog.
 
BASIC MOVES:

• How do you START your day? Think about the fuel, hydration, movement, and/or meditation you need to TURN ON your brain & body for the day.
• How do you PACE yourself throughout the day, so you maintain a good energy level? Think about the meal, rest, or movement breaks you need to SUPPORT your brain & body. 
• How do you END your day? Think about what activities you need to help CALM your brain & body to prep for sleep: journaling, reading, stretching, showering, breathing exercises, or making your schedule for the next day.

 
PRO MOVES:

• Plan and protect your “DEEP WORK” blocks so you can be your most creative, focused self on the most important projects. Figure out the time of day you can focus best and block that off as much as possible.
• Schedule in regular PLAY breaks for recreation, leisure, relaxation, creativity, exploring, and/or socializing. Do you need to add any of these to help you transition between work and home life?
• Tighten up your routine to get enough REST & RECOVERY time in especially if you’re recovering from injuries, illness, or grieving.
• If you’re struggling to have enough energy for EXERCISE, check in on your hydration, protein intake, rest breaks, and peak exercise time (figure out if you're a lark or night owl).

OVER TO YOU:
 
Decide if you do best with set times for each daily activity or if you work best with a priority checklist and chunking your time.
 
You don’t want your routine to cause more stress so figure out what works best for you. 
 
I prefer to work from a weekly checklist of priorities and chunk my activities as much as possible.
 
If I get too specific about what I’m going to do at each hour of the day, then it overwhelms me if I get behind that schedule.

You may need a strict schedule of what to do every 30 minutes of the day to stay focused.
 
Listen to your body, it’ll help you figure it out.
 
Start by creating more structure to your daily routine but consider regular check ins for what you may need to tweak in your week, month, quarter, or yearly routines so you can have more energy, ease, & flow.
 
Next up, I’ll share the tweak I made to my schedule that has made the most impact on my energy & health this past year. It created structure to my day that I didn’t realize I was missing.

Do you know what activity will help your brain stay younger?
 
Nope it’s not sleep, exercise, or what you eat.
 
Yes, they're all healthy brain habits but PLAY has been shown to decrease your brain’s biological age by 6 years!
 
What kind of PLAY?
 
This research study involved doing or learning a creative, skilled based activity.
 
Dancing the Tango, singing or playing an instrument, drawing, or playing real time strategy video games specifically were types of play studied that showed they helped your brain stay younger by improving your overall cognitive function.
 
PLAY taps into your superpower- Neuroplasticity or your brains ability to create new pathways for better movement, focus, mood, and creativity.

It helps you regulate your nervous system and can move you into a flow state- fully present, focused, at ease, and in your creative zone. Where time seems to slow down. 
 
Movement, Meditation, Exploring, Journaling, Music, or creating Art can all help you get in flow and tap into your Peaceful, Playful, Powerful Body.
 
Unfortunately, we all typically play less as we age.
 
Even dogs stop playing as much as they get older.
 
We have to be more intentional about adding creative PLAY time into our days if we aren’t professional musicians or artists. 
 
The busier you are, the more you’ll have to block off some PLAY time each week.
 
OVER TO YOU:
 
Do you need to add more PLAY into your life?
 
If so, what sounds fun to start in January?
 
Ready to sign up for some Tango classes? 
 
Always wanted to learn the Banjo?

Do it.

It's time.
 
I want to start playing piano again and I'm working on getting a keyboard.
 
For now, I’m going to bust open this animal watercolor book and pens I got recently.
 
Pick one PLAY Move to do and see how your Body & Brain respond.
 
At a minimum you’ll feel more energy, ease, and flow but overtime your helping your brain become younger & healthier.

P.S. Ready to Boost your ENERGY, Strengthen your JOY Muscles, & Bring out the BLISS?

Use the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & anytime you need a Reset. Download the FREE Challenge here.

How it works: 

The eye pillow needs to be weighted as this the pressure over your eyes helps stimulate the Vagus Nerve and the relaxation response. Mine has a lavender scent which is calming to the nervous system as well.

I recommend the "Happy Wraps" brand. They come in sets of 4 so you can give them as gifts to family & friends.

Add it to some Breath Work:

Here are 3 breathing exercises you can trial with your eye pillow to help you relax your body & fall asleep faster (or help you fall back asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night).
 
1. Belly Breathing: 

• Inhale 3 seconds through your nose
• Pause a few seconds
• Exhale 6 seconds through your nose or mouth
• Repeat 3 rounds or more if you need it

 
2. Military Method Breathing Exercise: You’re going to breathe slowly as you relax from head to toe. With each breath, focus on letting your body feel heavy. Picture your body sinking down into your bed.

• Begin by relaxing your facial muscles. Your jaw. Release any tension in your eyebrows.
• Next relax your shoulders, then arms, and hands.
• Move your attention to your midsection and stomach. Relax your belly muscles.
• Next relax your thighs, your feed, and your toes. 
• Continue focusing on your inhale and slow exhale. You may fall asleep before you reach your toes especially as you practice over time.

3. Chanting "OM"- this sound creates a vibration in your throat  that relaxes you by stimulating the vagus nerve through its auricular branches. 

• Inhale through your nose
• Exhale and chant "ommmm" (as if you're saying "aum")- hold each "om" for about 10 seconds
• Repeat 3 times or more if needed

Note: You don't have to sleep all night with the eye pillow. It'll naturally fall off as you roll to your side or change positions. 

For the Kiddos: All of this would be great to do with kids for sleep support also. You can add a breathing buddy (stuffed animal) to their tummy to help with the belly breathing. I won't tell if you need a breathing buddy too.

OVER TO YOU:

You can use your eye pillow to relax for sleep and also during the day when you need a relaxation break or nap.  

Test out the eye pillow with each breathing exercise to see which one your body likes best. 

It’s been heartbreaking to see how many lives have been impacted by the extreme flooding in the TX Hill Country this past weekend.

We're grateful for the fast emergency response to help victims & the heroic efforts of the young camp counselors who responded so bravely to a horrific situation in the middle of the night. 
 
July 4th weekend is THE busiest time of the year for Texans to head to our rivers for camping & tubing.

It’s just what Texans do for fun but also to survive the summer heat.

You really aren’t a true Texan unless you’ve floated along the Guadalupe River at some point in your life.

It’s hard to fully comprehend how much joy the rivers bring with how much devastation they're capable of.
 
If you’re connected to anyone that has been directly impacted, please know we’re sending you all so much love.
 
It’s times like these where your body needs extra loving care to support processing the emotions, stress, and trauma it’s experiencing.
 
It needs more Rest & Recovery to remind it to calm down even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time.
 
If you’re not sleeping or physically exhausted (i.e. heavy or burning sensation in your muscles, sloppy movements or poor posture, decreased balance or coordination, or feeling weak or stiff in your muscles) from the stress, your Rest Rx is to take NAP BREAKS.
 
3 Types of Naps:

1. Power Nap- a 10-20 minute midday nap; great for mood, attention, focus.
2. Nidra Nap- deep rest while you listen to a 15-45 minute Yoga Nidra relaxing meditation that helps work through physical, emotional/mental, and spiritual exhaustion. Here’s a 15 minute one for you: DEEP REST NIDRA.
3. The Big Nap- a 90-minute nap which is one full sleep cycle so do this one if you’re not getting a full 7+ hours of sleep at night.

 
If you’re sleeping OK but showing signs of stress (i.e. restlessness, anxiety, worry, heart or mind racing, rapid breathing, difficulty concentrating, numbness, or muscles tension in your neck/shoulders/hips), your Rest Rx is to take RELAXATION BREAKS.
 
6 Stress Cycle Busters (Relaxation Breaks):
 
When you’re stressed, your brain goes into protection mode.
 
It signals to turn on your sympathetic nervous system (i.e. fight, flight or freeze mode).
 
It’s the opposite of your healing mode. 
 
You can help your body complete the stress cycle by giving it the cue that it’s safe to move back into relaxed mode & calm your nervous system by using any of these strategies as Relaxation Breaks:

1. Movement- #1 is physical activity of any kind for 20-60 minutes. It’s the most effective way to manage stress but you may not have the energy for it so turn to the other strategies.
2. Breath Work- find an App like Insight Timer and do some breathing exercises for 2-10 minutes. If you’re in the middle of a stressful situation, do a physiological sigh to help you reset (Inhale through your nose and take a second inhale at the end of it, then exhale slowly through your mouth- repeat 3 times). 
3. Laughing- find something that will trigger some deep belly laughs- the kind that make you laugh until you cry (i.e. Soul Laugh).
4. Crying- go ahead & sob- let it out; crying helps release stress chemicals/hormones trapped in your body.
5. Affection- connect with others through physical affection (i.e. a 6 second kiss, a 20 second hug) or petting your pet long enough to signal your body it’s safe to calm down.
6. Creative Self Expression- write, draw, pain, or sing to help calm your body.

 
You don’t have to do all of these to help your body recover & reset during stressful times. 
 
Start with one that sounds soothing & doable.
 
Check in with your body. It’ll tell you what it needs to calm down & feel better.

You'll know you've turned on your Relaxed Body when you feel a shift - sense of relief, yawning, goose bumps, a deep breath are all signs you've completed a stress cycle.
 
Be mindful of how much news & social media you’re taking in right now about this tragedy. It’s likely triggering a stress response in your brain & body. Definitely limit it a few hours before bed as it can disrupt your sleep.
 
If you want to do more for the areas impacted, World Central Kitchen is on the ground feeding Central Texans and the search & rescue crews. You can donate to support their efforts here.

Be extra kind to yourself right now!

I found comfort in this story about Hazel, the Camp La Junta dog, that scratched on the door of a cabin to alert the campers of rising water and waited with them until they were all safe (Texas Monthly shared about it). It's not a common dog name but it's my mother's name (who passed away in 2003).

Grieve the loss but always find the hope, love, & helpers out there as well (even if it's coming from our furry friends).

P.S. Ready to go from Stressed to your Relaxed Body? Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit & Daily Energy Planner here.

P.S. Want to get stronger with less effort?  Download this 3-minute Active Recovery Yoga Routine to help you train smarter, it's free!

P.S. ​On the verge of Overwhelm & Burnout?

Calm your Brain with the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & Reset.

 Let the Adventure to a Peaceful, Playful, Powerful Body Begin- Download the FREE Challenge here.

Did you use the 80/20 rule yet to identify the main activities that’ll give you the best results & maximize your time and energy?

You still have time to go through the 80/20 exercise but you can also flip it to help with setting your wellness or fitness goals.

It’ll help you take the pressure off when you’re trying to build new habits.

It’s important to get your mindset right as you set goals.

You’re not going for 100%. 

It’s about progress NOT perfection.

You want to aim for 80% success rate especially for diet or exercise goals.

It’s normal to get off track.

There may be weeks when you can meet your goals more than 80% of the time.

That’s awesome but not realistic ALL the time.

It has definitely taken my Physical Therapy brain awhile to buy into this approach to goal setting.

My neuro rehab work involves coordinating teams of therapists with different specialties. 

There is always a battle about what to expect with the patient’s performance of their home exercise programs.

The Physical Therapists, typically the most Type A personalities on the team, expect 100% performance of whatever they’ve prescribed for a patient to do outside of therapy NO MATTER WHAT is going on.

The Neuropsychologists, the behavior experts on the team, have to constantly remind the "team" (i.e. mostly the PT's) that 80% compliance for home programs is the goal NOT 100%.

Deep down I know this is true from my own life and from 30+ years of experience working with all kinds of patients.

Even if I give someone just 3 exercises to do.

Even if I have the most motivated patient.

Even if they’re in pain and get relief from the exercises.

Something will pull them off track or off focus from doing their home exercise program.

Knowing that’s normal human behavior and not beating yourself up about it is key to getting back on track fast so you can make gradual gains overtime.

I’ve finally made the shift in my mindset.

It’s your turn. 

Check in. 

What kind of expectations are you holding yourself to in regard to your wellness or fitness goals?

Take the pressure off.

Make the shift.

Aim for choosing healthy habits 80% of the time.