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Part 1: Leveling up your daily routine

When you’re considering areas of your life where you can level up, daily routines rarely make the top of the list. However, when you think about it, your daily routine defines much of who you are, how you look, and what you do every day – so suddenly it becomes kind of important. Let’s take a look at a few ways we can level up our daily lives:

·         What we put in our bodies. What was the ratio of fast food to fresh food you ate last week? Yesterday? Take a minute and think – really think – about how you feel after eating fast food versus how you feel after eating something you’ve made at home (a sandwich and a piece of fruit, for example). I’m not suggesting that you never eat fast food again (although that would be awesome), but if you consider how much fast food, vending machine food, or gas station pre-packaged foods you eat. Could you do better? Replacing even a few meals a week with fresher, more whole foods options would affect your overall demeanor. Feeding your body better food is like giving your car higher octane gas – you’ll run more smoothly, more efficiently, and feel better overall. Better food also improves your mood and cognition!

·         Your general sleep/wake cycle. Do you have a consistent bedtime and waking time? If you do, you’re already winning (as long as you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night). If you’re one of those people who stays up late and gets up late on weekends but then goes back to a different routine on weekdays, consider that you’re throwing off your body’s natural rhythm. Keeping the same sleep cycle every day can make your mornings more manageable (unless you’re already a morning person, in which case you and I cannot be friends until after noon) and your days less exhausting.

·         Move it! Try getting in a little extra exercise every day! Exercise is another factor that affects cognition. Right before class, take a brisk walk – it will improve your ability to understand and retain information in the first 20-30 minutes of class! Park away from the school so you can get a few extra steps in! Take the stairs instead of the elevator! Stand rather than sit when you have the option! All these little things add up to big changes when you implement them throughout your day!

·         Atmosphere. Is your living space tidy or cluttered? Are your clothes clean and neat or rumpled and soiled? Is your car a mobile trash can or is it orderly and clean? Creating a clean, clutter-free living space is a very important part of being your best student (and your best human). Typically, your living space and your brain space will mirror each other: if there’s chaos in your brain (you’re overloaded with work, too many things on your plate, etc.) there’s typically chaos in your living space. Try de-cluttering your brain space by starting with your living space. Keep your room neat and tidy (make the bed first thing every morning – it’s not only neat, but it surprisingly gives you a sense of accomplishment). Keep the area where you study and work on your schoolwork organized with a clear workspace such that you are able to sit at any time and write, study, or take notes from your readings. Your car is your main mode of transportation to school and back, so it only makes sense that the state of your car will also affect you: clean it and keep it clean! Finally, dress for success! There’s a saying that you should dress for the job you want and not the job you have. You don’t have to wear a suit to class, but you should always be neat and presentable – remember, you’re practicing for real life!

Don’t try to implement a bunch of these ideas at once – that’s pretty much the key to overwhelming yourself and giving up entirely on making any positive change. Rather, pick one or two small, simple changes and try them out for a week. If you find they are making a difference, you’re off to the races! If those changes weren’t big successes, try one or two others. Every person is different and each of us has areas that need a little and a lot of improvement.

Also, remember that there is no end goal here. There’s no finish line, no end of the game, no winners or losers (unless you just don’t try because not trying at all is definitely losing). Rather, we’re just taking steps along the path of the journey that is our life. Trying to live our best lives is literally a lifetime journey so there’s no hurry – take your time, do your best work, and enjoy the ride!

Kelley

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