The 5 Boxes I Need To Check Daily To Stay Sane

Jacket (on sale!) / Jeans / Boots (similar to boots pictured). Photo: Julia Dags

Initially I intended to use this image for a celebratory post about kicking off the decade with new goals and cheerful chatter about all the possibilities that lay ahead in 2020. But as I sat down to write today (my first solo time with my computer - and my composure- since December 20th!), all I can think is HOLY SH#T I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK TO A ROUTINE I COULD JUMP FOR JOY!

The holiday was wonderful, in so many ways- we did our annual NYC Overnight sleepover at The Plaza Hotel with the girls, went to Florida and had Christmas with my mom, and got to spend 3 nights in Puerto Rico at the Condado Vanderbilt with friends. We got home the night of December 30th, and had fun prepping our house for an intimate NYE dinner party all day on the 31st. My high school bestie and her family live across the street- and our kids are like siblings, close since birth- so can’t imagine a better way to usher in a new decade then under one roof all together. It was cozy and low key and crazy and perfect.

Then, January 1st happened, and I came apart at the freaking seams. I won’t bore you with the gory details- but let’s just say, I hit my breaking point of fighting with my girls over excessive screen use (is it just me, or is ROBLOX the DEVIL?!), trying to get substantial quiet time to catch up on emails, eating crap and feeling like crap about it, and generally flipping out about my to-do list/mess of a playroom/half-finished projects/lack of physical activity and then some.

24 hours later, though- I am a different person. And I know why.

While the idea of footloose and fancy free breaks from the fast-paced day to day of getting girls to school and activities, working on copy deadlines, pulling together segments, figuring out what’s for dinner and making sure Alexa does her homework sounds relaxing, my reality is this: I NEED ROUTINE.

Anyone else?

So, instead of trying to be that easy, breezy, go-with-the-flow, enjoy every minute girl I spent much of the last decade wishing to become, today I am acknowledging the person I am- one that requires structure and routine, as un-cool as that may be :)

While the “run of show” is never the same day to day, the boxes I need to check remain pretty consistent:

1- BREAK A SWEAT. I alternate between SoulCycle (2 times a week, unless I am feeling extra puffy in which case my body craves that cardio and I try and squeeze in an extra class or two) and my beloved Obé at-home workouts (linked HERE- use code JENN30 for free 7 day trial and 30% off your first month- I am OBSESSED with the 28 minute live and/or on-demand classes, I try and do at least 4 a week.) It is guaranteed that when I do a 6:30am Obé class before the girls get up I will have the best, most productive day ever. Never fails.

2- EAT LIKE A PERSON WHO CARES. My go-to reset is always The Food Fix - it is an easy to follow and effective online weight-loss program that my friend (and the girl that helped me shed like 60 lbs of baby weight in record time after Goldie was born!) Heather Bauer created. I will never be the girl that eats clean consistently- but I know on the days I do (which for me means jotting down the next day’s ideal meal plan before bed and keeping pantry stocked with THESE filling and delicious #foodfixapproved lunch soups), I am a more patient, confident and happy version of myself.

3- GET DRESSED. These jeans, my go-to sneakers and a cute top (right now I am all about Dudley Stephens fleece tunics on repeat- use THIS LINK for $25 off any purchase over $150- or any sweater with a puff sleeve).

4- GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. Yes, I technically work from home. But, I get significantly more done when I pack up my laptop and log three to four hours each day at the local library. Less distractions, less guilt and more focus.

5- TIME BLOCK. My Google calendar looks like crazy town to others, but to me, it is color-coded sanity. I block out my “office hours” in red, and then within that, list the tasks I want to complete. For many of said tasks- like writing blog posts which I tend to get swept up in and lose track of time- I set alarms on my phone to remind myself when it is time to move on (and name each alarm with the next task at hand so I don’t waste time trying to remember what it was I meant to move on to next).

Working these components into the day gives me a sense of peace (which may sound weird but it is the best way I can describe the feeling). As such, I am able to settle in and enjoy the evenings with my girls and Brian in a way that I really can’t when my brain feels like it is filled with 100 open “to do” tabs floating atop a bag of marshmallows, lined with Pull’nPeel Twizzlers.

Cheers to self-awareness, healthy habits and peace of mind in 2020- who’s with me? xxJF