Now that we are well into the month of quarantine, I’ve begun to see an alarming trend start for a lot of people. That is the trend of a crazy sleep schedule. I’ve seen more and more people comment about how they’ve started to go to bed really late, like late for even a college kid. I’m talking like 4 or 5 in the morning and then waking up sometime around noon. If we all have time to do anything right now, it’s definitely to get our sleep schedules in order. Remember, sleep has a lot to do with your health. If you aren’t getting into all 3 stages of sleep, your immune system, digestive system, and brain are all never repairing themselves. We also know that once the pandemic is over these sleep patterns aren’t going to last. What will last though is you having trouble falling asleep at a normal hour so we need to get a handle on that. Now, some of you have experience working from home. A lot of folks, however, are not only working from home, but also homeschooling kids, creating new ideas for extracurricular activities, and trying to remain sane, along with anything else that might come up. So, what do we do? Well, the one thing missing from all our lives right now is routine. Human beings are all creatures of habit. We thrive on it and it’s where we feel like things are most normal. That being said you have to come up with a routine for yourself and your family. Start with the things you know HAVE to be done that day. For example, you might know that the kids HAVE to do their schooling for the day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.So, there’s the first entry in the schedule. You have some project for work that your boss is expecting today. You know it’s going to take you at least 2 hours of solid computer time. So, block that in. Work project from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.. Now, you have some semblance of what your day is going to look like. Equally important on your list of priorities is your health because if you go down, you’re of no use to anyone. So, workout from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.. And, there you go. Here's an idea of what your schedule can look like:7 a.m. Wake up, Shower, Hygiene, Breakfast8 a.m. Morning news or morning meditation9 a.m. Get the distance learning going with the kids (with specified check-in times)9:30 a.m. Begin work projects12 p.m. Lunch and Free Your Mind Time1 p.m. Work project4 p.m. Wrap up loose ends5 p.m. Workout6 p.m. Dinner & family timeAnd so on and so forth. People don’t struggle to get things done. We struggle to get them done in a timely matter. When we’re left to our devices or without a plan, we get distracted. It’s important to plan out each day the night before and STICK TO YOUR PLAN. Now our days may not all look EXACTLY the same with the exact same block timing. Different people have different demands. But five things you should definitely include in your day:~Sleep: This affects everything else, so be sure you are getting a good amount of it.~Movement and exercise: Whether it's taking 2-3 planned breaks a day and getting exercise bursts in or setting aside your planned hour, this will keep you sane and well.~Nutrition: Plan your meals and meal times.~A Time to Connect: Just because you're social distancing doesn't mean you can have no connection to the outside world. Take time to check in on the ones you love.~Work: Plan your work and work your plan so you can remain productive.~You Time: You may be "cooped up," but it's important for you to take time to reflect. Whether it's in The Word, in meditation, or doing something to stimulate the mind like a new hobby - or all three of these, take the time.Try to keep it as close to your normal routine as possible. Be sure to start with your most important tasks for each day. Once we get out of this it will feel like you’re just jumping right back into the swing of things!
