A new month is nearly upon us already and with it comes time to sit down with a cup of coffee, some light jazz music and an agenda to plan out the month ahead. While I do my planning every weekend to plan for the week ahead, I also like to take some time on the last weekend of the month to plan for the month ahead as well. I will look at the month ahead to see what is already penned in such as appointments, travel, days off of work, holidays, etc. and from there I will work in 5 days to schedule for my well-being. It can be so easy to lose track of time with work, obligations and daily life and often we push ourselves to the back burner of life to make sure everyone else is accommodated. That is why I started the practice of scheduling 5 days every month just for myself. Here are five days that you can also schedule for yourself to help you stay happy, healthy, productive and balanced.
A Solo Date
Whether you go on a shopping trip, to the cinema, a museum, a bookstore, out to a coffee shop, an antique store or even dinner, pick a day where you go out with only yourself. Schedule a long solo date doing something that brings you pleasure and delight in the fact that you get to be on your own timeframe to do as you please. Enjoy taking your time and losing track of time while out and about. Meander in a place that you truly enjoy or even try out a new place. Whatever it may be, enjoy some time alone on an excursion tailor made just for you.
Time off day
This is a day to be scheduled for when you think it may be a busy week. Take a look at your schedule and notice if there is a week that looks to be busier than the rest and then schedule a time off day. A time off day is where you plan nothing for the day. No cleaning, cooking, errands, appointments, etc. Plan to have a simple continental breakfast of pastries, butter, jam and fruit for breakfast, a simple lunch of leftovers and order in dinner. Use this day to rest, whatever that looks like to you. For me it may be reading a book for the day, binging a show I wanted to watch, doing a puzzle, or taking a nap or a long hot bath. Move slowly and tune out the stimulation of social media and just take the day to simply rest.
self care day
Our bodies and minds are our most precious commodities and should be cared for as much as possible. While there will be many days where we are on our everyday routines or just making it through the day, try to schedule a day that is dedicated to your personal self care. This can take form in many ways too. Some ideas could be a full spa day, a facial, massage, a salt room, mani/pedi, sauna, an at home “everything shower” and facial, a luxurious bath of salts and oils and scented candles, or even simply wrap up in a fluffy robe all day and unplug. Whatever self care looks like for you, pick a day to dedicate to the care of your mind and body.
a productive day
While taking time to rest and rejuvenation is important to schedule, a good productive day is also a great way to help keep on top of things that get pushed to the back burner during the month. With so much that goes on within a regular day, it can be easy to let some things go undone until later and that is where a productive day can be advantageous. I will schedule a productive day in my calendar, make a to-do list, stay home all day and work on the tasks that need to be completed. Some of these tasks may be things like deep cleaning the fridge/freezer, cleaning out the pantry, sharpening knives, cleaning shoes, decluttering, cleaning purses, deep cleaning certain rooms, cleaning out the closet, reorganizing rooms or closets, cleaning the oven, or even cleaning/organizing my admin or digital life. Having one productive day allows me to stay on top of these items with ease even when life gets busy.
nourishment day
What nourishes us varies from person to person, but I like to schedule in one day dedicated to nourishing myself. Nourishing is simply the act of providing something that is necessary for growth and good health. On a day that I plan to nourish myself some things that I have done before are things like unplugging from the phone, reading a self improvement book, getting out in nature in a park, eating healthy meals for the day, enjoying time in a sauna, meditating or journaling. I make sure to have a slow day and I pick a few tasks from the previous list that will leave me feeling invigorated. I will try to plan for a nourishment day if I see a particular week where I may be overstimulated such as busy workweeks or if I haven’t eaten not as well like when traveling. This helps me to reset to a more calm place so as to not burnout my body or my mind.
I had not thought to schedule these into month and I absolutely love how intentional you are with, well, everything. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you so much Jess 😊 I try to be intentional with my time as much as I can. Getting even one or two of these on your calendar each month can make a huge difference in helping you to feel more cared for. I hope you try one for yourself soon!