Starting the Week off Right

As I write this, I'm tired from a late night Dungeons and Dragons Saturday session. Last night I got into bed close to midnight and my cat, Charlie, woke me up by swatting at my face far too early this morning. It's hard to gain momentum from the day when it doesn't begin exactly how you'd prefer.

I blundered about the day with a hearty mix of caffeine and... more caffeine. I couldn't figure out what to make for dinner so instead I dumped a bunch of different beans, veggies, vegetable stock and spices into the pressure cooker and haphazardly clicked the "Soup/Broth." I write this as I wait for my dinner, crossing my fingers that it tastes good.

Most nights I'm in bed by 9 P.M. and asleep by 10 P.M., so a late start to a Sunday isn't the greatest move. But we're all human, and we all have to forgive ourselves (except for you robots out there).

This is a creative writing and healthy habit blog, so let me describe to you my usual Sunday routine and how I start the week off right.

1. Don't exercise for fitness, exercise for fun.

Most Sundays, depending on the season, I hike, ski, or play pick-up soccer, but I make sure not to have it be a part of my normal exercise routine. I consider Sunday to be my rest day. So if I do decide to leave the house, the exercise I do is for fun, not for fitness.

2. Create a habit plan for the upcoming week based on SMART goals.

I like to create a weekly fitness habit tracker, which I write down on a notebook, with all of the habits I will target each day.

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound.

3. Update your budget.

Financial health is a huge part of happiness. By opening my budget and looking at what I've spent my money on this week, this simple reminder helps me to be frugal in the upcoming week.

4. Get as much ready for the upcoming workweek as possible.

Every night before bed I set out my clothes for the money, pack my lunch, and put everything near the door so that it's easier to grab-and-go the next day.

So let me list some of my SMART goals for this year!

Train correctly and run a full marathon to completion in June of 2024.

Post creative writing posts twice a week on this blog for the entire year of 2024.