How are you setting up your workday?
I have been so much playing with energetics in my job. Tuning in to the thoughts and actions I choose and how they affect my job satisfaction, stress and success.
Today, I played with setting up my workday. This is a part of your day that is so often overlooked and bursting with potential to help align you for an incredible day at your job.
In the work that I do, I am all about helping you help yourself to love the job you have now. How to feel more like your authentic self and how to tap into tools and practices that will help fill your cup throughout your workday, rather than empty it.
That being said, the way you set up your day, matters. Maybe more so than you would think.
But before we dive into how to do this, you want to first check in with how you’re currently starting your days.
Check in with your current start to your day.
How do you start your mornings? Are you hitting snooze four times and then rushing around the rest of the morning? Feeling scattered, stressed and rushed? Do you take time to look at your beautiful face in the mirror as you’re brushing your teeth? What is the energy in the mornings for you before you get to work?
If you’re starting your mornings panicked, rushed and stressed – that is the energy you are putting out to call in.
Once you are at work – what’s the current way your start your workday?
Physically – what does your desk look like when you arrive? Is it tidy and inviting? Or is your computer still on from last night, your drink station is still sitting there, your to-do list half done from the day before?
Again, check in with the overall FEELING when you arrive to work – whether it’s your home office or at your organization.
If things feel good for you – KEEP GOING!
If things aren’t feeling good – the second half of this will help guide you towards how to feel more empowered and aligned in your morning.
A quick side note on morning routine and should’s: Be aware of having a morning habit you think you “should” be doing, but it really is stressful or draining to you. There is a lot of noise out there from high-achievers to stress the importance of having a morning routine. But according to Human Design* (and my own personal experience), there are some of us who thrive off of routine and there are some of us who reject routine and it’s counterproductive. This article is about finding what works for YOU. Not what Brene Brown, Tony Robbins or Oprah says is best for you.
I digress…
How do you want to feel in the morning?
The goal for your morning is that it aligns with the energy you would LIKE to have at your job.
What is that energy for you?
Calm, clear, happy, focused? Check in with that feeling now.
Once you have that – check in with how you need to start your morning and workday so that it aligns with that?
Try it on!
HAVE FUN WITH IT. Experiment. Play. See what happens when you try something a few days and another thing the last half of the week.
I will give you my example to add some color to it.
I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stressed, trying so hard to make things work, desperate in my job. And this is the opposite of how I want to feel. So today, I decided to try things differently.
I want to feel inspired, connected, in flow in my job. So, I played with my morning.
When I woke up, I didn’t scroll on my phone – HUGE shift alone. I took the time to connect with my husband, get ready for the day without feeling rushed. Exchanged three gratitudes each with Jay (my husband). Then took 15 minutes to tidy up. Picking up our room, making little adjustments like untucking the bath mat that had folded over and closing the shower curtain. I made our bed and appreciated the new coffee cups we were drinking out of. I wrote Jay a little note of appreciation and put it on his dashboard. Kissed him goodbye and headed to my office.
My initial instinct was to start whacking away at emails. The pull to do this is super conditioned for me and felt strong. But instead, I decided to check in with my Human Design* and follow my authority on what felt most alive for me before I started the day. I wanted to clean up my workspace! You see, clutter and mess around me when I work is super draining (as it is for most of us whether we realize it or not). So, I took some time to pick up a few things and then light some palo santo to cleanse the space. I gave a little blessing to my office in this cleansing ritual and pulled an oracle card (a tool I use for regular guidance and support)… I have to share the card message I pulled because it swept me off my feet: “Take up your spiritual arms and move with swift speed into the night, awakening one and all to the magic that is life itself.” POWERFUL! Wow. So resonates with me and the work I feel called to do…
And from there, I felt inspired, connected and in flow with my job. I started my work day with my cup filled to the brim ready to have a wonderful, productive week.
Now, this may seem soft to you or unrealistic, but giving my example is simply meant to show you how this can play out.
The things to remember are:
1. What works for me, will likely not work for you – and THAT’S the point.
We are moving away from what we think we “should” be doing towards what feels aligned to YOU (and only you).
2. One tiny thing can make a difference
Perhaps you have a busy week and don’t have the mental capacity to play with an entire morning. But what is one thing you can focus on? Drinking your coffee without a screen? A tiny act can have a huge impact.
3. Play with it!
We take life too seriously. This isn’t about perfection at all. This is about a playground of curiosity to see how you start your day affects your work. Allow it to feel light, accessible and fun.
If you try this on and remember – will you comment here and let us know how it plays out for you?! It would be amazing to hear how it works for others. Enjoy!
*Human Design is an energetic version of Meyers-Briggs. It is how we are energetically designed to live and work in this world in the way that feels most authentic to us. I have been practicing it for over a year now and am currently studying it to become certified and bring it into my work for YOU!
Author: Taylor Short
Taylor Short is the CEO of Harmonious Return and author of Reset Your Relationship to Your Job. As a Job Reset Coach & Consultant, she partners with companies and individuals to move from feeling exhausted and overwhelmed to energized and fulfilled, without leaving their job. Want to chat about how her work could help elevate your company or your job? Schedule a Discovery Call here.