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Inspiration

Make the most of each new day

ith COVID-19 case numbers declining and means following Benjamin Franklin's "early to be and ear-
schools and businesses opening up in the ly to rise" advice. Go to bed early so you can get a good
United States, spring is once again a hopeful night's sleep. And arise early, so you can enjoy your morn-
W time. People are on the move, creating new ing routine instead of being rushed.
routines, and thinking about how to get the most out of
life personally and professionally. Updating your goals periodically is another form of self-
care. Without clear, realistic goals you are rudderless,
After a year when many of us have watched an embar- forced to wing it too often and more easily distracted than
rassing amount of streaming content, and perhaps gained you otherwise would be. This adds stress and wastes time.
a few unwanted pounds, it is an ideal time to regroup to Set up an environment that is conducive to productivity.
take best advantage of the time we have. Managing time That means turning off alerts on your devices for periods
well is essential, because, as Idowu Koyenikan, author of of concentrated work. And devote time to planning daily.
Wealth for All, said, "Time management is about life man- For example, set aside 15 minutes at the start of each day
agement." and the same amount at the end. In the morning, identify
your priorities; in the evening, evaluate results and set
If life management sounds like a huge undertaking, don't goals for the next day.
worry. Consistent, small steps can lead to transformation-
al results. And a big part of making the most of each day Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, and exercise regularly
is your state of mind. "Don't waste your time in anger, re- so you're not sitting at a computer or on the phone hour
grets, worries and grudges," Roy T. Bennett, author of The after hour. Spend some of your exercise time outside to
Light in the Heart, said. "Life is too short to be unhappy." So refresh your body and mind. And create a routine to help
put a smile on your face every morning even if you wake you transition from work to personal time.
up feeling grumpy. Research has found this helps pro-
gram your brain to think positively throughout the day. Throughout the day, make a point to interact with oth-
ers. Appreciate their efforts—and your own. And before
Also, go into each day expecting to achieve great things, you nod off at night, think of what you love about how
and visualize what you want. And if negativity creeps in, you spent your day's time. William Penn said, “Time is
counter it with positive thoughts. Posting motivational what we want most, but ... what we use worst.” Prove him
quotes where you'll see them during the day will help. So wrong.
will reading passages from inspirational books or blogs.
Also keep in mind what you're grateful for.
Take care of yourself

Self-care is related to mindset, because the better you care
for yourself, the better your state of mind will be. This Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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