Click this link for a listen. 9 to 5 doesn’t that just make your toes tap? I love this song and the words to the first verse!
Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen Pour myself a cup of ambition And yawnin’, stretchin’, try to come to life Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin’ Out on the streets, the traffic starts jumpin’ With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5 Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin’ Barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’ They just use your mind and they never give you credit It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it!
These temporary time locks happen to all of us and materialize in our job, marriage, diet, complexion or even our FITness regimen! As a studio gym owner and trainer I have flex bile and structured work hours. Meaning, I have set hours for training and thankfully have freedom in the afternoons. However, I don’t deviate a lot which is often a hazard. My average daily routine is as follows…
Rise from bed, coffee, train the early bird gal pals, more coffee, breakfast for baby girl, make the beds, prayer devotional time, back out to train the workout warriors, work on the blog, have snack, dishes, load of laundry, emails, 30 minute power run with the dog, off to do errands, post office, grocery story, cleaners, I need a snack, back to train another go getter, switch out the laundry, retrieve baby girl from school, more snacks please, back to the gym for more training, prepare dinner, run baby girl to practice, eat dinner, clean kitchen, fall asleep on couch… rest and repeat.
For a person like me, it is easy to fall prey to the daily ritual of life and get stuck in a rut! I thrive in structure and organization. My daily to do list cuddle me like a soft warm blanket. I’m not a bit bothered by repeating the same rituals day in and day out. I actually find satisfactory contentment in my methodical little world. Usually, something catastrophic has to happen forcing me off of my happy little hamster wheel. Months pass before It dawns on me that I need to break up or break out of my routine.
This is where Mr. Chicken Fry comes in. He is the ying to my yang. He is the polar opposite. He is super extroverted and spontaneous. I have learned to live in his FREE world and I reign him into my structured box and through the grace of Jesus Christ it works for us. Mr. Chicken Fry is a roll the windows down, turn up the music and drive kind of guy! He is my steady reminder to look up during the day, breathe in and out and not be SO serious all the time.
Im offering you and me a few tactics to break up our daily grind and break free of the daily monotony. Making one simple adjustment a day can restructure our wheel into a well oiled machine. Get the shovel and let’s dig out of the trench together.
Day one
Take a walk at lunch and listen to your favorite old school music. Let it take your brain back to a simple time.
Give anyone a compliment! You’ll be surprised how it effects YOU!
Day two three and four
Do it again and again. Add loud music to your evening commute. Roll down the windows and roll down the highway with the music up loud and sing all the way home. Your spouse will be like “what?”. Why is he/she so happy tonight? Then perhaps play the music for your spouse and who knows what kind of fun frockling may occur?!
Don’t forget the compliment !
If you travel for work, make a point to relax on the airplane. Give yourself a one or two hour siesta. Read a book, watch a movie or listen to music. Better yet, sleep!!!
In your hotel, turn up the radio and dance. No one is watching so dance like it! it’s a judgement free zone so have at it and shake your groove thing.
Day six (my personal favorite)
Breakfast for dinner. Cereal or eggs and toast. Your kids will be like “what!” Mom/Dad is so cool. Eggs are loaded with protein and take minutes to make. Give yourself a break. Kick back and relax and tell the kids to clean the kitchen.
Chinese take out also works!!
Go buy a new workout outfit or sports shoes. Something new is always inspiring. It can’t help it. Try Old Navy or Kohl’s or Dick’s
Day 7
Add some sparkle to your life. Trade in your bottled water for sparkling water such as La Croix sparkling water or club soda with mint and lime.
Add some fizz and panache to your life!
How do you refresh and reboot? Share your ideas….
love endlessly, change often and dance when nobody’s watching!
Angi xo