Daily Dose Challenge: Week One

CHALLENGE:
For five days straight, do an additional something that may be beneficial to my well-being.

    I’m doing an experiment.  Each week setting a new, small challenge, a dose of something potentially beneficial for my well-being, and each weekday doing this new challenge.  Five days straight of whatever it is. Five days isn’t that long, it is just a dose to try out this challenge and see what happens...then if it is a step in a positive direction, those five days may become more….and perhaps inspire you, too!
    
    Watch for the update each Sunday, as well as what the next week’s challenge is going to be.  Let me know if you have suggestions!

    Week One 

    For this week, I made a commitment to go to workout right away upon waking each morning. 

    Why?  I workout daily, but sometimes I start working and let my day get away from me too much, then find I do just a quick workout later on, antsy all the while before it.  When I get the workout in early, my mind and energies are more focused. When I let so much of the day pass before hitting the gym, I end up feeling scattered during work and frustrated that I did not begin the day with exercise to get that blood flowing and the endorphins going!  
The challenge for me lies in actually getting there right away.  When I wake up, what my body wants to do is sit with coffee and open articles to read, not to jump around.  I used to teach first thing in the morning, really early, and, as hard as it was to get up that early, it really did give me an amazing boost to start the day.  I always left the workout feeling great. Now that I often have mornings working from home, it is tempting to wait to work out...but then I am not as focused, not as energized, AND have a tendency to snack much more…

Five Days Later:

So how does it feel after consistently working out first thing each morning?

Confirmed, energy and focus better.  Also, there is no stress about trying to fit in a workout at other times.  The not-as-positive parts include an anxiety of ‘I have to’ make it there asap, and not getting as strong a workout because of my body still in a sleepy, tired mode.

Recommendation?  Totally get to the gym asap-- BUT, asap can mean slightly different things.  I’d like to say, within the first hour or so of waking. I know this isn’t possible with every person’s schedule, of course.  If your body needs the first cup of coffee to ease into the morning and you can spare that time or wake up a bit earlier to make it happen, do it.  If you don’t have much morning time, I would definitely recommend JUST GETTING SOMETHING GOING. My body and brain feel so much better after a workout, and, for me, it is always better to get something in, be it a ‘big’ workout or ‘small’ one, first thing in the morning.

Disclaimer: Some people have been working out at lunch or in the evenings for years and are happy with that schedule.  If that works for you, keep that going! Each person is different, and there tend to be ‘morning workout-ers’ and ‘later on workout-ers’, to give the technical terms, obviously.  I am in the former category, and need that boost early on to begin the day on the right foot. What it all comes down to? MOVING YOUR BODY DAILY. Whatever schedule works out for you :)

NEXT WEEK: 

Challenge I am planning is to do a 10-min meditation every day.  While this sounds easy to some, I’m sure, I have been avoiding trying this for years-- Why can I get lost in articles for 20 minutes, but the idea of closing everything for 10 sounds so hard?  Exactly why I need this to be my next challenge.

If anyone wants to try this with me, let me know! I am planning on using an app that has been recommended to me: Insight Timer.

Have a fabulous week,
Kate