My days often go something like this: wake up at 6am, make coffee, drop my oldest daughter off at school, run my morning errands, try to squeeze in some form of exercise, get ready for work, morning meeting, realizing “Sh!t, I’m hungry,” then grabbing something quick to eat, getting back to work, another meeting, work, snack, meeting, repeat. Before I know it, it’s time to drop everything, go pick the kids up from school, and then a teeter-totter pattern between parenting and finishing up the day’s to-dos with the time that’s left until dinner. Sound familiar?
Life can get busy. We’re overbooked, often running on little sleep, juggling work, personal appointments, social obligations, kids, home life, not to mention we’re constantly overstimulated by the happenings on social media and in the fast-paced world around us. It’s easy to feel defeated in more areas than one when it comes to the daily grind. This especially rings true for me this year and I have constantly been on the prowl to find ways to make my life easier. Here are the ones that have been serious game changers:
Move: Whether it’s a brisk walk through my neighborhood, an at-home rebounder session, or a pilates class at the studio down the street, getting in at least 30 minutes of movement first thing in the morning is something I try to do every single day. It wakes my body up and sets the tone for the day ahead. There is a major shift in my days when I choose not to move versus when I do.
Fuel: It has always been easy to push or skip breakfast due to the early morning rush, and often times I find myself getting around to eating my first meal in the early afternoon. Since using Daily Harvest — thoughtfully sourced, chef-crafted, food delivered straight to your door — I have adopted a quick and easy way to make sure I fuel myself for the day ahead with a quick 2-minute smoothie (my favorites are Mint + Cacao and Chai + Coconut) or a delicious bowl of oats (the Apple + Cinnamon is my go-to and I like to add fresh sliced figs) that’s ready in minutes. It’s as easy as adding almond milk to the smoothies and throwing into the blender, or adding your liquid of choice to the oat bowls and placing in the fridge for grab-and-go overnight oats, or heating them on the stove. I can take either on the go if it’s a jam-packed morning, but have found that giving myself five to ten minutes to sit and enjoy my breakfast solo does wonders for my wellbeing. What I like most is that with Daily Harvest, there’s no meal prep needed and I always have something nutritious to fill me up no matter how busy I am.
Plan: Usually while I’m having breakfast, I like to sit down with a good old fashioned pen and paper to carve out what my day looks like. I separate each task into lists under “Priority”, “Delegate”, and “To-Do”. This keeps me on track and ensures that everything gets done. If it’s not written down, it often gets overlooked — out of sight, out of mind.
De-stress: I allow myself to hit the pause button throughout the day when I need a break. I tend to get overwhelmed pretty easily being a business owner and mother of four. When I need a minute or 15, I take a minute or 15 — sometimes longer. It’s okay to step away and recharge. I find that reading a chapter in the book that’s currently on rotation, a 5-minute meditation on the Headspace app, or a relaxing walk around the block is all I need before I am ready to jump back in.
Stock-up: For those weeks when I don’t have time to meal prep for myself, I’ve been leaning on Daily Harvest‘s recipes to get me through. Not only do they have my breakfast covered, they also provide snacks, sides, and savory meals that are simple and built on organic fruits and vegetables, which is what I want without having to think about it, plan for it, shop for it, or prep it! My go-tos are the Cauliflower Rice + Pesto and the Lentil + Tomato Bolognese Harvest Bowls, the Cacao Nib + Vanilla and Coconut + Lemon Bites, and the Kabocha + Spice Latte.
My Daily Harvest Favorites
Mint + Cacao Smoothie
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Apple + Cinnamon Oat Bowl
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Chai + Coconut Smoothie
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Cauliflower Rice + Pesto Harvest Bowl
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Lentil + Tomato Bolognese Harvest Bowl
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Cacao Nib + Vanilla Bites
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Kabocha + Spice Latte
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Coconut + Lemon Bites
Daily Harvest
Sleep: My life is 100% better when I prioritize sleep. For years and years, I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning (sometimes until 2 or 3 a.m.), trying to finish as much work as I could before the next day, thinking it would make my life easier. I was so wrong! Since getting into the habit of going to bed at a decent time and regularly clocking in at least eight hours, I feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically. Good sleep in crucial.
Instilling good habits that work for me have made the biggest difference in my day to day. These are just the big ones that have moved mountains when it comes to stress and prioritizing my time. What are yours?
Want to try Daily Harvest for yourself? Right now you can get $25 off your first box using code: THEBLEU during checkout. Daily Harvest offers deliveries on a weekly or monthly basis, with the ability to skip a week, switch up and personalize your assortment, and you can pause at any time. Enjoy!
