I often get asked how long I workout, how am I so productive, etc. So, what does a day for me really look like? Obviously, this is going to be a snapshot in time and what works for me right now. This schedule may not be best for me long term. I am not living my “dream” lifestyle (yet), but am currently working towards being able to do that.
Wake up
I wake up to an alarm between 4:30-4:45 am during the week and without an alarm on the weekends. It used to be 3:30 am, but then I learned how much sleep influenced how I feel and perform. Before you ask how I wake up so early, I’m an early bird and always have been. There was only one summer I tried to stay up late/sleep in, during my teenage years, to spend more time with my older sister. I felt terrible. The next summer, I did my own thing and felt a lot better for it. Starting in middle school, I’d wake up early to finish a project or study. This trend continued through grad school.
Morning Routine
I didn’t used to have a morning routine, but over the last year, I have developed one that works. I wake up and the first thing I do is I check my temperature. This is because I’m learning how my cycle effects how I feel and can adjust my nutrition, how much I push myself in work, and how much I push myself with fitness accordingly. I then drink 8oz of water before getting a cup of coffee (or an espresso if I’m feeling fancy…my fiancé makes it for me…don’t judge me, he’s just really good in the kitchen). I’ll drink 8oz of water before each cup of coffee if I have multiple cups. While I’m drinking my coffee, I’ll write out my stress level (0-10) and my energy level (0-10) to help me check in with my body.
Then I’ll write down a win from the day before, a lesson from the day before, and a goal for that day. I’ll write my to do list in the order of priorities. After this, I’ll start on that to do list with a bit of computer work. Depending on when my fiancé needs to leave for work, we’ll adjust our morning walk time accordingly. On the weekends, we’ll go on a longer morning walk. When we get back from the walk, I’ll typically do a bit more work or start my workout.
Workout
My workout varies significantly based on how I feel and how much time I have. It can be as short as a warm up and one set of a few exercises (maybe 30 minutes total) or as long as 2 hours. Keep in mind that I film my workouts and get easily distracted by work (i.e. I’m writing this while I should be working out), so it will likely take me longer. This is something I’m working on, but hey, we’re all a work in progress right?
Ideally, I’d love to get back to a 1-1.5 hour workout, jog, and 30 minute hand balancing session 4-5 days per week. But, ever since residency (in 2019), I haven’t had time for that. I also don’t know if that’s really the best for my body at the moment from a recovery standpoint. We’ll see how I feel and make adjustments as needed. Recently during the week, I’ve been lucky to get a full lift in, a few runs, and a few seconds to play with some handstands.
I typically do structured training sessions 4-5 days per week, and I have at least 1 recovery day. I have a play/do what I feel like day if I’m feeling up to it. I think it’s important to incorporate a little flexibility into your schedule, to allow you to be able to enjoy staying active!
And yes, I only workout once per day!
Clinic Days
On days where I’m working in the clinic, I’m treating for 8 hours a day. I typically work on my business and/or run to the grocery store during lunch. It isn’t that glamorous…I’m just treating patients, documenting, and trying to keep up with cleaning!
Work from Home Days
On days where I’m working from home, I’ll typically work a little before working out. I’ll maybe do some cleaning or chores before re-starting work again. Depending on what needs to get done, I’ll either be programming, editing, filming, or a combination of all three. It could be as much as 1-2 full follow along workouts or just some individual exercises for filming. On weeks that I have to film full workouts, I often have to adjust my own workouts. If I’m editing or doing computer work, I try to go on a mid-afternoon walk or get outside if it’s nice. Currently, I’m not the best at eating lunch these days, so it often turns into more of a late lunch/early dinner. Then I’m extra hungry and eat more the next day…again, something I’m working on! I’ll often try to meal prep in the evening and may have a client or two in the evenings.
Bedtime Routine
During the week, it’s literally get home from work, shower, warm up a prepped dinner, eat dinner, and get ready for bed. I do my personal stuff in the mornings before I go in to work!
Weekends
After waking up without an alarm, I do the same water/coffee/to do list as during the week. Then, I work for an hour or two on my computer. I’ll either workout or go for a walk, depending on my schedule for client calls and my fiancé’s work schedule. Once early afternoon rolls around, we try to get outside for a bit to relax. If it’s the summer or nice outside, we’ll get outside sooner (schedule permitting)! In the evenings, we’ve been trying to cook dinner together, play a board game, catch a show, and/or go on a walk.
Overall, it’s what works for me now…long term, I’d love to travel more and have a bit more down time to relax! This isn’t meant to be a comparison thing by any means. But, I figured since I’ve been getting more of these types of questions (whether it’s how do you structure your day to get stuff done or how long do your workouts take), I’d go ahead and answer those here!
Feel free to drop a comment or shoot me an email at paradigmofperfection@gmail.com below with any questions!
Remember, no one is perfect, and that in itself is perfect.
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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
