[0:07]Hi guys, welcome back to Better You podcast. My name is Fernander Ramirez. I am your host and this is a better you podcast where we talk all things about becoming your best self. And today we are talking about how to build a routine and stay consistent.
[0:21]This means being productive while also not neglecting the fun part of your life, the social part of your life, having a work life, while having a personal life, just balance in general.
[0:32]Wherever you are listening to this podcast, whether that be on a hot girl walk, or maybe you're coloring, maybe you're doing your homework, maybe you are crocheting, whatever it is, I hope that you're enjoying your day. I hope that it's a good start to your day, a good end to your day, and that you are just doing well.
[0:47]That is what I want for you. I hope that you are doing well, you are thriving. But yeah, I'm excited for today's video.
[0:51]I feel like a big topic on my YouTube channel, on my podcast, is all about having this healthy lifestyle, and I feel like even a lot of you guys think that my lifestyle is either super healthy, or that I'm super productive, or that I'm super clean, when in reality, it's really not like that 50% of the time.
[1:07]And I truly just believe that it's so important to have balance and to be able to enjoy your life and be a little carefree, be a little reckless, be a little unhinged here from time to time, while also not neglecting all those really important parts of your life that help you just become the best version of yourself.
[1:21]So, for that reason, we are going to talk about this, and I'm going to talk to you guys all about routine, the benefits of it, how to be consistent with it, how I balance my life, the things that are important to me, and how I make sure that I give attention to every single aspect of my life, as well as some tips, and some things to consider.
[1:39]Because I've been watching a whole bunch of Tiktoks and reading a whole bunch of random little things that I found to be really interesting and I feel like could provide some food for thought.
[1:46]So, I feel like it's just fun conversation. I'm excited to get into the topic, but before diving into it, I want to give you guys a little recap on myself, give you a little update.
[1:54]It's been around a week since I've been back from Costa Rica and I have been honestly thriving. I think the whole time that I was in Costa Rica, I actually didn't realize how healthy I was being.
[2:05]I keep seeing these Tiktoks about how there's travelers and there's vacationers, and I feel like I myself am usually a vacationer, which means that I like to tan, I like to sit by the pool, and I like to sip on pina coladas all day.
[2:17]But the two girls that I went with are very much travelers. Like, we were going on hikes, we were waking up at 6:00 a.m. We were traveling from place to place to place.
[2:24]And the first few days, I felt like I needed a reality check. I'm like, either I have a caffeine addiction, or I have low iron, or I am just lazy because I can't keep up.
[2:35]But by the end of the trip, I got really in the flow of being just really productive, waking up early, eating really healthy, and I say this because the food there was so clean and fresh that like there was no need to have fast food or fried food or whatever.
[2:47]I swear I was having like vegetables and fruit and just staying so hydrated every day that by the end of the trip, I didn't even realize that I was doing all these healthy habits, and it kind of just continued into my personal life when I came back from vacation.
[3:00]I also want to throw in there that I didn't have any caffeine basically or like any coffee while I was away, and by the end of the trip, I realized that I got a lot of my energy back, whereas at the beginning of the trip, when I wasn't having coffee, I was a little bit scared for my dependence on it because I realized that I'm used to having like energy drinks or coffee like every day.
[3:20]And so, while I was there, I didn't have it. I did feel a little bit shitty the first few days, but by the end of it, I actually felt like totally fine and in fact, I felt more energetic.
[3:27]So, I've continued on my streak of not having any coffee or just at least avoiding it as much as I can since I've been back and I feel like that has been a big help for me.
[3:35]Another thing is, obviously, while I was on vacation, I was spending so much time in the sun, so I've made an effort to be in the sun more now that I'm here.
[3:41]Obviously, wearing SPF and being mindful about, you know, wearing a hat, making sure my face is out of the sun, but at the same time, enjoying the sun and getting a little bit of a tan on, getting that vitamin D, and I feel like that has increased my mood a lot.
[3:54]I've just been walking a lot more. I went to the gym like five days a week last week. I started doing yoga again.
[4:00]Like, literally this past week and a half since I've been back, I've just felt so on my grind, so productive, so good, and just really in a routine.
[4:08]And honestly, I actually am leaving for New York tomorrow night. So, I'm a little bit nervous to kind of throw away the routine that I have going for me.
[4:15]But I feel like this actually makes for the perfect scenario to talk about this topic with, because, first of all, I want to say that I'm in this routine, I'm feeling so great, and I feel like it's one of those things where the girls that get it, get it.
[4:27]If you're also doing all these healthy habits, you know why they're so addicting and so fun to keep doing, because you know how good it makes you feel.
[4:35]But I also totally understand that if this isn't your POV right now, if you haven't worked out in a while, if you're used to eating a little bit unhealthy or just eating whatever, or you're used to sleeping late, you know, not being as productive, whatever, me saying all these things sound kind of like healthy to you right now.
[4:50]And when I'm not in the groove of working out, the thought of working out like five days a week for fun sounds like the opposite of fun to me.
[4:56]But as I was saying, I want to talk about this in this podcast because when you start getting into a routine that you really love, it's not something that you need to force anymore, and in fact, it's something that you feel compelled to do, inspired to do.
[5:10]You almost feel like you don't even want to go without it because it feels so good. And at the same time, I also want to talk about the fact that, yes, I'm going to New York. Yes, I'm probably going to fall off my little regimen here.
[5:17]And by fall off, it's not too deep or anything like that. I just mean like, I'm not going to be eating at home, or I'm not going to be working out as much as I have been, or I might be sleeping late, I might be drinking more, whatever the case may be, it's going to be different.
[5:30]But also to acknowledge that that's okay, and that I'm just a girl. I'm just in my early 20s. It's okay to have both lives, like one being a little bit chaotic, more nightlife, more travel, more fun, and one being more structured, more routine, more healthy, more that girl, if you will.
[5:47]It is okay to have both. I think it's so healthy to have both, because you can't have one without the other, and in fact, one might seem miserable without the other, without having some sort of reward or balance or switch up in your routine.
[6:00]And I think doing all these healthy habits is so fun, but you can only do it for so long. I think it's really important to switch it up in there and to have these moments where you get to kind of be fair a little bit or switch it up and go crazy and whatever.
[6:12]I just wanted to point that out because I feel like it goes perfectly with this topic. But before we continue, I want to tell you guys about this New York trip.
[6:17]I'm actually really excited. And first of all, thank you guys because these trips wouldn't be possible without you guys, but it's actually a work trip for Prime Video.
[6:26]And they're doing a The Summer I Turned Pretty XTNVOG party for the new season, and I'm so excited.
[6:34]There's going to be like a red carpet, there's going to be like photographers. I think the actors are going to be there, and I'm just so excited. I think it's going to be so fun. I'm getting flown there by Prime, and I'm also getting on a helicopter from the airport to Manhattan, which is literally insane.
[6:47]I have a makeup artist booked. I even ordered some clothes straight to my hotel, so that I have an outfit for the event when I get there, and I'm just crossing my fingers that the outfit turns out good, that nothing gets lost, that everything works out fine, because it's really cutting it short with timing.
[7:31]But I'm just so excited. I think it's going to be a really fun trip. And some ways that I'm going to stay in routine while I'm over there is, I'm definitely going to look for a gym to go to.
[7:40]I actually do train at Equinox, and they have locations all over the world, but I don't pay for the worldwide one, which I don't know why, because I feel like I should. So, I can't do the Equinox in New York, but I think I might hit up the Alo headquarters they have there, and shoot some content there, work out there.
[7:55]I'm also going to try to walk a lot, so I can get my steps in.
[8:00]I'm going to try to be mindful about what I'm eating. I'm obviously, I'm going to eat whatever I want, but I know that I don't feel great when I go to the US and I eat a bunch of fast food, and one of my favorite places to eat at while I'm in the US is to eat at Sweet Green.
[8:11]They have amazing salads, and they don't have sweet green in Canada, so every time I'm in the US, I take advantage of that, and I eat as many salads as I can get from there.
[8:20]And, yeah, I feel like those are just a few things. But I'm definitely going to bring all my skin care stuff. I might bring a face mask. I'm going to bring a book and my earphones, of course.
[8:30]I feel like listening to music has really been my thing recently, which I mean, it's always been, but just recently, I've really been vibing with listening to music everywhere I go.
[8:37]So, yeah, those are some of the things I'm going to be doing while I'm in New York to stay in routine, stay on track, and keep up with my healthy habits, because obviously, they take time to build, and as hard as it can be to build, it's really easy to let them go and to fall back into old patterns that you know don't make you feel good, but may give you instant gratification.
[8:57]So, that is my plan for there. But yeah, without further ado, let's get into the episode.
[9:01]Building a routine. Now, everyone's routine is going to look a little different. The same way that me as a YouTuber, my routine is going to look way different than a mother of four kids, than a girl that just graduated college, than a girl who's working a nine to five, than a girl who is a yoga instructor.
[9:23]Like, everyone's going to have a different routine. Everyone's going to have different priorities, and just different goals in life.
[9:27]So, I feel like the first thing, if you don't have a routine and you kind of want to set one in place and just figure out how to get your life more structured, I feel like the first thing that you can do is really identify what your priorities are, what your values are, what your morals are, and just what your goals are.
[9:36]I think for me, even though I've come a long way in terms of balancing, I do think that I still find it pretty strugglesome.
[9:44]That is the wrong word, but like, I still struggle with finding balance in my routine because for me, something that I really prioritize is friendships and seeing friends and just my social life.
[9:53]But I also think that I'm a very determined person in terms of work, but I'm also very determined in terms of fitness, and I just feel like with so many things as a priority to you, it can be hard to delegate your time to everyone.
[10:05]So, I think that's the first place to start off at. Figure out what your values may be and just your overall priorities.
[10:11]You can do this by having a little journaling session or even just writing it out in your notes, just figuring out exactly what it is that is at the top of your list.
[10:18]For you, this may be your career, your relationship, your health, your personal growth, leisure, and then once you've identified this, then you can officially delegate your time and your energy accordingly, because realistically, we only have so much energy in the day.
[10:31]And if we are giving our energy away to the wrong things or our attention to the wrong things, or even spending time with people that don't actually lift us up, it can be super draining and not actually benefiting your life at all.
[10:43]And I think for me, something that I also have to remind myself is that just because I'm busy, it doesn't mean that I'm being productive, and a lot of the times, I think that I am being productive because my day is fully booked up.
[10:54]I've got social plans here, I've got appointments over here, but then I take a look back on myself and I'm like, wait a second, I've been neglecting my work.
[11:00]I haven't responded to this text, I haven't responded to this email, and then I realize that I've just been allocating my time to the wrong things.
[11:08]So, I think, again, setting priorities, setting your goals, and just making a list of what you actually want to accomplish is what's going to set kind of a starting point for you.
[11:18]And again, same thing goes for your values. I think that if there is an activity or there is certain people that do things or act a certain way that do not align with you, then you should try your best to kind of avoid those type of situations or hanging around those people that kind of drift you from your original being.
[11:34]And also, I think if it's a little bit hard for you to identify what your values are and what your morals are, it's really important to spend quality time with yourself, so you kind of just have time to sit with yourself without distractions, without other people's opinions weighing in on your own and telling you what you should and shouldn't be doing.
[11:50]And then once you are by yourself and you're being your most authentic self, spending time alone, figuring out what you like, then you can truly see what is meant for you and what isn't.
[11:59]I think after you've done this and you've set priorities, I think one of the most important things that you can also do in order to maintain balance is to learn how to say no, which I think is honestly really hard for me.
[12:09]Again, especially in terms of like social life, it's really easy for myself to overbook and to want to say yes to everyone, to people please, or to even have a little bit too much fun, which obviously, fun is fine, but all in moderation, you cannot neglect any part of your life.
[12:25]And honestly, when I was going to make this podcast about balance, my boyfriend was like, uh, what do you mean you're going to make a podcast on balance? You've been so unbalanced recently. And I think that that's fine.
[12:33]I think that we all have our times and our moments, and for me, I think it's sometimes can be really hard to balance all aspects of my life. Like I think I get really in the zone of one thing and then I get stuck on that.
[12:45]For example, if it is my friendships at the moment, I get really in tune with that and hanging out with so many people that I neglect other parts of my life, and learning to say no is something that I need to do more often.
[12:57]I think we need to remember that it's just holding up your boundaries and holding the respect that you have for yourself. You know, if your boss tells you to do something, you're going to listen to your boss.
[13:04]If they tell you not to do something, you're going to listen to them, too. So, when you tell yourself, when you're in a good mind space or in a good head space, that you're not going to make this amount of plans or you're not going to go out past this certain time, and then you end up saying yes, you are kind of disrespecting yourself and not listening to yourself.
[13:22]And I feel like this also goes hand in hand with confidence, because I always hear this that if you are able to set rules with yourself and follow them and truly commit to what you yourself want to do, it builds a lot of confidence in yourself, because you can truly trust yourself, and you can trust your own judgment and protect your peace, honestly.
[13:38]I think if you kind of get swayed really easily, or you say you're going to do something, but then you don't actually do it, you kind of build this like resentment even towards yourself, or you just kind of feel like you can't count on yourself, which is kind of like the worst case scenario that is not something that you want to feel, and definitely not something that we are trying to embody when we are trying to go into our balanced summer era.
[14:02]But obviously, this is every era. If these activities do not align with your purpose, or your goals, then it's best to just say no and to even kind of change up the plan, if it's a social plan, for example.
[14:14]And someone's asking you to hang out all night, maybe you can compromise and go only for an hour or pick a day that works with you, and this way, it can kind of prevent overwhelm, which is something that I really struggle with.
[14:24]And again, to combat this and overbooking myself, or when I say yes to too many things, one of the things that I really love to do is set time in the beginning of the week, in the beginning of the day, in the beginning of the month.
[14:38]Set aside time for my friendships and for myself. Something that I saw on a TikTok was that before you are planning your week or your month or whatever, make sure that you set aside time for you first and foremost, because that's the time that's going to replenish you.
[14:51]And just help you feel good and attack the rest of your time. So, for you, this could be booking a time slot where you're going to watch a movie by yourself.
[15:00]Maybe this could be a day where you have a me day, and you just focus on self care. Maybe this could be you booking your hair appointment, your nail appointment, your toe appointment in advance, so you know that that time is set for yourself. Whatever it may be.
[15:10]Once you have already done that, then you can go in and say like, this is the time I'm going to set aside for work. This is the time I'm going to work out at, and etc, etc.
[15:18]I think planning ahead is just the biggest thing you can do, and for me, that is definitely something I do. I love planning on Notion, which is an app kind of on the computer where you can really aesthetically and visually set up your calendar or your notes or whatever it may be.
[15:30]And it's really easy to drag and drop. And I know so many of you guys on my YouTube channel have been asking for a Notion tour, but honestly, my Notion is like so personal that I almost feel like I would have to take so many things out before I show you guys.
[15:47]But if you're confused about this, definitely go on YouTube and search up Notion tutorials, Notion templates, aesthetic Notion tours. It's so inspiring and motivating and it's definitely something that you want to keep up with, because it's just so cute.
[16:01]And so, on my Notion, I do have a daily planner, like I said. I plan out my day, and I love planning out my day the day before, like when I'm going to bed, and that really sets me up for success the next day to figure out when I'm going to be doing every aspect of my life, whether that be face timing a loved one, seeing a friend, cooking my meals, going to the gym, etc.
[16:21]The other thing I do is I have a weekly planner, where I have to-do lists on each of the days, and I make sure that I pencil in the days that I know I have commitment, and some days, I'll just dedicate completely to working.
[16:33]And something I want to say in here, especially talking about balance, is that not everyone's balance is going to look the same. And especially coming from someone that works for themselves and is like an influencer, YouTuber, I know that this isn't the case for everyone, and my advice on this particular topic may not apply to someone with a nine to five, because we don't have the same schedule.
[16:51]But I think what works for me is a lot of the times, I'll like grind out, like do my work for like three days in a row, and then I'll kind of relax for three days in a row.
[17:00]And I know that to some people, and even to my family or to my boyfriend sometimes, they'll be like, Fernander, that is not balanced. You need to stop like grinding for three days and then just like falling off and having fun for three days.
[17:11]And I know that that doesn't work for them, but I've realized that that's what works best for me, and when I do have like a creative idea or I'm inspired, I really want to jump on that, because especially my job being such a creative thing.
[17:21]I feel like when I'm inspired, that's when I got to get my juices out. That's when I'm excited. That's when I'm passionate about it. And the rest of the days, I kind of recover and live my life and even maybe have conversations or watch shows or take in content or have experiences that reinspires me to create content for the following week.
[17:38]So, for me, that is what balance looks like, and I'll make sure that I set aside days where are full editing days, where are full filming days, where they are full email days. And then the following days after that, it's like full fun days.
[17:53]And so, again, that may not make sense to everyone, and that may not align with everyone, but as long as it works for you, and you find that it is what keeps your peace, and what inspires you and pushes you forward, I think that's all that matters.
[18:04]One of the ways that I help myself be inspired and motivated and maintain balance throughout my life is practicing self care.
[18:11]Now, as a Libra, you guys already know. Self care is so important to me. I honestly feel my best when I'm prioritizing myself, and I feel like I'm able to be my best self for not only other people, but for myself when I'm taking care of myself.
[18:25]Which sounds like a given, but I think a lot of people can neglect this, and even if you aren't able to prioritize a social life when you are working, I think it's so important to prioritize at least time alone, time where you can take care of yourself, and that is like the highest form of self love.
[18:40]So, if you are working a nine to five and you figure out that you're so busy, you can't see your friends, you don't even have time to relax, at least give yourself the grace of like taking a bath that day, or spending an extra ten minutes to do your skin care, or even going to bed early, so that you can prioritize your sleep and feel good for the day to come.
[18:57]Making time to do activities that rejuvenate you is so healing, and it's even healing to your inner child.
[19:04]So, it's kind of doing some inner work at the same time. And this doesn't have to be just superficial like little beauty treatments. This could literally be an activity that you love, a hobby that you love, or maybe some sort of relaxation technique.
[19:15]Let me tell you guys, last year, I really, really, really got into my yoga era, and I was a little yogi for like a year.
[19:21]And I think when I started getting into yoga, I was really stressed out about my work, and I I think I was actually working a little too much at this time.
[19:29]I was taking on a lot of sponsorships. I was super stressed, and when I decided to take the leap and book like an in-person session for yoga, I realized how relaxing it was and how much it fueled me to prepare for the rest of my day.
[19:43]And I knew that if I started the day with yoga, I could go into the rest of the day with a much more clear head space, and something that I would always do when I would get into yoga, which if you haven't done a yoga class before, usually you kind of lay down first.
[19:54]They kind of get you to be really present in the moment. And sometimes when your brain is kind of spiraling or just feeling like a little hamster wheel, it's kind of hard to get into this relaxed state of mind.
[20:06]But I would have to tell myself, Fernander, be present, you're here for one hour. Everybody that's waiting on you can wait for one hour. No one's going to go anywhere. No one can text you. It's just one hour to be with yourself.
[20:17]And even just letting myself feel relaxed and feel like it's okay to let go and just be present, made me feel so much better attacking my work day after that, and that really gave me a good sense of balance, and it gave me something fun to do that was also physical activity.
[20:34]That was also relaxing and rejuvenating, and it made me go back to work a lot stronger. Speaking on that, I think something for me that I love to do that gives me a lot of balance is incorporating work with things that I enjoy doing.
[20:47]And this could be going to a coffee shop with a friend, but working there for like eight hours. That is like my ideal type of balance in terms of socializing and friendship, because you're mixing two things where one of them is something that you love to do, and the other one is something that you have to do.
[21:03]And doing them together just really changes the game for me. But we're going to talk about that a little bit later when we talk about accountability and how friendships can help bring balance into your life.
[21:10]So, the next step is to establish a routine. You can go on Pinterest. You can watch YouTube videos. You can even just, again, make a list of the things that are most important to you, and then kind of figure out how that can be structured in a routine.
[21:22]Now, there's so many ways that you can find inspiration online to create kind of your dream routine, but again, it's going to be trial and error till you figure out what exactly sticks for you.
[21:34]And what someone else does is not necessarily what's going to work for you. For example, a lot of people like to work out before they go to bed, and that is a part of their routine, and that for me just doesn't work.
[21:40]I hate working out in the afternoon, and I absolutely love waking up and working out being one of the first things that I do. And the same way how that is one of my favorite things to do, that is not going to be the same for everyone else.
[21:52]So, I think, again, trial and error is the way to go. If you search up on Pinterest, morning routine ideas, there is going to be so many things that you can take from there as inspiration.
[22:01]And the same way if you search up on TikTok, night routine inspiration, there's going to be so many videos that you can see for ideas for yourself.
[22:07]I even think that it's kind of fun that people have made this kind of content creation idea where they say my five to nine before my nine to five, which is like people that wake up at 5:00 a.m. and have a whole routine before they go to work, or people that do their five to nine after their nine to five.
[22:24]So, their P.M. routine. And I think it's just interesting to see how other people structure their day. And I think it just never hurts to watch what other people do as inspiration for your own.
[22:33]I've made episodes in the past where I kind of talk about my routine, and this might be a little bit redundant, but since this is literally what this episode is about, I'm going to give you guys some of my routines that are non-negotiables for me during the week.
[22:45]In my morning routine, this is my non-negotiable routine, okay? I wake up, I go to the bathroom, I do my skin care routine. And I put my contacts in.
[22:53]I actually feel like I cannot get on with the day if I don't have my contacts in, so that is a number one for me. And I think that a skin care routine is also just vital for me.
[23:02]I think because I surround myself with so many content creators, or I consume so much content, I just assume in my head that everybody has a skin care routine. But obviously, that's not the case, and I kind of forgot that not everybody even prioritizes that.
[23:16]And that may be something that you don't care about, but I think that that is such a simple routine that can make you feel like it's more of a ritual for you. It's a little act of self care.
[23:25]And it doesn't have to be this 25-step makeup skin care routine. It could literally just be a face wash, a moisturizer, and SPF, and even that alone will help you feel a lot more structured, and if you are kind of starting at point zero, I feel like it'll already make you feel so productive the minute you wake up.
[23:42]I never even do my bed when I wake up, but I feel like for many people, that is another vital part of the routine that just kind of signifies to their brain, it's time to wake up. Let's get into it.
[23:52]And, yes, at first, it's going to be a little, it's going to be a little off-putting, you know? You don't want to start a new habit. It's always a little bit of a drag when you first do it, but once it becomes second nature to you and kind of automatic, it's going to feel almost weird to not start your mornings by doing those activities.
[24:10]And it's just going to be easier the more that you do it. If it's a little bit hard for you, I think habit tracking is so ideal and important, or even reading books that help you be inspired by the idea of creating habits, like the book Atomic Habits.
[24:21]I think having motivational videos can actually help so much, and even if you have to listen to a motivational video every single morning, if that's what helps you and gets you excited for the day, then it's worth to get that into your routine and have that as like a little bit of a stepping stone to push you throughout the rest of your routine.
[24:38]So, I guess some other few ideas that could be great for you to like inspire for the rest of your day is to maybe watch a motivational video, or to make a to-do list the minute you wake up, or to go in the sun the minute you wake up, like any of those things.
[24:51]Or the same way that reading maybe a few pages of a motivational book before you go to bed, it can get you set up for the next day. But anyways, back to my routine.
[24:58]So, I wake up, I do my skin care routine, and then I go into the kitchen. I'll have a cup of water, and I'll make myself some tea.
[25:05]I love having ginger and green tea, because it's so good for your digestion. It's got a little bit of caffeine in it, kind of wakes you up, and it kind of just sets you for a good note for the day.
[25:14]So, I love making myself some tea, and then I'll have my vitamins, and they always kind of switch up. But first of all, I think it's fun, obviously, who doesn't want a little vitamin, a boost of supplements, but I do have some really tasty gummy vitamins, and that kind of inspires me to take my vitamins in the first place, and I'm actually looking forward to having them.
[25:33]So, I'll have my vitamins, and then I'll usually pick my workout set for the day, which is also super exciting and super motivating for me.
[25:42]I feel like if I have a cute workout set on, I just want to go to the gym so bad, and something that I've been doing recently is playing music when I wake up and just like really loud music, whatever gets you in a good mood.
[25:54]For me, I've been loving Don Tolliver, random, but like I love him, or like a Spanish playlist for me, like something that gets me in the mood to get up and get out.
[26:02]And once I have my music playing, and I'm picking my outfit, I'm putting my hair back, I do a quick little makeup, I'm ready to go out the door, and I'll go to the gym.
[26:11]And for me to switch up my routine and to stay excited about it, I'll usually pick a different workout for every day of the week.
[26:18]And also, I don't work out every day of the week. I work out like sometimes four days a week, sometimes twice a week, sometimes five days. It really just depends, and I think that's also what keeps me in good balance is switching things up and being excited every day to do something a little bit different.
[26:33]So, like, yes, having a structured routine where I do go to the gym, but every time I go, it could be something different, so that it doesn't get boring or too redundant.
[26:41]And again, once you start doing these habits, it's going to feel like second nature, and you're going to be so excited to do it.
[26:47]So, having this all set up really sets me up for the day, and something else that I love doing is bringing my laptop and my book or whatever to the gym, so that after the gym, I can go to a cafe and do my work there.
[26:57]That way, my day is already structured out with some self care. We've got some work in there. We've got some health and fitness goals.
[27:04]And if I go to the gym with a friend, my social needs are incorporated in there. You can text your partner or your family member in the morning, and then you've kind of already established a little way to feed every single aspect of your life.
[27:17]I think something important to remember when creating a routine is figuring out when you have the most energy in the day, or when your energy starts to dip, or when you have the most time to do certain things.
[27:29]Because, again, I know that my work is best done, or my creative work, or even my podcast, for example, I feel like I create the best content when I film in the morning, when the sun is out, when I'm excited, and having that known means that I'm going to prioritize the morning to create my content.
[27:44]I feel like that in itself is what motivates me. I kind of hate feeling discouraged by creating content or doing something when I know I could have done it better.
[27:52]And being proactive about that and knowing what time, what does better at, makes me feel so much more confident when I'm posting and when I'm creating. So, the same for you.
[28:01]Make sure you consider your energy levels and pick suitable times for particular tasks. And also, I just want to say that when you are balancing everything, make sure that you also give yourself time to rest, because it is so important.
[28:15]And even in terms of like fitness, you can't even achieve your fitness goals if you don't give yourself time to rest and recover and let your muscles just like regenerate, and I feel like that goes even the same for your brain.
[28:27]If you're working crazy hours or you're really stressing yourself out, give yourself time to rest and refuel. Another thing when building routine, I think is to be strict and work on your dedication, work on your time management, work on your discipline so that, you know, you can actually get things done, and that you can feel confident in it.
[28:44]And also, they're just good traits to have because they help in literally every aspect of your life. But at the same time, make sure that you're okay with things changing and being flexible, and being okay if something spontaneous comes up, or if something needs to be canceled, because you don't have to be too strict with yourself.
[29:02]And I think when you are too strict with yourself, it can get a little bit unhealthy, or you can kind of develop an obsession with creating this perfect strict routine, which is kind of impossible.
[29:12]I feel like this also brings you some ease and some peace of mind when building a routine, that it doesn't have to be 100% perfect. You don't have to be so hard on yourself, and that you are just a human at the end of the day.
[29:21]As much as you are trying to create this perfect lifestyle, there is no such thing as perfect, and it's okay to fall off track or to have different periods in your life where things change in your list of priorities, and where you can't give enough time to something as maybe you did before.
[29:38]And that is okay. That is a part of life. And especially for people my age, in their 20s, you just have to remember that everybody is going through life at different paces, at different stages, different things are at the top of their list, and not everybody's lifestyle is going to look the same.
[29:53]If you see somebody that has the perfect gym physique, just know that they are allocating so much time to that, and there's probably a lot of different aspects in their life that they aren't giving as much attention to that you could be.
[30:04]So, again, be adaptable, be flexible, do not compare your routine to someone else, and although we are on our way to creating our perfect version of our routine, there is no such thing as perfect.
[30:17]So, it is okay if things change, and in fact, it is actually a really good sign of healthy mental health to be able to be okay with spontaneous, unexpected life changes, and that it's actually super normal.
[30:28]I also just want to throw in there a quote that I really love, that is that the only constant that we have in life is change, and I think that that kind of can bring you some ease when thinking about routine, or if your routine changes, that change is inevitable, and it's going to happen regardless, and we have to just be okay with that.
[30:44]It's all about balance, and being too extreme with one or the other is going to cause you to not be overall fulfilled, and even live a rich life, which I thought is also really interesting.
[30:55]I saw this post the other day. It was comparing two graphs, and one of them was saying like, this one person that was making so much money, he was so rich, but all the other aspects of his life were neglected. So, like his family life was neglected, his relationships were neglected, his free time was neglected.
[31:10]And they were saying that he was rich in money, whereas the other diagram had the money a little bit lower, but every single graph, like their family, friends, social life, health, they were all balanced, and he was living a rich life. So, not necessarily in money, but his life is rich. He has every single one of his cups poured, and and though it may be a little bit less than the guy that has like all this money, he is having a much more happy and fulfilled life, because it's balanced, and it's at ease, and he's probably at peace.
[31:39]So, going back to the goals, I feel like having clear goals really helps me with my routine, and how I structure my routine. To be honest with you, I haven't done this in a while, but back in 2020, when I was first starting my YouTube channel, becoming a YouTuber was like my number one priority.
[31:54]I mean, obviously, it was COVID. I was hardly doing my online school, and that is why it was my priority. Not saying that this is everyone's case now, and probably couldn't even be the case for me right now because there's so many other things and responsibilities to have.
[32:05]But at the time, when YouTube was my number one priority, I would make goals like every week, every few days in terms of what I wanted to accomplish with my YouTube channel, and having that in mind set up kind of the standard for how my days were going to be structured.
[32:20]With that same kind of principle, I feel like you could take that into whatever situation that you're going through right now. If your goal is to become a very healthy and active person, you can make all the goals that align with that, and then see how you can incorporate little ways to do that in your everyday life.
[32:34]And I think that is going to build so much structure and so much purpose. And also, not only just have a routine that is based to keep you on track, but also to have a routine that is driving you towards a certain purpose.
[32:47]And I feel like that's what motivates me the most to stay on track with my routine. Because having a routine for no reason, obviously, I mean, great for you, you have great discipline, but especially when there's an end goal, it is so much more rewarding, and you look forward to doing all these little habits and things that keep you on track.
[33:00]Recognize your goals, short-term ones and long-term ones. You can do this at the beginning of every month, and this way, you can refresh your goals every month, and have kind of like a different mantra or theme for the month to fuel your routine, or even like themes.
[33:14]Another thing that I want to say to help bring balance into your life is to nurture the relationships that you have, and to recognize the people that are around you, and if they're helping or kind of ruining or sabotaging your balanced life.
[33:29]I think you need to be really mindful of this because if the people around you don't align with the goals that you have or the lifestyle that you want to have, they can really derail you and kind of push you off track.
[33:38]Whereas if you have someone with similar goals and lifestyle as you, they can really motivate you and inspire you to keep it going and to enjoy what you're doing in your everyday life.
[33:47]One of my really good friends, Trinity, is kind of on the same path as me. We both have like kind of wellness niche content creation pages, I guess, if that that was first of all said so wrong.
[33:57]But we both kind of do the same things. We both have a podcast, and I think we both really inspire and motivate each other in terms of our everyday goals.
[34:06]And we'll send each other pictures of when we're doing like certain healthy habits, or there's certain things in her routine that inspires me and mine.
[34:13]And I may inspire her in other ways, and I love that, for example, one of our routines is that every Tuesday, we'll wake up at the same time, we'll walk to the gym together, we'll work out, we'll talk on the treadmill, we will get smoothies after, then we'll have our computers, we'll plan our podcast, then we go our separate ways, film our podcast, then we might text at the end of the day and be like, how did your podcast go?
[34:31]And having someone like that that is close to me, that we can both count on each other to ask like, okay, what workout are we doing tomorrow, or what podcast are you going to be filming? Like, that is the type of relationship in my life that is honestly really helps me keep me on balance and keeps me on track and really fuels me to enjoy what I'm doing.
[34:48]Back to the habit tracker, I want to go back to that one more time, because I think that this is a crucial thing for planning a routine, or having a balanced lifestyle. And I use an app that I honestly don't know if it's still on the app store anymore.
[35:00]But it's called Check Calendar, and basically, you can have different headings. For example, I have yoga, fresh air, reading, working out, like all the habits that I want to have, and you can put a little check mark on all the days that you do it in the month, and you can kind of see the month at a glance.
[35:21]And I think it's super helpful for me because it makes me motivated to want to do these habits, so that I can take them off, but also, so that I can see at a month's glance how often I'm doing these things, and when I need to incorporate them more, or when I'm giving too much into something.
[35:30]Like I even have one where it's like going out, and when I see too many check marks on the going out section and not enough on the working out, I'm like, girl, reel it back in, we got to we got to put some balance in here.
[35:40]So, having an app like that that keeps you on track is super helpful, as well as one of my friends. She would do this basically on paper, and have like goals for the week, and then fill in each day of the week that she would do them, and she would try to like reach her goal.
[35:55]So, I think that is super helpful. And I think another way to stay balanced, especially if you're like an influencer or you're on your phone a lot, is to have no phone like Sundays or detox days, or to just even limit your screen time.
[36:08]I think that's something that is so on my list of things that I need to do. But yeah, other than that, I guess how I stay balanced as well is during Monday to Friday, I'm really in my head space of working on myself and personal growth.
[36:20]I'm editing, handing in my work, and I know that those are the days that my manager and her assistant work, so those are the days that I'm going to be in contact with that.
[36:28]And it's the days that I love to wake up early, to work out, to not see friends. I really just work on myself. And then when Friday and Saturday and Sunday come, I know that those are the days that I'm going to go see my friends, I'm going to have fun, I'm going to relax, and by Monday, I'm ready to work again. I'm excited to work.
[36:43]And that is another routine that keeps me really balanced between my social life, my fun life, and my work life.
[36:51]So, yeah, I just kind of want to end off this episode with reminding you guys that balance is very subjective, and it's different from person to person, and it's really hard to compare lifestyles with someone else when not everybody has the same priorities or the same obligations.
[37:04]And as long as you yourself feel balanced, or if you don't feel balanced, you kind of realize and pinpoint the sections or aspects of your life that you want to give more attention to, and can make actionable steps to become better in those spaces, and you see improvement, that's really all you can do.
[37:23]And just remind yourself that as much as being on this perfect schedule is so great, and it's so romanticized online, especially with this hustle, work culture, toxic positivity, like girl boss movement, yes, it's important to work and work hard and to be on this perfect regime and work towards your ideal version of yourself.
[37:45]You also have to reel it back in, and be present with who you are now, because the present is all we have, and if you're constantly working towards something, I think you're always in a state of like reaching and wanting, and it's really hard to be happy where you are now.
[37:57]Make sure that you're giving yourself time in each day to prioritize self care, to prioritize things that make you feel good, and to really not neglect your feelings because I think when we start to push away things that make us feel good, in terms of our hobbies, our activities, our health, our fitness, our workout, our social life, and we prioritize too many things that aren't actually making us happy, or that are too like work hustle culture, it leads to burnout, which is the most painful, annoying, overwhelming anxiety feeling where when you're that deep, it's hard to get out of it.
[38:33]And again, not saying it's impossible. So, if you're currently dealing through burnout, I have been there. I have gone through it, and it's usually when I'm not balancing all aspects of my life, and you know, to avoid that, just make sure that you are constantly pouring your cup in all aspects.
[38:47]And also, if you are feeling a little bit overwhelmed, I think it's really helpful to talk to someone about it and even ask for their opinion on how you can create more balance in your life, or if you are having some sort of like theme in your life that is taking up a lot of your energy, and you can't provide new time or energy to your family, to your friends, to explain that to them, so that they can be understanding of maybe why you're acting more distant, or why you haven't reached out.
[39:09]And I think especially as we grow up, everyone is realizing that like, as an adult, you have so many responsibilities. Everyone is so busy, and, you know, there's going to be different parts in your life where you can give more time to certain things, and I think it's just really understandable.
[39:23]Everybody is working as hard as they can and working as best as they can. And I think being gracious, and I feel like I say this in every episode, but just showing compassion for yourself, and realize you are trying your best, and you're doing your best, is really all you can give yourself.
[39:37]So, yeah, I hope that this episode was well rounded and answered everything, and I gave you guys some of my best tips on how I create balance in my life, and how I will continue to create balance in my life.
[39:48]I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. I love you guys. Make sure that you're subscribed to my YouTube channel, you follow me on Instagram, on TikTok, and I will see you so soon. I love you guys, and I'll talk to you later. Bye!
