Got the backslidin’ blues? How to reboot a good habit that’s been slipping away.

Confession:
 
My morning routine has been a little out-of-whack, lately.
 
Now that my teenagers are on summer break — and don’t need to ride the “mom-taxi” to school every morning — I’ve been allowing myself to sleep in, long past my usual wake up time.
 
For a little while, it felt pretty good. Some extra beauty sleep … no alarm clocks … very luxurious.
 
But now that we’re a couple of weeks into summer … I’m feeling antsy.
 
I miss my pre-dawn ritual — the one I had goin’ on, before I allowed summer vacation to throw me off my game.
 
Until recently, my daily routine went like this:
 
: 4:30am. Wake up on the first “beep.”
 
: 5:30am. Sweatin’ like an animal at Crossfit.
 
: 7am. Long shower while the kids are finishing breakfast + getting ready for school.
 
: 7:30am. Quick mom-taxi ride to school, then back at my desk with a fresh cup of coffee (or green smoothie), ready for the workday to begin.
 
: 2:30pm. Annnd, done! Close the laptop + spend time with friends, do another shift in the mom-taxi, prep dinner or relax in the backyard with the Silver Fox (aka: Mr. Hyatt.)
 
: 9:30pm. Bedtime.
 
Just writing it out makes me go, “Ahhh. Yup. That’s my ideal rhythm. Those are the habits that I need to get back.”
 
So, starting tonight, I’m going to set my alarm clock just 5 minutes earlier than I’ve been getting up, lately. Then 5 minutes earlier than that, the next day. And the next. And the next. I’ll be cranking my bedtime back, too. Micro-steps, until I’m back on my game.
 
That’s how I became a “morning person” the first time around. That’s how I’ll do it again. Not rocket science, here. Just a little bit of effort, every day.
 
How about you?
 
Is there a good habit that used to be part of your life … but hasn’t been, lately?
 
(An evening bubble bath … a journaling practice … a weekly date night with the husband or wife … or a morning walk?)
 
How do you feel, now that it’s missing?
 
What’s it going to take to bring it back into your life?
 
Whatever it takes, I hope that you make the commitment + do it.
 
Because your quality of life, happiness and productivity are totally worth it.
 
 
Susan