1. Q: How many years young are you and what is your living situation?
1. 39. I live with my husband, two daughters (3 and 6) and our two dogs (Diesel the Great Dane and Lexi the boxer).
2. Q: What's the biggest challenge you faced in changing your morning routine? How have you dealt with it/got over it/are still dealing with it?
2. My current job allows me to work from home, but requires me to create a daily report by 9:00 a.m. I was elated to snag a work from home job and of course felt the need to take advantage of the extra time for sleep and not having to “get ready” for work. I fell into a bad habit of waking just minutes before my work day started. They left me rushing and struggling to do my work while also getting my kids ready for school. I found myself yelling and rushing, and not enjoying the extra time that my work-from-home job gave me with my kids. Your journal helped me to get back on track - allowing me to refocus, and dedicate more time to me AND my kids in the morning, eliminating the stress.
3. Q: What time did you wake up and go to sleep before you started using the Morning Sidekick Journal, and what time do you wake up and sleep now?
3. I used to wake up at 7:00, going to bed at 11:00. I now wake up around 6:30, and go to bed at 10:30. My ultimate goal will be to get up at 6:00, but I’m easing into it. :)
4. Q: What did your mornings look like before you started using the Morning Sidekick Journal? What do your mornings look like now?
4. A typical morning prior to using the journal would be me hitting snooze until about 7:10, rolling out of bed and turning on my computer while still in my pajamas. I’d try to multitask, making coffee, writing my report, and getting the kids dressed for school simultaneously. Inevitably I’d end up yelling at the kids b/c we were late, and I’d rush out of the house looking and feeling a mess. My mornings now include me waking up by 6:15, making coffee and enjoying quiet time while I get dressed and ready for the day. Some morning I do a quick yoga or meditation session before anyone gets up. I also now get the kids lunches and clothes ready the night before, which means less rushing around in the morning. At 7:00 I’m fully ready to start work, and am ready to dedicate my mental power to finishing my report and to my kids.
5. Q: In one sentence, what's your favorite thing about the Morning Sidekick Journal?
5. The Habit Nest Journal makes time a gift, rather than a struggle.
6. Q: How long have you been using the Morning Sidekick Journal?
6. About a month.
7. Q: How has using the Morning Sidekick Journal and doing your morning routine impacted your life overall?
7. This is going to sound silly, but the journal has made me a better mom and a better employee. When I give myself the gift of time solely focused on ME in the mornings, I am better prepared to take care of work and my family throughout the day. I always scoffed at the whole “self care” thing. But it has truly made me a happier, more zen person. I also LOVE that the journal focuses you on the one most important goal each day. This has made me 1,000 times more productive at work. On the days I couldn’t think of anything important to accomplish, it made me want to find something to tackle. The journal pushed me to do better, and made me realize how much time I wasted before.