Hello hello!  Look at me popping in in THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK!  I have about 17 minutes before I need to go run out the door for a meeting with an architect, but I wanted to pop in to say hello, tell you I am still alive, and to share a few things that I do every single day (or week) to stay sane during this busy time.  Actually, calling it a busy time doesn’t even begin to cover it– this season has been absolutely insane and I know this is not a rythm I can maintain, but I can handle it for a bit longer.  I mean, I haven’t taken a day nap in weeks… THAT is how busy I am!  😉

Since things are so busy, it is absolutely vital that I keep myself organized, healthy, and feeling like me, or I would be bound for disaster.  Here are a few things I ALWAYS do to make sure everything is under control…more or less…

Things I Do to Stay Sane

1 // Food prep.  This is so important for saving time during the week and making sure we don’t eat salad every single night (we did this last week…you can read about our absolutely stressful day here).  On Sundays, we take some time to prep foods that can easily be made into other meals.  Am I Martha Stewart? No.  Can we eat the same foods all week?  Yes.  So most weeks we make: oatmeal (breakfast for the whole week), wheatberries and brown rice, roasted sweet potato, squash, or other vegetable.  This week we roasted potatoes and made enough salmon for 2 nights.  I also baked 2 packages of tofu which is enough for 3-5 meals!  Eating healthy food is key for staying healthy!

2 // Get enough sleep.  I am NOT one of those (lucky) people that can sleep 5 hours a night and function.  Actually, it’s the opposite for me.  I need a good 7-8 hours to feel good and if I don’t get it, I usually feel sick- runny nose, headache, etc.  I try to be in bed by 11 and asleep by 12 and I usually don’t get out of bed until 7:45 or 8:00.  I know this will likely change soon.

3 // Exercise.  Exercise keeps me sane, seriously.  I told Luis the other day that it feels like I am giving my brain some air.  I make it a priority to get 10,000 steps in per day- either from walking or walking and a run, and to take a few walking breaks throughout the day.  Sometimes I walk with a podcast and other times I walk and just think.  I have also been running 3 times per week, which helps me feel like ME, but also gives me space to think or not think.  Just run and breathe.

4 // Clean the house. I am like my Mom in this way- it bothers me when the house is messy or dirty.  Every Saturday, Luis and I clean the house completely (clean surfaces, wash clothes, sweep and mop floors, clean bathrooms, etc.) and it doesn’t take too long if we do it together.  However, in addition to that, I also take 5 minutes to tidy up the house every single morning.  I put away papers, put away shoes, clean off the table, put away clothes, etc.  Having a clean space gives me peace and helps me feel a little more in control.  When there is a lot of clutter, it can make me feel q a little overwhelmed.

5 // Make to-do lists, Excel sheets, etc.  I have orders that come at me from all different directions- Facebook, Instagram, my website, etc.  Making sure I write down my orders in my planner AND an Excel sheet is key for making sure I don’t lose my mind!  As soon as I get an order, I write it down.

That’s it!  I finished writing this with 3 minutes to spare!  I don’t have time to re-read it, but I’ll let you edit Dad….I know you like that 😉

Also, for the photo above- I have no photos to share except bagels, but that’s a picture from my graduation earlier this week!