We were lucky enough to bring our first child, a baby girl, into the world 6 weeks ago.
One thing that blew our minds was the abundance of advice that is available to help you manage during this crazy time. Although it’s easy to complain or joke about this, the vast majority of it is highly valuable.
About 3 weeks in, with no idea what we were doing, mainly because we tried to wing it ourselves with the feeding and sleeping set up, we were all over the place.
We saw a nurse who sat us down and gave us a plan. It was strict, and broken down into hours of this and that, but at it’s core was basically:
Sleep. Eat. Poo. Repeat.
We needed a strict routine. This is key to her success in the world. Set it up and stick to it.
I can’t stand doing the same thing day in and day out, but for babies, this is key.
Here’s the kicker though: what’s good for your baby is not necessarily good for you.
Part of my work helping people plan their financial lives, is seeing whether people enjoy what they do, figuring out a solution where necessary, and plugging the money aspect into it. We called our business YOLO for a reason – You Only Live Once is a motto we, and our clients, stand by.
Ok, so there are some routines we can’t avoid. I’m definitely not saying that it’s time to quit your 9-5, there are enough fools out there telling you this nonsense. For many of us that is simply not an option and a consistent approach to life keeps us mentally, financially and otherwise grounded.
I am however saying that every now and then, you need to shake things up a bit. You need to reset.
Here are a few (big and small) ideas:
- Do ‘you’ differently – you don’t need to move mountains to have the desired effect. Pick a day of the week and try doing things deliberately out of routine – anything from trying a new cafe for your morning coffee, driving a different route to or from work, or even just using a different hand to brush your teeth. Any of these small changes can reset the way you’re wired. It’s science.
- Find new experiences, see new places e.g. once a month go somewhere you’ve never been before. This doesn’t have to be an expensive flight, pick a weekend or just leave early one afternoon, get in the car and go exploring.
- Scare yourself a bit – go skydiving or bungee jumping, or try canyoning or rock climbing
- Complete a challenge – fitness, adventure, something that takes you out of your comfort zone- set yourself a target and consider doing it with a group – try some good clean fun like Tough Mudder
- Don’t just book another holiday, make it an adventure or a learning experience. e.g. spend 3 to 6 months learning a new language online and then travel there to use it – set a deadline, and save your pennies by booking flights early
The benefits of this reset are undeniable. From bringing a fresh perspective to the everyday, stress relief, fueling your motivation, all the way through to being more self-aware and connecting better with the community.
Whilst I’d love to hear your best advice for tackling the challenge of a newborn’s routine in the comments, I’d also love to know how you plan to shake things up in your life – big or small.
What’s next on your list?
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