September 2019: My BEST TIPS for Setting Up Your Most Successful Routine This Fall Season!

Today I am going to share with you all my best tips on PLANNING.

1. The first step to success is about staying organized and knowing exactly what you need to do and when.
2. The second is taking ACTION on these plans. You can do one without the other, but the results will come quicker to you if you are practicing both parts.

These two planners are the ones I personally use and recommend: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AEY7BILCWK7ZQRPI2LMSMSDCLYBQ/25KVDMJ0Q9H5K?ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

First is the Passion Planner, which allows you to see your whole week in an hour-by-hour view. This is where I recommend scheduling out daily tasks, gym time, and how you will actually allot your time to things during the day.

Second is the Blue Sky Planner and I use it to list out daily tasks and responsibilities that I need to get done.

Before the Season Begins:

Whether you are a student in college, grad school, or getting your PhD… or you are a working adult with a 9-5 lifestyle… Planning will be your best friend when it comes to juggling tasks and seeing success in everything you do. 1. The FIRST thing you should do once you have a planner to work with is writing down EVERY DUE DATE OR DEADLINE that you can. If you are a student, on the first day of classes, download all your syllabi and write in  EVERY quiz, test and assignment due date. Even if the dates change, at least you are prepared. If you are a working adult, write down every project deadline as soon as it is assigned. 2. Write in REMINDERS one or two weeks (depending on task size) prior to when things are due to work on them, so you don’t flip the page and all of a sudden realize something is due the next day.

EVERY WEEK, set aside time on Sunday to plan the next seven days ahead.

Ideally, this is where the Passion Planner comes in handy, because you can schedule in every aspect of your week and see the times laid out. If you like a digital feel, Google Calendar works great for this too. 1. Schedule in your gym time. Your gym time is an appointment just like getting your nails done or being at a meeting with your boss. Treat it as something that is not optional, just a part of your day. 2. Block out a day and time to grocery shop and meal prep once or twice per week. If you are newer to the habit, give yourself 3-4 hours. If you are used to doing this already, you will probably need less time to get everything done. Your lifestyle, no matter how busy, should NEVER be an excuse for getting lazy about what you’re putting into your body. If anything, the busier you are, the higher quality energy sources you will need to fuel yourself with to perform. It might seem easier to just grab something on-the-go – but I assure you that when things get tough, having meals packed and ready-to-go is absolutely essential to a busy person’s success. 3. Schedule out what the rest of your week is going to look like. Meetings, appointments, study time, classes, your bedtime, and even time to unwind and unplug.Being successful doesn’t mean going 400 miles per hour, 24-7. Schedule in designated time to relax and sleep, no matter what else is going on in your life. 4. Set alarms in your phone for any tasks, appointments, or events that are of critical importance that need to stay at the forefront of your mind.

EVERY DAY, take five minutes to do these critical tasks:

1. Make a list, just for today. Write out everything you need to get done that is realistic for one day, the times that you need to be certain places, and reminders you may need. A realistic amount of tasks that you can get done (depending on task size) is honestly going to range from 3-7. Don’t overload your list with too many items to begin with, you might get paralyzed by analysis. Start with 3-7 then add on if you get them all done. I love using the reminders app that comes with the iPhone. It’s so satisfying to check things off a list! 2. Prioritize your list. If you have a choice in order, do the HARDEST thing in your day, first. Know what order things need to be done in. For some people this might be going to the gym. For others it might be a big assignment or work project. Once you tackle the biggest part of your day, the rest will seem much easier to accomplish. 3. Go to bed at the same time every day. Even on weekends. Prioritize a regular sleep schedule. If you are TRULY so busy with this season of your life, going out and staying up until three in the morning shouldn’t be a part of your regular weekly routine anyways. Establishing a sound circadian rhythm to get adequate and QUALITY sleep is of utmost importance when you need to be productive day in and day out.

If you’re in an extremely busy season of life, just know that I FEEL YOU.

Balancing my full-time business, my job with Core Nutritionals and a full time load of school isn’t easy. But every semester, somehow I get it all done. I rely on these tips HEAVILY throughout the year, and they work very well for me.

I’m not perfect about all of them, some nights I do stay up too late and sometimes I miss a due date or forget to set a reminder. But if you are putting in the effort to do all this planning, 99.9% of it is going to pay off in the long-run.

I would love to know how these tips help you this fall, and if you have any other things you like to do that sets you up for success. I am always open to trying new things, so I am all ears!

Feel free to shoot me a message at marissaroy.pt@gmail.com or via Instagram at @marissaroyfitness!

Lastly, I do want to add that if you are looking for guidance and accountability in your fitness journey and would like more personalized help with structuring a healthy lifestyle for yourself, I have spots open for 1-on-1 online clients! Feel free to email me if you have interest in working with me!

If coaching isn’t in the books for you, I also have my 6 Week “Discipline Over Motivation” Program & Guide (100 pages!) that just launched that gives you amazing guidance and structure, for an AMAZING price, only $10 per week ($60). Included with every EBook purchase is an initial macro consult with me to get you started.

You can find my EBook and a few sample pages to check out at: www.marissaroyfitness.com/shop