A Notebook and a Pen

Along the lines of consciously choosing to live healthily, here's one thing that really works for me: I take the time each night to plan out the next day's events and food and such. I have a simple, spiral-bound notebook that I write everything down in. Well, not every single little detail...that's a little excessive. Just a general outline. Mixed in with normal things like waking up, working out, and teaching piano, I write in the things I'm going to eat for snacks, breakfast, lunch, etc. This helps me follow through on my workouts, since having them written down somehow makes me feel more accountable. It also helps when I have those lame moments when it's lunchtime and I'm standing in front of the open fridge or pantry, trying to decide what to eat. When I'm hungry, I'm much more likely to impulsively eat lots of chips or crackers that aren't super healthy if I haven't planned better ideas out before.

Along with meals and snacks, I jot down a general to-do list on my notebook page, and maybe a motivational tidbit or two. I like just using a blank notebook page because I like being able to make my page a little more personal.

If you're not the best at keeping your day structured and productive (like me!), I definitely recommend planning your day out the night before. You can use a fancy planner, or a notebook, or your phone, or whatever! Just write it down!


Question of the day: What do you use to stay organized and on-track?