Self Care: Nightly Routine

Having a nightly routine will help prepare you for the next day, help you create positive behaviors and habits, as well as help you get to bed on time to ensure you get enough sleep. Your personally established routine does not have to have hard core regimens with a lot of habits in it to be considered a good one, yet it should be something you can overall keep. 

First, find out what time you need to be in bed by considering what time you need to wake up, and what the recommended amounts of hours of sleep you need for your age group.

 

Alternatively, you can use the calculator on startsleeping.org to calculate the approximate best time to go to sleep and wake up based on an average sleep cycle of 90 minutes. This will help ensure that you sleep at least 5 sleep cycles, and wake up at the end of your sleeping cycle, rather than get interrupted during REM sleep, thus making you feel more relaxed in the morning. 

https://startsleeping.org/sleep-calculator/ 

 

Second, consider what nightly routines you would like to implement, and how much time each will take you to do. Then, set a wind down alarm to give yourself enough time to accomplish them before your bedtime; gradually limiting screen time. Here are some nightly habits you can implement into your nightly routine. Start with implementing three routines, and then gradually adding more as you feel appropriate.

 

1.    Take time to "Mise en place" (10min)

·     Clean up and organize your environment (bedroom, workspace, kitchen) to help reset your living space for the next day, putting everything in its place, aka “mise en place.”

2.    Hydrate yourself  (5 min)

·     Drink a warm beverage, or cup of lemon water. 

3.    Brush your teeth (5 min)

·     If needed, this is also a good time to shower. 

4.    Exercise (30 min)

·     Follow along to a yoga/stretching exercise video, or perhaps go for a walk. 

5.    Reflect on the day passed (10 min)

·     List 3 things you are grateful for and/or have achieved, as well as what you would like to improve moving forward. 

·     Reflect on what kind of person you would like to be, and how you would like to feel the next day. That way, you are more like a regulating thermostat, rather than a reactive thermometer just responding to your environment.

·     Gain awareness of yourself and determine what your values and priorities are to help you visualize your ideal self, and start transforming your life to reflect your dream.

·     Read/say positive affirmations out loud, and set an intention of how you want to rise.

 ·     Journal, write, draw, read, pray/meditate.

6.    Plan and prepare for the next day (10 min)

·     List 3 things you would like to achieve tomorrow, and consider what goal will create a “Celebratory moment” when you look back at the end of the day and say, “yes, today was a great day.”

·     Help cut down on decision making by choosing and setting out tomorrow’s daily outfit, workout clothes, filling your water bottle, charging your headphones, and packing your bag if you will be going somewhere the next day.

 

7.    Get ready for bed (5 min) 

·     Put on your pajamas and fluffy socks

·     Say good night to your family, and set the alarm for the next day. Ensure your room is pitch black to assist your body in further relaxing and getting into a sleeping mode. 

What nightly routines do you have for yourself? 

Photo source: soundoasis.com

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Top 20+ Eastern European cookies and others!

The Christmas Advent season is typically the time of year that people gather with their loved ones, and often times bake! Holiday cookie-making is a tradition many incorporate with their families as they enjoy each other's presence, and create new memories together. If you decide to occasionally indulge, or even want to create a handmade cookie gift package for others during this season, here are the top 20+ primarily Eastern European cookies, and other well loved cookies organized by cookie type. Enjoy!

 

1.    Drop cookie type- Cookie dough that is scooped and dropped onto a baking sheet. Usually, the butter and sugar are beaten before the eggs, and dry ingredients are added. 

·     Jam thumbprint nut cookies with sesame seeds

·     Glazed “Pryaniki,” or gingerbread cookies*

·     Poppy seed Sugar cookie*

·     Almond Snowball tea cookies*

·     Almond Amaretti cookies

·     Truffle cookie kisses

·     Coconut macaroons

·     Lemon crinkle cookies

2.    Bar cookie type– Cookie dough, or batter that is pressed, or poured into a pan to bake. Usually, they are cut into bars, squares, or diamonds. 

·     “Tertiy Pirog,” or Strawberry/Cranberry cookie bar*

·     “Zakarpatcki Palochki,” or Poppy seed bars*

·     Chocolate chip cookie bar

·     Almond Toffee bar

 

3.    Rolled and Cut out cookie type– Cookie dough is usually rolled out and then cut out before baking.

·     Ricotta, or Farmers’ cheese cookies*

·     “Rogaliki,” or Rugelach Crescent cookies*

·     “Rakushki,” or Walnut shell merengue cookies* 

·     Cottage cheese shell cookies

·     Poppy Seed Hamantaschen

·     Nutty Shortbread cookies

·     Elephant ears/Palmiers with Nutella and hazelnut cookies

 

4.    Sandwich cookie type– Two Cookies with a filling in between.

·     “Zirochki,” “Pisochnoe Pirozhnoe,” or Jam filled Linzer cookies*

·     Dulce De Leche Sandwich cookies* 

·     Italian Baci de Dama hazelnut cookies with dark chocolate

·     French Macaroons

5.    Refrigerator/Ice-box, or Slice and bake cookie type – Cookie dough that is formed into a log, refrigerated until dough is firm, and then sliced into round cookies 

·     Chocolate  Kielbasa*

·     Zebra walnut cookies*

·     Biscotti with dried fruits and nuts.

·     Shortbread cookie with dried fruits and nuts.

6.    No-bake cookie type– Cookies you don’t have to turn on the oven for. 

·     “Kartoshka,” or potato cookies*

·      Dulce De Leche wafer cookies*

·     Chocolate covered Biscuit/Oreo no-bake truffles

·     White chocolate peppermint oreo cookies

·     English fridge no-bake cake bars

7.    Pressed cookie type – Cookie dough is pressed through a type of pastry tube 

·     Butter spritz cookies with jam 

·     Meat grinder cookies

8.    Specialty- Cookies that don’t quite fit in the other categories…

·     “Persiki,” or peach cookies*

·     “Ezhiki,” or hedgehog cookies*

·      Meringue “Beze” cookies*

·     “Oreshki” or walnut shaped cookie*

·     “Gribochki,” or mushroom shaped cookie*

·     “Zefir,” marshmallow cookies*

·     Kolaczki Jam cookies

·     Nutty crescent finger cookies

  

        Common cookie toppings/fillings:

·   Chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnut, pistachios, almond, pecan) 

·   Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots, prunes)

·   Grated or melted white/dark Chocolate

·   Jam (strawberry, raspberry, apricot, plum, nutella)

·   Powdered sugar, Cocoa powder, Colored sugar, Peppermint 

·   Coconut flakes, Poppy seeds, Sesame seeds

What is your favorite cookie to make during the holidays? 

 

 

Photo source: valentinascorner.com; natashaskitchen.com; curiouscuisiniere.com; olgainthekitchen.com; valyastasteofhome.com; letthebakingbegin.com

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Declutter and Organize your Paperwork

Do you have piles of paperwork that are laying around your home that you have been wanting to organize, yet don’t know where to start? Here are some simple steps you can take to declutter, organize, and create a sustainable system to process your mail/paper to give you that breath of fresh air, and mental ease you have been longing for. 

 

Phase 1: Declutter

1.     Start by taking all your piles of mail and loose paperwork around your home and putting it in one spot. 

2.     Then, take one paper at a time, and sort all your paperwork in 3-5 categories. If needed, you can even use a sticky note to help remind yourself the category name of the pile. Here are some possible categories you can sort them in:

·      To Pay/Action—i.e. something to pay/cancel/submit/apply, someone to call etc.  

·      To File—Or, things you would like to scan and file electronically if you are more of a digital person, i.e. tax documents, receipts etc.. 

·      To Recycle/ Shred

·      Other options: Coupon, kids, Receipts, Project A

3.     Act on your “To Recycle/Shred pile” 

4.     Act on your “To Pay/Action “pile

5.     Act on your “To File” pile. 

·      If you do not own a shredder, scanner, or filing cabinet, this is probably a good time to invest in one to help you stay organized. 

 

 

Phase 2: Create a paper processing system

6.     Create a sustainable mail/paper processing system by designating a specific area in your home for processing all mail/paper that enter your home. 

·      Use labeled trays, baskets, or wall mounts, by the door, near the entryway, in the kitchen, or office to help keep incoming paperwork organized in 3-5 main categories you determined you wanted in phase 1. 

·      Ensure the area is stocked with supplies to help make processing mail/paper easier. For example, have a shredder, recycling basket, and waste basket nearby. Or, perhaps have a calendar nearby to write down important due dates. 

7.     Form a habit of checking your mail frequently and sorting it preferably as soon as you get home.  

·      For your “To pay/act” pile, you can mark the due date on the outside of the envelope, or mark it on the calendar so you don’t forget. 

·      If you have to hold on to an action item, you can use a sticky note attached to the document to remind yourself of important information l.e. confirmation number, when the bill was paid, what still needs to be done etc. 

8.     Dedicate a specific day/time of the week where you go through the sorted mail/paperwork, and complete the category action. 

 

Phase 3: Create a filing system 

9.     Now that you created a mail/paper processing system, you need to have a dedicated filing cabinet to file your paperwork. 

10.  There are different ways to organize your filing cabinet. Yet, one way to organize it is by using hanging folders, and creating different color tab labels to depict the category that file is in. See below for some example categories:

 

·      Green Category: Financial papers

o   Budget sheet

o   Bank statements, and checks

o   Mortgage Statements

o   Utility statements (i.e. heat, electricity, water)

o   School Loans 

o   Other: Savings statements (i.e. 401k, retirement accounts, investments, bonds), Credit card statements (have photo copy of card front and back), Appraisals (i.e. antique, jewelry), life insurance etc.  

 

·      Red Category: Permanent papers

o   Birth/death certificates

o   Passport/ID/ (Have two photocopies of your passport/ID in order to leave one home, and the other to carry in your luggage when you travel)

o   Social Security number card, citizenship, green card, selective service registration card

o   Marriage (i.e. License certificate, pre-nuptial agreement, divorce, final settlement or custody agreement) 

o   Auto Records (i.e proof of insurance, auto insurance policy, State’s vehicle certificate of title, DMV notice of transaction submitted, DMV secure odometer) 

o   House deed

o   Trust/Will (i.e. Living will, estate planning, DPOA, Health care proxy)

o   Other:Educational records (i.e. diplomas), Information specific to your job/career, Government/Legal. 

 

·      Blue Category: Tax papers

o   Receipts

o   Tax filings & Tax returns sorted by year.

o   Wage & Tax statement (aka W-2 form), Interest, personal property etc. 

o   If you are self-employed: 1099 form, payroll, Staff, copyrights, trademarks, patents, or business agreements. etc. 

 

·      Orange category: Temporary papers that are frequently replaced by updated records. 

o   Health records (i.e. insurance card, after visit summaries, test results, immunization records, paid bills, medical insurance policy and summary of benefits for medical dental and vision)

 

      Other potential categories: 

·      Purple- Hobbies/extracurricular

·      Yellow- Return labels, passwords. 

·      Brown- Business, or Real estate documents

 

11.  If a file gets too big, remember to take out the folder to the mail/processing center in your home and purge of old paperwork.

 

 

 

What is your favorite method of organizing your paperwork? 

Photo source: containerstore.com

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