tentative progress

(Disclaimer: This post discusses going to the gym in the context of managing my daily schedule and briefly mentions the benefits it has for me. These are not true for all people, and I'm not trying to preach a particular way of managing anyone's physical or emotional health. I am only speaking to what I know to be true of myself, specifically, based on past experience.)

Almost a month ago (October 2), I made a post called progress and next steps in which I mentioned that, having got back to most of my daily tasks, the next step was to get back on the morning routine.

Alas, getting back on the morning routine is freaking difficult, in part but not entirely because the biggest part of that is going to the gym. Having been emotionally exhausted for months and months, getting out of bed in the mornings is not easy and despite really wanting to get back on the routine and knowing that it would help me out overall, it just kept not happening even after that post.

Monday evening, I decided that obviously I needed some additional motivation to get me moving in the mornings. So I texted two of my friends and asked them to phone me at 9am every day this week and make sure I got out the door in time to go to the gym. And thus, I made it to the gym both Tuesday and today (Wednesday). I've even bought a 1 month membership to further motivate myself.

I'm still not on the ideal schedule, since I'm still getting up at 8:30am instead of at 7:30am. But getting to the gym in the morning is basically the lynchpin in my ideal daily schedule--once I'm going to the gym then I'm more productive and focused earlier in the day, and I get tired earlier at night, which makes it easier to make bedtime and sleep better.

Witness last night: I actually got tired and wanted to go to bed just after midnight, instead of having to force myself to go to bed.

Fingers crossed I can keep this up.