I used to live a lot of my life on autopilot.
It was all hustle and go– a life powered by momentum, ambition, and that constant, invisible pressure to prove myself and keep climbing the ladder everyone talks about.
And that drive worked for a while.
Then it worked less when I walked through a season of deep depression.
Even less during a pandemic, when no one really knew what was happening in the world.
And almost not at all, once I became a working mom trying to find balance and peace alongside productivity in my days.
Looking back, I can see that at every turning point, my spirit was slowly shifting—away from the relentless grind and toward a life rooted in rhythms, routines, and healthy habits.
And now I can say this with confidence: if you’re worn out and exhausted, tired but wired, and juggling “all the things” to no avail, you can choose a new path at any time. I know the idea of adding something more might sound counterintuitive, but I’ve learned that weaving life-giving rhythms into my days actually helps me feel lighter, freer, and closer to the balance and peace I’d been searching for all along.
As we wind down the year, I wanted to share a few of the rhythms that anchor my days, my weeks, and my months:
DAILY
- Pomodoro + Power Hours: This is essentially how I manage my workdays – in time blocks. As a mom with a 20-hour workweek, I don’t get an 8-hour day to get my work done. I must be strategic, focused, and efficient with my time. For years, I’ve worked in 25-minute increments. I write more about the Pomodoro Method here. Since I started unplugging, I’ve learned the value of a single hour, and it has become my daily currency. When I am overwhelmed, I look to the hour ahead. When I have a project I don’t feel like doing, I throw one hour at it. My office closet is currently taunting me, and I have no desire to clean it out but after I finish writing this, I’ll set a time for one hour and do what I can. The key to both of these methods – power hours and pomodoros – is staying focused in the flow. No distractions. No podcasts. No outside noise. It’s truly monotasking in all its glory, and it’s helped me get more done, stay focused, and feel less overwhelmed by all the things I’m juggling.
- Morning Meeting: In 2024, I started reframing my quiet time. If the day was busy or things got off to a bad start, I would push quiet time to the side. But, at the same time, I don’t think my life or my business can really run smoothly without God in all the grooves. So, I changed the name and “rebranded” my quiet time to what I now call My Morning Meeting. I write about it extensively here but in a nutshell, it’s a chance to quiet my spirit, get away from the noise, read my Scriptures for the day, and pray and plan for the day ahead. When I was just doing quiet time, I didn’t really plan my day or business tasks. But why wouldn’t I invite God into those things? Why wouldn’t I want his strength, power, and wisdom for emails and writing projects, and business plans? Reframing my quiet time as my Morning Meeting makes me feel like I’m meeting with God each morning before the chaos of the day begins. I wouldn’t miss a meeting with someone that was on my calendar, so why would I miss this one?
- Turndown Service: At the start of 2025, I added this rhythm to my habit tracker and made it official. Essentially, the Turndown Service is a 60-minute block of time during which I visit each room, tidying, lightly cleaning, and prepping the space for the evening. We are big fans of anything cozy, so the actual rhythm of preparing for nighttime gives me so much peace. I clear away clutter, I light candles, I draw the blinds, and make the space one of peace after a long day. One of the unexpected benefits of Turndown Service is that I no longer feel constantly overwhelmed by my home or spend hours of the day trying to keep up with cleaning. This one daily rhythm that I genuinely enjoy helps my brain recognize that there is a designated time and space in the day where things are put away and put back in order. Something about that allows my spirit to exhale and move through my day, no longer worried about all the clutter and mess.
WEEKLY
- Week Mapping: Every Sunday evening, before the weeks begin, you’ll find me in my office with a candle lit, a cup of peppermint tea, and my holds-my-entire-life notebook by my side as I map out the week ahead. I’ve been mapping my week for nearly a decade now, and I swear by the results. It helps me create a manageable plan that takes into consideration the people I love, the tasks I have to do, and the things I really care about – instead of one, never-ending to-do list that will only get longer as the week goes on. If you’re curious about week-mapping, I teach my entire method in this mini-course so that you can step into your own intentionally designed weeks ahead.
- Practicing Sabbath: This rhythm goes hand in hand with another rhythm I love: unplugging. If you’re unfamiliar with the rhythm, the Sabbath is a day of rest traditionally observed at the end of the week. It is one whole day—twenty-four hours within a 168-hour week—reserved for restoration, delight, and learning to cease. For me, practicing this rhythm – from Friday night to Saturday night – is a challenge to myself to put down the work, step away from emails, and take a genuine break from screens and productivity. This simple rhythm also helps me reset my system week after week, so I can start Monday feeling recharged and ready to have a productive and intentional week.
SEASONAL
- Battle Plan Prep: I started creating what I call “battle plans” back in 2015, after walking through a life-threatening depression. Coming out of that season, I knew I couldn’t keep living on autopilot—I needed to build habits that would actually give me life. But as anyone who’s tried knows, building habits is hard. And as I mentioned earlier, the “total overhaul” approach rarely works. So I started small. I identified five key areas of life and chose one non-negotiable habit in each—simple actions that, together, pointed toward better overall health. That first battle plan changed everything. I’ve been making them ever since, and now, I help others do the same. If you’re feeling stuck or just overwhelmed, it might be time to take some intentional, meaningful steps forward. A six-week battle plan can help guide you there.
- Finance Friday: For years, my finances felt scattered and overwhelming. I never knew exactly where my money was going, bills would sneak up on me, and I often felt stressed whenever I opened my accounts. To change that, I created Finance Friday—a monthly ritual where I review my QuickBooks, spot money leaks (like unused subscriptions), and plan my giving and budget for the month ahead. I now look forward to seeing exactly where my money went, making intentional decisions with my income, and planning how I can give generously. This small, consistent habit has transformed how I manage my finances—and my stress level—month after month.
P.S. If building consistent routines feels overwhelming or out of reach, I’d love to help. My routine-building course is designed to guide you in creating simple, life-giving systems that bring more peace, order, and calm to your everyday life—especially during the upcoming season. Check it out here.
I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU:
Which rhythm I described do you think could have the biggest impact on your life? Let me know in the comments below!
LEAVE A COMMENT +