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I often get asked how I do it all — how I run a business; how I be a wife, a mama, a step-mama, a friend, a leader for my team; and how I manage to move my body, meditate and eat well every single day. If you ever struggle to fit everything in, you’re going to love today’s post, because right here, right now, I’m going to tell you some of my secrets…
You ready?! Let’s dive in.
The reason I get so much done and why I am so super-productive is because of my 8 daily non-negotiables. These are the things that keep me sane and well. They ground me and light my heart on fire. They allow me the space and freedom to do what I love.
Though I find all these activities enjoyable, it still takes discipline to ensure that they actually get done. For me, discipline is KEY to productivity. I believe that when we lack discipline in one area of our life, it seeps out into other areas too. For example, if you are sloppy around your house, you will most likely be sloppy in your work, relationships and finances. If you are nonchalant with what you eat, you may tend to have that same feeling toward your career.
That’s why I am extremely disciplined with these 8 things…
Meditation
I know I bang on and on about it, but seriously: meditation has changed.my.life. I used to suffer from depression, anxiety and panic attacks, and meditation has been key in helping me move through those things. Meditation has helped strengthen my resilience muscle, so that when life throws me a curveball (which it inevitably does from time to time) I am able to move through the situation with ease and grace.
Meditation has also helped with stress reduction, which was a biggie for me. On a daily basis, it helps alleviate the everyday stressors that we all encounter and which have a tendency to snowball if we don’t actively create the time and space to release them… Have you tried meditation? If not, get on the bandwagon, STAT!
Movement
I move my body in a loving way, every single day. Why? Because it is scientifically proven that movement releases feel-good endorphins and I am all about doing more of what makes me feel good and less of what doesn’t. I mix up what I do every day, because let’s be honest, I get bored! So switching things up works wonders to keep me interested and inspired. My body loves it too. I like yoga, pilates, reformer, dance classes, strength training, walking, hiking, and HIIT. On a Sunday evening I’ll plan what I am going to do for the week ahead and book any classes I want to do. Then I lock them in on my digital calendar — that way they stay a priority and will actually happen. (Like I always say, if it’s not in your calendar, it won’t get done!)
Movement also helps me release stress from my body, it gets my creative juices flowing, and it clears my mind making me waaayyy more productive. Win-win-win!
Discipline is key to productivity.
Gratitude
When you express what you are grateful for, the Universe recognizes that and will give you more to be grateful for. So every morning and night I write in my Wholy Mama Journal. It’s a beautiful practice. Again, it makes me feel good, so I do it. It’s also a great check-in to see what’s currently lighting you up and where you’re spending your time and energy.
Nourish My Body
Nourishing my body and looking after myself has become one of my greatest pleasures. In fact, it’s now my way of life. It’s so deeply ingrained that I never have to think about it. It’s so hard-wired into my DNA that it’s like brushing my teeth
Again nourishing my body makes me feel good, so I do it. It also keeps me well and happy, which in turn means I can get more done and be more productive. Yes, it does take a degree of discipline to stay organized and prepared, but BOY is it worth it.
Scrape My Tongue
Tongue scraping is an ancient ayurvedic detoxification technique that you perform first thing in the morning. It keeps me healthy and well, which means I get sick less often, which means I get more done, which means I am more productive. (Isn’t it amazing how the tiniest of practices can pay off big-time in other life areas?!)
Drink Clean Water
Our bodies are made up of about 75% water, so we must make sure we are putting in enough of the good stuff. Not only that, but every night when you’re asleep, your body is flushing out all the toxins, and drinking clean water really helps that detoxification process.
You won’t EVER catch me drinking tap water or out of plastic — it’s full of nasties and plastic is not good for you, your wallet or the environment. Invest in a good filter and drink your way to great health. I use Hydrogen Health (use the code Melissa for 20% off). Again, drinking clean water makes me feel good so I do it. Drinking clean water also allows me to feel clear and I no longer get headaches… mega bonus!
Nature Time
Divine Mother Earth is incredibly healing, so I make sure I connect with her every day. Sometimes that’s a walk in the park, laying in the sun, diving in the ocean, or sitting on my balcony eating my lunch with the sun on my skin.
I work from home, so if I spend the whole day inside I go a little cray-cray and get serious cabin fever. You don’t have to spend hours outside (if you can great). But simply three deep conscious belly breaths in the sun with your feet on the grass is better than nothing. Again, this practice makes me feel good, and I am more creative, more grounded and calmer when I do this, so I do it every day.
Connect With My Husband
We are all full! We all have stuff to finish, deadlines to meet, and long to-do lists.
Side note: If you have read Mastering Your Mean Girl, you will know that the word ‘busy’ is eliminated from my vocabulary. This is because ‘busy’ comes with a negative connotation, and in today’s society ‘busy’ is worn like a badge of honor. That’s not how I want to live my life. I opt for the word ‘full’ instead, it’s much nicer.
Back to it… that means that it’s very easy to go through your day (and your life, for that matter) just plugging away and not consciously stopping to experience a sense of connection with your partner, kids, friends or family.
We humans are hard-wired for connection; we are primal beings and we thrive off intimacy. So for me, no matter how full my life gets, connecting with my husband is one of my daily non-negotiables. Sometimes that might look like 2 minutes before we jump out of bed in the morning, or having lunch together, or an afternoon swim, or getting into bed at 8 p.m. to connect. And sometimes… all we get is the 2 minutes in the morning and that’s it. And you know what? That’s okay too. I’m not saying you have to do all of them, it’s simply about making at least one of them a non-negotiable priority in your life. For me, when I don’t take the time to connect with my husband, I feel icky. This results in being more stressed, less focused, and less grounded. So I make sure I take that time to connect each and every day.
So, there you have it — my 8 daily non-negotiables for supercharged productivity.
Do you have any daily non-negotiables that you can share with us in the comments below? Remember, your comment could be the one thing that sparks massive inspiration for another soul. So open your big beautiful heart and share away.
As always, thank you so much for being here, for being so open, and for sharing from a space of love.
I am honored to walk this planet with you.
Another beautiful and inspiring post. Thankyou for always leading by example and lighting the way. Meditation has become one of my daily non-negotiables- I have absolutely fallen in love with it! Being out in nature is also another one for me xxx
I love your tips Mel! It is so comforting to know that fitting it all in takes discipline and hard work – lucky for me that I LOVE being organised. I also totally agree that you need to be disciplined in all areas of life (e.g. creating a clean and calm space at home!) or otherwise they can impact on other aspects.
I just had a question – what water filter do you use? I have been pondering over which one to get and not sure whether to go fancy (i.e. get one that adds in minerals to change the alkalinity of the water) or just keep it simple and get one that removes the nasties…
Love from Amanda xxx
Hi honey,
Thanks for your comment, and for coming to The Goddess Group on Tuesday. It was so good to see you 😉
Be mindful of your words darling… it doesn’t have to be ‘hard work’ and for me is doesn’t feel like that. It actually feels effortless. Does that make sense? Always be mindful of what you are putting out into the universe.
In regards to water filters you can’t out a price on your health. I would always go for the best option for you and your health. Contact The Water Shop, they are the best and will help you out. We got filters installed in our home so that everything is filtered.
Let me know how you go honey.
xx
Just wandering, I live in a rented apartment so installing anything isn’t an option for me not is spending too much. What would you recommend?
Hey Sarah,
Any of these systems or these are great.
😉
As always, love your words and love every single one of these. I cannot wait to get into Mastering Your Mean Girl 🙂 thank you xx
Is there any way I can get an extra ticket to the Mastering Your Mean Girl tour? I finally managed to convince my 16 yo daughter it would be worth coming with me and it’s been sold out in Melbourne.
Tried emailing you but no response.
Hey Sharon,
I am so sorry we are completely at capacity, to the point where the MA team will be standing at the back of the room. In saying that you could email hello@melissaambrosini.bitnamiapp.com and jump on the wait list and we will let you know if anyone pulls out or can’t make it. Tickets to all my events sell out really fast.
I will do my best to get more chairs and will let you know if we can make it happen. I really want your daughter to be there 😉
Thanks for all the tips! Love the full instead of busy…..I am all-out positive….love the newsletter and all the tips! I do plan to read your book….all there is is love so we must share….gratitude & meditation has become a very important part of my life….early every morning…..I have a miracle morning every day from 4:30-7:00. It is the best part of my day….taking care of me….I have always been disciplined to work out & take care of me….for many years I have helped others do this too…serving others is great too!! Thanks agin!
Shirley
WOW 4:30-7pm… you’re AMAZING! What do you do in your miracle morning?
Oh yeah! I am so blessed with this post. I am trying to practice mostly of your non negotiables. And it really feels good. The hardest on my part is to make it non negotiable for me. Because of the “full” life I am dealing on how to be consistent with it due to different circumstances around us. That’s why your post really inspire me to push all those non negotiables. I am so excited for your “Mastering Your Mean Girl”. I am still waiting because I am from the Philippines. It will be available by March, I guess. Have a great day ahead!
Awesome post Mel!
One of my non-negotiables is using a Neti-pot daily. The concept sounds gross, but since I started using it I have only been healthy after suffering from loads of sinus infections in the past. Just water and salt!
I was wandering, how you do you find the balance between being organised to fit it all in, and being spontaneous?
Hey Bridgette,
I have used a neti-pot before and love it. My husband uses it often, they are great!
I leave as much white space as possible in my calendar for spontaneity. Some days there isn’t a lot and other days (like on weekends) it’s completely open for adventure and surprise. The key is to not jam pack your calendar so there is no white space. White space is key 😉 Does that make sense?
My non negotiables are: meditation, yoga, reading and;
* connecting with my children, even for just five minutes of colouring in or reading a book together or making a healthy snack.
* For my older kids, it might be a quick chat snuck in the school rush about the best hairstyle to wear to school, or an afternoon catch up about the latest computer game my son is interested in, or a new friend they have made.
Just simple things that help us to reconnect as a family and know we are always here for each other.
My partner and I spend at least half an hour every single evening, just chatting about life over a glass of wine (or two!) or preparing our dinner together and just enjoying each other’s company. For us, with such a busy family life, I find quality over quantity works best.
As always, thank you Melissa for your honest sharing…your authenticity blows me away every time. Sending warm hugs your way xx Melanie.
Thank YOU for sharing your non-negotiables Melanie, I LOVE them! And, I totally agree, quality over quantity 😉
Thank you for your positive post today. Bush fires burning everywhere today so working on my gratitude for what we have and thinking positive.
I love all of these too! Does it make a difference with the tongue scraping if it is done in the morning or evening? Thank you Melissa for continuing to be such an amazing inspiration xx
Hey Jane,
Yes, it has to be done first thing in the morning to get rid of all the toxins you have accumulated during your sleep. If you wish you can do it again at night but first thing in the morning is most powerful and affective.
Such a fab post Melissa – I’m bookmarking this one to send to my clients who often ask me about productivity!
Thanks angel <3
Thank you Mel- lots of love.
Thank you Melissa. Looking forward to your new position as an aunt with your sisters imminent birth! God bless you and thank you for improving so many lives! Love Holly-Ann xo
Curious about your bedtime and wake up time. I have two little ones and have been struggling to keep up with everything.
Hey Karoline,
I usually wake up at 6am, but the week’s we have my step-son (which is every second week) I get up at 5:30am so that I can fit in everything before I have to get him dressed, make breakfast, lunch and do the school drop off 😉
We aim to jump into bed around 8:30pm. That doesn’t always happen but then intention is there 😉
How many little ones do you have?
Hi Mel 🙂 I would love to know: you spoke about how you are much more relaxed with your exercise choices now you don’t push your body so far and do more restorative exercise.. Is that still the case? Also, will you be doing another online Q&A soon?! Xoxo
It sure is honey, I now move out of love because I love the way it makes me feel. I no longer push myself from fear.
I don’t have any Q&A’s planned as I am about to go on tour but I will keep you posted if I do.
I hope you are well angel.
xx
Listening to your “Mastering Your Mean Girl” guided meditations – has made me so much more productive, positive and focused this year. I love them Thank you xxx
Brilliant news darling. Keep them up 😉
Yup connection with my husband is now a non negotiable x for a while I forgot how important this was x thanks for the reminder Mel.
It’s soooo important 😉
Hi Melissa,
You are continuously inspiring! I am learning how to organize my time and trying to make use of my calendar to schedule in non-negotiables so I am always able to do them. What calendar system do you find works best for you?
Xo
April
Thanks for your kind words beautiful 😉
I use the digital calendar on my iPhone and mac. It’s free!
Thanks Melissa – I love your non negotiables. They are all things I strive to do but don’t always do daily. I had an accident last year and they have all become much more important in the last 6 months. Gratitude and meditation have been two aspects of my life that have kept me sane in a time when I know I could have easily descended into depression and anxiety. I damaged the left side of my body in the accident and I am left handed so had to work out how to record my daily grateful list. I already had a blog and it has since changed into a blog called A Sprinkle of Gratitude ( http://www.jennifertucker.me) – it is where I record my daily grateful list and quite a number of my friends and some other random people read it. I think and hope that it is helping others to live a more grateful life and I truly believe meditation and gratefulness are two learned skills that teach you to be happier. Keep up the great work and I know you are making the world a better, happier and more connected place.
WOW Jennifer, that is so beautiful I love this idea. I record everything I am grateful for in my diary but it’s nice to have it ‘out there’ for the world to see. You are inspiring others to also feel grateful, which is so beautiful.
xx
Hello and thank you Melissa. Wondering if you have any info on what makes a good quality water filter?
Thank you!
Hey honey,
You want to make sure it get’s out all the fluoride and chlorine and any other nasties. Just make sure you ask when you are purchasing one.
xx
Hi Mel!
One of my non-negotiables is my warm lemon water! I have it every morning first thing when I wake up. It helps me start my day on a positive note. I feel healthier, more awake, and refreshed. Some days when I don’t drink it I find myself more sluggish and more apt to make poor choices (especially when it comes to food) throughout the day.
Toast to warm water with lemon, cheers!
xo, Erika
Cheers beautiful 😉
Do you scrape your tongue before drinking water or oil pulling?
Sure do honey, it’s one of the first things I do when I wake up. xx
Beautiful goals and great insight into how we should start to focus and enjoy our day, thank you Melissa x
Pleasure angel. xx