For years I was the queen of the 100-bullet to-do list. I wanted to write books, paint huge canvases, say fit, meditate, start a blog, film YouTube videos, eat like a nutritionist, and have perfect skin and a calm nervous system. Every Sunday night I’d make a color-coded plan… and by Wednesday I was crying to my group chat because I’d “already failed.”
This year, I feel as though I've finally built something that actually works for me. I no longer feel guilty, which is pretty huge for a Projector with Guilt motivation in Human Design (IYKYK). Here’s the structure I try my best to live by now — the one that lets me do deep work, make art, move my body, take care of my skin, and still have energy left to laugh with my friends in the evening.
My Daily Rhythm
5:30–7:00 → Wake up slowly, sip hot lemon water (IYKYK), 15-minute meditation/card pull/morning affirmation, light morning reading in bed (still under the covers, no shame), then a gentle walk or some stretches in front of the mirror with the sunrise.
This is non-negotiable “me” time before the world gets a single ounce of me.
This is non-negotiable “me” time before the world gets a single ounce of me.
7:00–8:00 → Protein breakfast (avocado toast, pesto egg toast, eggs & bacon) + morning face rinse (I save my skincare routine for the evening for the sake of my skin barrier) + dental care. I feel like a goddess after my morning refresh; and it takes 12 minutes, tops.
8:00–12:00 → Deep work block #1. Book chapters, client deliverables, the stuff that actually moves the needle. Phone in another room, noise-canceling headphones, Do-Not-Disturb until noon.
12:00–1:00 → Lunch out back + a walk. Sunlight is free therapy.
1:00–3:30 → Deep work block #2 or creative sprint (filming, editing thumbnails, writing blog posts like this one).
3:30–4:00 → Tea + reset. Sometimes a 10-minute nap, sometimes just out back on the shakti mat staring at my plants.
4:00–6:00 → Training. Treadmill cardio walk 3–4× a week, yoga flow the other days. I feel strongest in the late afternoon, so I stopped trying to force 6 a.m. workouts.
6:00–7:30 → Dinner + family chat/friend call (or solo pleasure reading if I’m all peopled-out).
7:30–9:30 → Light creative work or total play: scheduling posts, doodling, answering nice comments, reading, light studying, whatever feels fun!!
9:30 → Evening wind-down: full skincare routine, gratitude journal, red light therapy, sound bath, candlelight, magnesium, tea.
10:30–11:00 → Lights out. Sleep is the ultimate productivity hack, fight me on it.
How I Like To Theme My Weeks
Monday & Wednesday → “Hermit Mode” – heavy lifting + deep work on my biggest project (I also have my Creative Design Studio meetings with my team Monday evenings, so I prep for those during the day)
Tuesday → “Creator Mode” after all my meetings end – film videos, write essays, schedule content
Thursday → “Artist Mode” – paint, play music, mess around with no pressure to post it
Friday → “Ship It” – ship out Entinge orders, edit, publish, tie up loose ends, release creations (Venus Day hack)
Saturday → Adventure or total couch day (truly depends on my mood)
Sunday → Restore & plan the week while meal-prepping something super yummy
The Monthly Flow I Swear By
Week 1: Momentum (normal rhythm)
Week 2: Intensity (longer deep work, launch something)
Week 3: Pure creation (extra art, new formats, weird experiments)
Week 4: Recovery (shorter days, more massages, quarterly review if it’s time)If I’m cycling, I go harder in my follicular/ovulation phase and treat luteal phase like a cozy editing retreat. Listening to my body finally stopped feeling lazy and started feeling like I was doing what I was supposed to.
Week 2: Intensity (longer deep work, launch something)
Week 3: Pure creation (extra art, new formats, weird experiments)
Week 4: Recovery (shorter days, more massages, quarterly review if it’s time)If I’m cycling, I go harder in my follicular/ovulation phase and treat luteal phase like a cozy editing retreat. Listening to my body finally stopped feeling lazy and started feeling like I was doing what I was supposed to.
My Non-Negotiables (These Get Blocked in the Calendar First)
- 8 hours of sleep (no, 6 is not “enough for me”)
- 10–20 minutes of meditation every single day
- 3 solid meals + protein in every one
- Moving my body 5–6 days a week
- At least one 3-hour art block per week that isn’t monetized
- One completely unscheduled day per week
I used to think structure was the enemy of creativity. Turns out the opposite is true: when I protect my energy like it’s my most precious resource (because it quite literally is), my ideas flow, the paint hits the canvas, the words show up on the page, and I actually get to enjoy my life instead of just documenting it.
If you’re reading this thinking “I could never…” — start with 70% of this. Protect your sleep and your morning ritual first. Add one themed day. See how it feels. Tweak however you need. Your dream life isn’t built in a day; it’s built in protected hours.
I’m living proof that you can absolutely do the work, create daily, glow from the inside out, and still have time to sit on the balcony and watch the sky melt into stars. You don’t have to choose between ambition and peace.You just have to stop treating your energy like it’s anything less than precious!!!
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