Brenna’s Rhythms & Routines
Brenna, GATG’s Podcast Producer, here!
These days, rhythms and a whole lot of God are what grounds me. I graduated college five years ago, and I entered the world bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, eager to create a life that I loved. And while I have done that, I quickly found that structure is what blesses my soul. Structuring my days is how I serve my body, my soul, and the Kingdom well. Too long without rhythms leaves me feeling aimless.
It took a lot of trying and tweaking and adjusting and trying again to figure what I wanted my life to look like. I’m no expert now, but I’m excited to share some of the rhythms that have served me well. I pray these habits and practices will serve you well too!
MONTHLY RHYTHMS
Nothing changes my mood quite like a new month. There’s something about the monthly flip of a calendar (I literally keep a paper calendar at work and at home for this reason) that is like grace to my soul. I think it’s largely due to the enneagram 1 in me that is so grateful for a chance to start over, to try again.
Despite my love for a new month, I’ll be honest and admit that monthly rhythms are where I’m weakest. I’m an activator by nature and it is challenging + sanctifying to sit in a goal that’s longer than a few days. But even in spite of that, monthly, I try to:
Create a Monthly Spotify Playlist
Since 2018, I’ve been making monthly Spotify playlists. Any song that I love that month goes on the playlist. Some months, there are 15 songs, and other months, there’s just 1. Whatever I want to hear goes on the playlist, even that Jason Derulo song from 2003. As a logical person, this small act of rebellion - creating a playlist with no rhyme or reason - is so fun.
Then once the month is over, these songs serve as a sort of soundtrack to that season. I remember the days by the Ellie Holcomb song I played over and over and over. Summer is marked by a Thomas Rhett song that I couldn’t quit. And Pat Barrett carried me through some dark days in April. The seasons are marked by what I filled my car, my home, and my days with.
Consult the Life-Giving List
I have a list on my phone of what is life-giving to me. For me, I can tend to grab what is easy - scrolling my phone, eating fast food - rather than grabbing what is actually soul-filling. I created a list of things that always bless me. It’s got things like cooking a meal, hanging out with a friend that will speak grace and truth, and making coffee at home on it. If it fills my cup, it’s on the list. I try to consult the list once a month or so to remember what is actually life-giving to me and create space for those things to happen - frequently and happily.
WEEKLY RHYTHMS
Weekly rhythms are much more my zone. Each week, here’s how I show up to care for my soul and my life:
Instagram Photo Recaps
While I don’t necessarily post these every week, something that always blesses me is to look back on the week in photos. I take pictures of just about everything - things I need to remember, quotes I love, art that makes me cry, moments I never want to forget, and more. I often share these photos (and a bunch of funny memes and reels) to my Instagram stories. It is like my own way of honoring the time. Looking back helps me to get crystal clear on the moments that mattered to me and why. Plus, by sharing on Instagram, it lets me celebrate those beautiful moments with my community.
Take it easy on Sundays
If you’ve got a full schedule, then this might be my best piece of advice for you. I work in student activities at a university in addition to doing the podcast at GATG, and often, my jobs - work that I LOVE to do - leave me a bit depleted. I’m often at work until midnight daily (this is when college students love to have fun), and this can leave me little time at home.
Over the last few months, I’ve found that protecting my Sundays - a time in my schedule that is easy to protect - is incredibly life-giving. It is a sacred, no-obligation time as soon as I leave church. This scheduled time at home allows me to tend to my house and learn to value and adore the space I’ve created. If I don’t pay close attention, Sundays can be the only time that is sacred and protected for me, and I always feel grateful for a slower Sunday afternoon and evening when I don’t feel like I can slow down other times during the week.
The Walker’s Club
We call it “the walker’s club”. Two friends and I walk once a week. They’re both teachers, and for both them and myself, it’s tempting to not make time to move our bodies. But walking is actually exactly what I often need, especially when I’m anxious. Moving your body when the feelings are high can actually shut down the anxious mechanism in your amygdala, allowing your anxiety to quiet for a moment. Whether I’m feeling anxious or not, moving my body always serves me well.
DAILY RHYTHMS
I often look up and wonder how it’s already Wednesday. If I don’t check in with myself, the days just fly by. Here are some of the practices that I daily keep to:
My Morning Meeting
All credit to my counselor for this one! As I’ve processed in counseling, I recognized my ability to go through a day without ever considering how I feel. I can just do the next task and the next task and the next task so quickly that I haven’t zoomed out of my current moment. Enter the Morning Meeting + worksheet!
Before I open my laptop when I get to work, I meet with myself to do my worksheet. I put it on my calendar as a real meeting because this helps me to honor the time. I paid a graphic designer friend to design my worksheet (beauty matters a lot to me, and I needed it to be beautiful). My Morning Meeting worksheet has:
Psalm 118:24 at the top - “This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
An “I’m feeling:” spot. I list four adjectives for how I’m feeling. Am I anxious today? If so, that changes everything. Do I have unreasonable hopes about that meeting tonight? If I do, this quick check-in helps me to set appropriate expectations for the day.
My scheduled breaks for the day. This is when I get up from my desk, take my eyes off of my computer, and think about something else for a minute.
Space for my 10 to-do list items. This is a combination of work things, personal things, and everything in between. I’ve found that I can’t handle more than 10 items a day, no matter how small they are.
Some punchy questions to help me offer grace to myself: “is my expectation for today reasonable?” and “what am I eternally hopeful for today?”
Lamentations 3 at the bottom to remind me that mercies are always new.
Of every rhythm, this one is my most favorite and the one that blesses me most. It allows me to check in mentally, physically, emotionally, and with my expectations. I highly recommend thinking through what questions you might need to ask yourself each day!
Chart My Days
When life feels like it’s coming at me fast, I chart my day out by the hour. I got this practice from Jess, and it is how I can run at the pace that I do. I schedule the day to the hour, sometimes even to the minute, with every task: am I taking a shower? Scheduled. Do I need one hour in my email inbox? Done. What will I have for lunch? Scheduled that too. It helps me (1) avoid wasting time because I know what I need to do and when and (2) get way more done because the time is spent intentionally.
I don’t do this one every day, and I would be careful about over-scheduling each day; for me, I can refuse to leave space for rest and spontaneity, and I value both! This is a practice I use when I really need structure and some grit, knowing that this pace doesn’t serve me well forever.
Schedule a Power Hour
Often, I just need to go hard for one hour. Whether it’s tidying my house, answering emails, or answering voicemails that have piled up, a Power Hour helps me to get stuff done. It’s quick and measurable, and it allows me to move quickly - which again, as an activator, is my natural lane.
I don’t do any of these perfectly, and I try to leave a looooot of space for grace for myself as I practice these rhythms. I try to hold it all very loosely and open-handedly - if it works, it works. And if it doesn’t, I can always try again. I would love to hear what rhythms bless you - and if you have any similar to mine! I’m always looking for new, creative ways to care for my soul even better.
Grace and peace to you today as you practice rhythms - I think we’ll be better for keeping them!
PS: Our Rhythms of Worship & Work course is an amazing deep dive into structuring your life with a Kingdom perspective. If you need a reset, I couldn’t recommend it more!