Frameworks for getting out of bed (literally)

When I was recovering from burnout last year, thinking more than a day ahead felt impossible. I didn’t need a five-year plan. I needed to know what might help me feel OK today.

So I made a tracker.

Just a printed list of gentle habits I knew supported me - things like:

• drink 4 glasses of water

• lights out by 10pm

• short walk or 10 minutes of yoga

• active time with the dogs (training, Free Work, a game)

• mindfulness or breathwork

• a page from my therapy workbook

Each day, I just ticked off what I could. No guilt. No pressure. Just a small dopamine hit and a visual reminder that I was showing up for myself.

This little framework became my anchor. It removed the need to decide what to do. Removed the chance to feel I wasn’t doing “enough.” Helped me build back gently, one tick at a time.

Sometimes, the simplest frameworks are the most powerful.

Have you ever used something like this to get through a hard patch? I’d love to hear.