Latest / GEL & Tell / Ep 26 - Why Is It So Hard to Stay Motivated in Winter?

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Ep 26 - Why Is It So Hard to Stay Motivated in Winter? · GEL & Tell

• Nora: Welcome back everyone to another episode of Gell and Tell. What episode is it? G: It's episode 26, and today the topic is why is it so hard to stay motivated in winter? Nora: Yeah, 'cause it's gone from summer to winter in about two weeks. Hasn't it? In the UK. It's just a bit ridiculous now. G: The heating is on, the days are darker, the soul is crushed. Nora: It's so it gets so dark so early. G: and it's just thrown my routine out of whack. The dog walking has just had to get a lot earlier in the day. I obviously love walking Dexter, but I can't cope with having to go at like half four before the sun goes. Nora: Yeah. G: It's sad times. Nora: It is quite difficult. And I think a lot of people struggle with it as well. getting into the darker months, I think it's such a big change out of nowhere. And usually you have more time to ease into it, but I feel like this year is like within a matter of two, three weeks, it's gone from us wearing T shirts to now wearing jumpers and having the heating next to us when we're working. I don't know if it's just me G: I think it's because we had such a nice summer. so we have to be grateful for the fact that our summer Nora: Yeah. G: lasted longer. we had sun all the way through September, which is Nora: Yeah. G: quite unusual. We used to not have that. So I think that the summer's getting longer, which is a lot to be grateful for. But then because of that, winter hits a ton of bricks. And just, Nora: Yeah, yeah, fair. G: go away dark nights and cold evenings. Nora: Do you notice that you feel more tired? G: I feel really tired today. I look like shit and I feel like shit. So Nora, I feel Nora: No, you don't. G: awful. Like I'm s I woke up and I thought I'd slept a lot and I just felt so sluggish. And I was like, god, like I can't get out of bed. Like I had that like absolute like feeling of just like my body feels heavy. Like, am I getting a cold? Is it the weather? Is it the you know, like all of those like and you just don't get that in the warmer months, do you? Nora: Yeah. G: And it's not even like not wanting to attack the day 'cause there's so much I'm excited to do today in terms of work and life and stuff, but it's just that body and cold and not wanting Nora: Yeah. G: to get out of the du bay and all of that. You just it's just the reality, isn't it, of the the winter months. Nora: The motivation is in there basically. And you need to rely a lot on discipline. That's the thing. I think that's what changes so much. The thing is as well though, and I don't know if you agree, like I find that when it's too warm, I also feel very tired. So like it's it's a good G: Hey. Nora: medium for me. It's like not too warm, but not too cold. It's like when the weather is like cause when it's too hot, then you feel like G: Lethargic. Nora: Anything you do just tires you out or you sweat a lot and you're like, I can't be bothered 'cause it's just way too warm. I feel the same, like in the sense of like more tired G: Extreme. Nora: in both extremes. yeah. G: Mm. So yeah, feel like we don't maybe over the years we will have more of an like that in the UK. Obviously we've only had a few small heat waves where it gets really hot, whereas in Cyprus you would have that a lot more. Nora: Yeah. the two extremes. But I do think yeah. for me, I've had to make a few changes in my routine the colder it got. And I don't know whether it's like obviously I'm still like gaining a bit of weight after the shows as well. So I'm con constantly cold still. I don't know whether I'm feeling it more this year than other years. as well. But like one thing that I've had to do is like I've stopped exercising in the morning because I like I can't bear the thought of getting out whilst is still dark. when do you struggle the most during the year? Is it like November, December time, or do you feel like it's worse? Really? G: September, always September for me. Yeah, I get really depressed after my birthday as the seasons change every single year. That is my pit. Nora: Mm. G: And I've like, I can just acknowledge it now for what it is. I don't know whether it's like the end of summer, going Nora: Yeah. G: into like the colder months, having had a birthday, realizing that I've aged again, that Nora: Yeah. G: never helps. And then also just like, yeah, like the darker days, the colder. the I feel like summer's always very sociable, there's a lot going on, it's like building Nora: Nine. G: up to my birthday, and then it crashes. And then Nora: Yeah. G: I'm just like, it's all over. And I just Nora: Yeah. Fair. G: think that is my, and then now, I don't think it's that cold now, it's eight degrees to me, cold is when we get into the minus. Nora: Yeah. G: So like, it's not unbearably cold, like I'm in like leggings and a jumper, I don't have a blanket or anything like that today. Nora: Yeah. G: Whereas when it gets really cold, I don't mind too much, but yeah, I'd say September's my dark month. And then I Nora: Mm. G: start to accustomise or climatise to it. And then I try and get excited about the season. So I'm like, it's spooky Nora: Yeah. G: season or we can get excited about Christmas or try and make it so those are nice things to look forward to rather than things Nora: Yeah. G: that I dread. But September for me is dark every year. Nora: Yeah. G: I get so miserable. really, I don't know what it is and I don't know if that's just a birthday thing or a season thing, but for me that's the worst. When do you think it gets worse for you? Nora: I think it's during the transition for me. So I find November and February the worst months for me. because Christmas, I love Christmas. I love it so much. I love being with my family. Obviously, for me, it's like association to going back, seeing everyone. it's a very social time where I get to spend it with my people, which I don't see often. last Christmas was a bit weird because it was just me and Gio. we stay. G: yeah, you didn't go to Cyprus last Christmas. Nora: No, and we didn't have any friends stay in London either. So it was just us, for the festive period, which it was it was really nice. Like me and Gio like love spending time together, obviously. And like we we had some really cute dates and stuff, but it was just so different. And but Christmas for G: Good. Nora: me is like one of the most like special times where I get to go and see my family and stuff. So yeah, like that's the time where I'm feeling the most motivated and like look forward to all of the social occasions and like All of that. And in Cyprus, it's not like cold, cold. it's eight to ten degrees-ish, but it doesn't get minus, you won't get that there. But you get winter as well. so if you want it to go up in the mountains, there's snow and things like this. So you you get a bit of everything. but it's not to the point where I'm like freezing and I'm I'm like the cold is really bothering like me going out as an example. Whereas like usually November and February, I'm I'm in the UK. and it's that transitional period where New Year's passed, Christmas has passed, all of that social vibe. Christmas markets are done. So in London, it's a beautiful time, with all the Christmas markets and the decorations and stuff. But then February it's all done and there's no you know, decorations or like Christmassy vibes. So then it's like that transitional period with between like that and March, where it starts getting a bit warmer and like the there's more light and all of that. So yeah, that's that's February and then November is again that transitional period between yesterday so many fireworks and stuff, we could hear them and I got really excited. But I do feel like until it gets to December I don't really feel Christmas as much. You looked a bit surprised when I mentioned November and Feb. G: I was just thinking has it not already changed the season by those points? I guess February is getting warmer again. November, I guess it's getting colder. Nora: I think my definition of cold is very different to yours. February is still very cold for me. G: yeah, but they often have snows in February in the UK. So Nora: Yeah. G: I think it's, it gets warmer probably from April. Yeah, Nora: Yeah. Is there anything that you do that helps you get through the day? So when you do feel a bit more tired or it's just a bit harder to do the things that you're used to doing during the day? Cause obviously I think that one thing that's so tempting is we're self-employed. So you can have a bit more flexibility if you wanted to. But then it's that balance of like then not giving up on everything and just doing nothing. And like that scares both of us. G: Yeah, I think the motivation for me is to be able to have my weekend. So Nora: Hm. G: it's like, if I do not do something, like it's Friday today, if things don't get done today, they will get done over the weekend because no one's coming to save you. Obviously we've got each other, but we also have individual responsibilities within the business and things that need to happen. So if something doesn't Nora: Yeah. G: get done, no one else is going to fricking pick it up and it will still be there on Monday overdue. So for me, it's like, it's got to get done. It's just not really an option. So I either Nora: Yeah. G: do it when I'm meant to and then I say I'm going to do it or it comes in the evening or the weekend. And then in my brain, I'm like, well, if I was having like a really difficult day and I hadn't got anything planned for the weekend and I was like, I'm happy to spend my Saturday afternoon working or whatever fine, cool, then I might take an hour and go on a walk or do something different. But Nora: Mm. G: like knowing that I'm giving that time from somewhere else. But I just think the mentality is it's got to get done so it gets done. And there's not really you can feel you can feel lethargic or you can feel demotivated. But Nora: Yeah. G: I don't care. Like I just do it anyway. Like I'll just push through. Nora: Yeah. G: And it's just kind of like I think that, you know, it depends how much you feed into your own, like little voices, you know, we Nora: Yeah. G: all have difficult days, we all feel tired sometimes we all don't feel 100 % or get cold or whatever it is. Like, do you let that stop you from doing things? Unless Nora: Yeah. G: I'm like, really ill, I can't Nora: Yeah. G: look at a screen or like I'm vomiting or shitting myself or something, then I will just like keep going. Nora: Pair. G: And that's just because I like what we do. don't, I would I want to sit and watch the TV all day. Not really. I'd find it quite boring. Nora: Yeah. G: I'd rather be working on our vision, our business. Maybe like if I was really unwell, I wouldn't want to be client facing because like Nora: Mm. G: it wouldn't be fair on them and I would want to give my 100 % energy, but then I would Nora: Yeah. G: reschedule the calls and then just do the things that I could do. But I just can't see a day where I would feel so bad that I wouldn't want to show up for the business unless I was genuinely really poorly. Nora: Hmm, yeah. Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. Not many G: But maybe that's just because we build something that we love and it's us and like it's like it's part of who we are. And if you have a job, you can just take sick leave. Nora: Yeah. G: That just doesn't really affect you as much. Nora: No. G: I don't know. What about you? Nora: I don't know, I find having a very set I I really like being a bit boring with like what I get like d like during winter I really enjoy like just doing the same things over and over again and like just being in a very like focused mode. and like locking in and like I'm not as bothered about aside from Christmas, but like during the winter months, I really enjoy just being at home. Like I've got a very optimized like work setup with my treadmill, my like standing desk, like I wake up, I've got the same morning routine. I go to bed, I've got the same evening routine to help me switch off. And I prioritize my sleep and my recovery and get into the same habits over and over again. And it sounds very boring to a lot of people, I would say, but like it's just what I enjoy doing. It's it gets me feeling very productive. I think it's the time where you can be very productive within your business, if anything, because you have less distractions. Whereas like during the summer, like it's so tempting to like. I love going out on the park and going for a walk and grabbing a coffee from a coffee shop and sitting at the park for a few hours and things like that that, are not unproductive, but they're just a bit more social and you maximize time out rather than enjoying time in the house as much. But yeah, I just really I find it as a way to like get super productive. And almost like hyper focused on things. yeah, which is a good thing and a bad thing for some, I would say. G: I think we all benefit from routine. I think just everyone's routine looks slightly different. yours is probably more like, I don't know actually, cause I think I do the same thing every morning without even really thinking about it. Like my routine Nora: Yeah. G: is the same every day. It's just not like, I don't know, probably Nora: Yeah. G: it's very similar. It's just, don't like think about it as a routine. I just don't, I just do what I do every morning. Nora: Yeah. Yeah. So what do you do every morning? G: But if I didn't, if I, if I didn't do my routine in the morning, it sends me totally out of work. Well, I literally get up, do my skincare, brush my teeth, walk the dog. When I've walked Dexter, do all of his things, his eye drops, his breakfast, make sure he's clean and ready for the day. And then I'll drink some water, make coffee, have some breakfast, sit down, start work. Like Nora: Nice. Yeah. G: it's just, that's just like the same thing every morning, but. Nora: Yeah. G: It just, but then I know I've started working like he's got everything he needs. I've had my steps. I've had some water, some food, some caffeine, Nora: Yeah. G: and I'm ready to go, but I don't train until the evening. I always train in the evening. So like, I don't need to take that off. Like I enjoy training at night. So I stopped working. that's where it like, Nora: Yeah. Yeah, I struggle. I think you don't struggle as much when it gets to the colder months with your training, whereas I think it affects me a lot more because I'm so used to I don't like training in the evenings. I never have. So G: Hmm. Nora: then it feels like the morning is like an evening because it's dark and I don't like that dark element. And yeah, and also for some reason, well, not for some reason, but for a good reason, everyone gets motivated around the mid winter months. And the gyms, especially in a commercial gym, they they just get so much more packed, which I don't particularly enjoy. I'm very proud of everyone showing up for themselves, but I don't like the busyness of the gym around the winter months. so G: Do you think it's busy? Nora: yeah, it's a lot busier. In a pure gym, at least it is busy. They've also just announced that they're closing our main pure gym. We've got two in the area that we get b access to both. the big one is closing for three weeks for maintenance. And we have a small one, which is one machine per body part that everyone will now move to, which is fantastic. Yeah. G: Grace, horror. Nora: Like, yeah, thanks guys. but yeah, I find it a lot harder to exercise during the winter months. G: interesting. I didn't know that. Nora: I think also you go in a group setting, right? So you look forward to seeing people and it's part of socializing where it's like for me I train by myself most days. if Holly doesn't join me, to train together. G: I only do great twice out of my five or six sessions a week. Nora: Okay. G: So but yeah, when it is when it is with people, I'm not going to let them down. But otherwise, I am training by myself. But still, Nora: No. Yeah. Yeah. Do you find that you struggle a bit more when you're you don't have a class to go? G: I'll push the time. So I'll stay on the laptop longer. I'll just go in 10. I'll just go in 15. I do go. It's very rare that I don't go because I like make myself like, do it. But like the timing, it Nora: Yeah. G: can be a lot more fluid when Nora: Yeah. G: you have a booking and you're like, well, I'm in at six. So I'm not going to miss it. So let everyone down and it will mess up the Nora: Yeah. G: group. But yeah, I get that I think but I also wouldn't want to do more than probably the two or max three group sessions a week because I like the headspace that I get from when I'm by myself too. Nora: Yeah, yeah. I love it when I'm there. Don't get me wrong. once I'm in the gym, it's not a problem. G: Mm. Nora: But it it's going to the gym during the colder months and the darker G: getting better. Yeah. Nora: months. I I struggle with that. Yeah. G: Yeah, fab. Nora: But it is part of me being productive though. I think it's a big part of like I still do it and I still show up 'cause I know it will benefit me at work. G: Yeah, well, if you're not training, you feel awful, not you specifically, but all of us. It's like you don't have as much energy. You feel worse in your body and yourself. Like, I just think like, I genuinely don't know how people get through their life without exercising. Like, Nora: Yeah. G: it is the best thing for your like mental health and Nora: Yeah. G: wellbeing. Like, yeah, of course your physical health, but like my brain would not be as level without moving all the time. Nora: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. G: be awful. I'd be so unhappy. So yeah, I I wouldn't be without it. And I think I know that as well, which is one of the reasons it's motivating is like, if I don't go, I'm gonna feel so much worse for it. Then if I just go and do something, because even if you go and you don't finish the session, but you do something, like you always feel better. Like if you weren't feeling like 100 % and you did half of the Nora: Yeah. G: session, but you knew that you still showed up for yourself, Nora: Yeah. G: it's always gonna feel better than not going at all. Nora: a hundred percent. Yeah. I had this saying in the past. Well, I still have like I still say it, but like, show up for yourself before you show up for anyone else. It's like it's that saying of like you show up for you when you go to train, when you do something for yourself, whether that's like your skincare routine or like anything, if you do one thing that's showing up for you first, you show up for everyone else a lot better with a lot more intention so yeah, I I'm a true believer that like you can it can benefit you in so many ways. just moving or like doing something that like yeah takes care of you. But is there anything else that you feel like helps your productivity during the winter months or anything that stands out, anything that you change from like how you operate during the summer at work versus the winter? G: Probably what I wear. So like wearing like cosier things and like putting on like warmer clothes and like nicer socks and like slippers and like making sure I've got nice blankets or like lighting a candle or like you know like little cosy things that like you don't benefit or feel any sort of like thing from in summer. So like Nora: Yeah. G: summer will be like might make an iced coffee in the morning or like Wear a cute pair of shorts or something like Nora: Yeah. G: that. Whereas in the winter it's like hot drinks, cozy slippers, nice socks, maybe Nora: Yeah. G: buy a new hoodie, light a candle. Like those kind of like little moments that you can create Nora: Mm. G: that just like add a little percentage of dopamine and like coziness. Nora: Yeah, I love that. G: That for me I think is something that changes and that I appreciate more because I'm never gonna light a candle in the summer. Nora: Hm, yeah. G: Weird. But like it's quite nice. when it's caught. What about Nora: I love that. Yeah. G: you? Nora: I like putting a bit more effort in like putting some makeup on in the morning, even though I work from home, putting some makeup on and feeling good going into the day, like helps me like, yeah, just get focused and like log in. I think sometimes it can be very easy to like stay in your pyjamas and like, you know, like G: Yeah. Nora: not change. Cause like realistically, we don't have to go anywhere, right? Like we work from G: No. Nora: from our house and it can be tempting to just mix the two environments. It's like I've got a specific room for my office where I just work and I try to not like I had done it in the past where I would move to the living room and work from the sofa for a bit. And as much as it's nice in that specific day, then I find it becomes a habit and then I get less productive the more I do it. Whereas making sure that I'm in the same environment in my office, getting up and like putting some makeup on to feel good. The other thing is like and it might be disgusting to many, but this decaf coffee, like I I love warm drinks personally. I don't like tea. I wouldn't drink tea unless I am a bit sick. apart from chamomile tea, which I always have one every night before I go to bed. But that's a routine thing. But I wouldn't opt for a tea. Whereas like I love coffee, but me having like seven, eight coffees a day during the winter when it's cold, like wouldn't be realistic. So I I have a lot of decaf coffee during the day. I have my one to two coffees that are normal, like cafe and coffees. but then I have decaffed coffee about like four or five times during the day. 'cause I just like the taste of it. Like I like the taste of coffee. I crave it. But I don't want the caffeine cake every like two hours because then I'm, you know, dependent on it. And also I think it gets like not productive after like your third coffee. It's just like, yeah, a bit counterproductive. G: Yeah. Nora: But like having that as part of my routine, I still like feel warm and I still get the taste of coffee. whilst yeah. not really having too much caffeine in my body as well. G: Yeah, I should not meant to have caffeine eight hours before you sleep. It has quite a long, I know what it's called, cycle. Makes Nora: Yeah. Yeah. G: sense. Yeah, I get that about like making you feel good before you start the day. I like changing my environment for different tasks. Nora: But I also do think you have Dexter that you like to be around, whereas in your office it's hard to fit him in. if I had a dog, G: Thank Nora: I would wanna maximize time with them, during the work day 'cause I get to work from home. Why not like be with them as well? So like G: Yeah. Nora: I get that. I think it's part of your routine more than anything where it's like for me it's not, it's just something that we if I do once it then puts me out of my like G: Yeah, whereas I need sometimes a change of environment to change the way I'm thinking, be more creative, certain tasks, when I'm like writing our content and when we were writing content for other people, I never did it in my office, I needed to Nora: Yeah. G: sit somewhere different so that I could feel, I could embody like a different kind of thinking and be more like thinking outside the box, more creative. Nora: Yeah. The the thing that I struggle with is I struggle I think boundaries get mixed with work and personal life G: Hmm. Nora: when I do that. and I told you this, like I think in October I really struggled with like switching off. G: Yeah. Nora: I would be on my laptop on my sofa like at eleven PM at night, still doing work 'cause I just had no separation between work and and my life. Obviously I was also in bodybuilding prep, so I feel like I had no other outlets in l in terms of I I was very robotic around that time. 'cause I had shows coming up every weekend. So like I didn't have like much flexibility in like going out or like things like that. just 'cause I knew that that would throw me off track with my routine and like so then my instant thing was like, work more. at night, you eleven PM, which is very unhealthy. but yeah, maybe that's the association that I just can't I haven't yet like made. Yeah, that's clear. G: I think we all have seasons of that though, where like you can't switch off as much and like you're hyper focused on something and like you just end up working like really late on the laptop. I think most business owners will have like relate to that and know that Nora: Yeah. G: when I was in this situation, I was on the laptop all the time or when I felt this way about the business, I was doing more of that. Like I think it comes in waves. Nora: Yeah. G: And also like knowing that you had like so much going on with your shows and stuff probably was a good excuse for your like brain to be like just gonna lock in and like focus Nora: Yeah. G: on this to not like let you be nervous or stress or whatever about other things that were going on too. Nora: Which was very helpful. yeah, it was very helpful. I I just I forgot I was even bodybuilding at certain times 'cause we had so much going on in the business, which wasn't a bad thing. I do think one of the main reasons why my season was so successful and my body wasn't responding was I wasn't thinking about it all the time. Whereas there's so many people that do that as a sport and all they think about is food, all they think about is training. But I had no time for that. I needed to focus on growing the business, showing up for you, for our clients, like all these things that like were taking so much of my my brain space that I wasn't obsessing over every little thing, which was a healthy approach for me. So yeah. G: Makes a lot of sense. Nora: but yeah, it was very productive though. Got a lot of work done. I think something that is an opportunity during the winter month is like to switch off a bit more. Cause it does get darker, like social occasions become less obviously outside of Christmas. G: Hmm. Nora: but I think with being like self employed, like running your own business, it can't be a bit of like a guild trip thing as well. Like, am I allowed to switch off, like, you know, and watch a Christmas movie with my partner or like always thinking about work all the time, or do you find yourself struggling with that at all? G: Mmm. I think there's moments, but on the whole, like I think we communicate well on terms of like either a daily or a weekly of like, I know like by the end of today, we'll have like touch base and being like reviewed everything that's on the list, Nora: Yeah. G: made sure that there's nothing like burning or outstanding. So then it's a case of like, okay, not like I need permission to switch off, but I need validation from you and my brain that Nora: Yeah. G: everything's in control. But like, that can go into the weekend knowing that, and if there was something, we'd know what it was and then I'd put time in to do it. I Nora: Yeah. G: think I need that as a person to be able to switch off. I couldn't switch off if there was something that needed to be done that was urgent, that if it was a priority or someone was waiting on something, I wouldn't be able to relax knowing that that hadn't been finished, especially if it Nora: Yeah. G: was on my head. I think it's different when it's like stuff that can wait, like Nora: Hm. G: knowing that there's, But then we put it in the diary. So we would say, right, we want to work on this specific thing. Nora: Yeah. G: It's on the list. It's not a priority for right now. So let's put in three hours next week and work on it then. And then psychologically, it's like, okay, cool. So I can switch off because there's time to do that. Whereas if the time wasn't blocked in and we hadn't discussed it, then it might stress me out and then I might start working on it over the weekend. But Nora: Yeah. G: that's where we support each other and have systems in place with our work so Nora: Yeah. G: that we've got everything on a tracker. We know all of our to-dos, we know who's doing what, we know what's a priority, and then when we've got it as a task, we put it in the diary. And some people might be like, that's insane, but it works for us and it gives me a sense of clarity on when things are getting done and when I need to do them by. So then I know if I've done everything for that day, I can switch off and not think about Nora: Yeah. G: work. But if I didn't have those systems to do that, I would be freaking out. And that's where I think I used to get a lot of stress from previous roles where we weren't working for ourselves, where I didn't have full clarity and the visibility of all the things that weren't being done. And that was ridiculous to even worry about someone else's business, right? But when Nora: Yeah. G: it's ours and we know exactly what's happening and what needs to be done, I can confidently switch off, which I didn't used to be able to do. Nora: Nice. Yeah. G: But it's only because we've got it in hand. So it's a weird thing and it's because we work so hard on it. But that's how I feel now. And I think if any business owners are struggling to switch off, they need better systems and workflows to help them know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by. Because Nora: Hm. G: then you've done everything for that day. Nora: Yeah. G: But if you don't know what the fuck's to be done or when it's going to happen or what's burning, then no wonder you're stressed and you can't switch off. That's Nora: Yeah. Yeah. G: how I feel now anyway. And I think we've worked hard to get to that place. But I'd be interested to know if you feel the same or if you struggle to switch off. Nora: I think there's days. There's days like where I do struggle with it more. There's other days where I don't. one thing that's always helped me to feel more in control is like my time blocking. So like you say, like identify what's like put everything on our to do list and then actually put time in to do it in the calendar and that like helps me feel in control of even though it's not done already, it will be done at some point. I do think like with having your own business though, there's will always be things to do and there will As much as you switch off from a f maybe physical standpoint of not being on your desk and working, sometimes it can be sweet difficult to switch off mentally. I do find myself sometimes watching a series and having to replay that episode because I've not paid attention, even though was watching the episode, G: Yeah. Nora: but not actually G: Yeah. Nora: paying attention to the episode and I because I was thinking about all these things that sometimes it's not even like it's not even negative things, it's like exciting things that we have all these things that we want to do for the business and like we have all this. potential as well. And we both know that we will work hard. that sometimes that keeps you up. You're like excited about things. G: Yeah, definitely. Nora: which I I found it's been a not that I wasn't excited about previous roles. I but when it's your thing, it's like very different. Like you're like I I have the potential to do this. Like we can grow this as much as we want. There's so many avenues that we can take. Like and it's very exciting but it's also sometimes tiring from a mental aspect 'cause like you think about it all the time. and me being the person I am, it's just difficult for me to like just switch off fully. but yeah, like I do I I I try. I try. Like yesterday like I switched off a bit earlier at like 6 p.m and then I we started watching this series that I enjoy with Geo. So then you know I I made effort to like not have my phone in the same room because if I have my phone I will grab it. Like it it's just a thing with me, and it's a really bad habit, but G: Hmm. Nora: once I get on my phone I might be there for twenty ten, twenty minutes, doing nothing productive but just checking to see no one needs help or and it's just a bad habit that I get into. G: Yeah, I'm not allowed my phone if Josh and I are watching TV. Nora: Yeah. G: it will cause a fight if I actually look at my phone, which Nora: Yeah. G: can be really hard and it is an addiction. I have to say like Nora: Yeah I would. G: unhealthy, not that his boundary is great, but like my, get almost this physical sensation of I need to look at it. like it's like my skin crawls and it's Nora: It's uncomfortable. Yeah. Yeah. G: actually really unhealthy. and I'm quite embarrassed to admit that, but if it's there and I've not touched it for half an hour because we're watching a film, I will start to get fidgety and just want to quickly just touch the screen to make sure nothing's blown up. Nora: Yeah. G: But that's not good. So being in a different room and not even having it Nora: Yeah. G: on, giving it to him and he's got it over there. And then when the movie ends, I'm like... Nora: Right. G: But he's really strict on it and I respect him for that and I think it's really important. Nora: Yeah. G: does not mean it's easy though. And that's like, don't know if that's part, the big part of that is obviously the business, like with the phone, like everything's on the phone for the bit, like Nora: Yeah. G: this feeling, but it's really important to just try and remove that distraction and just be able to be present and like, yes, we can be excited. We've got all these ideas and all this stuff to work on, which is amazing, but like actually taking a beat and not thinking about it. It's so hard, Nora: Yeah. G: but so important. Nora: I think it's harder during darker months as well and winter months 'cause the distraction is less. if you've got plans on the weekend and you've got a fully booked weekend, right? during the summer 'cause the weather is nice and you're out, you are less likely to look at your phone and scroll and try and see that if if any anyone has sent anything on Slack and stuff. But then if during the darker months you you have a day fully off or it can be just tempting to just yeah, just always look at your phone all the time. G: Yeah. Nora: so yeah, like I think it's a it's a nice boundary to have. I'm trying to like yeah, get on top of it a bit more and just like if if it's out of sight, it's out of mind. Like that's the thing with me. That's why I put it in a different room. And I've tried to like switch off a couple of days like in the last two weeks and it's helped massively because I got like like I said earlier, like October was a month where I was almost on the laptop every single night. And I wanna change that going into November, not in terms of working less, but just setting better boundaries. I can still be very productive without having to be on the lap till what eleven PM at at night. And yeah. G: Yeah, exactly. The thing is, there might be some days where you want to do it. And I think if you want to do that extra bit of work, and I'm in the zone and I want to work till 2am, no one should be able to stop me because that's my decision. But it's a problem if it's all the time. If you're really excited by something and you're hyper-focused and you're having a great time and you're having fun and you're building something and it's feeling good, who's to say that's unhealthy as long as it's not all the time? Nora: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Also G: because I think sometimes they're fun. we have a little late one and we're like, we're doing this thing. And Nora: Yeah. G: there's nothing wrong with that. some people will be out doing drugs and stuff. So it's Nora: Yeah. G: fine to be playing on Claude till two o'clock in the morning sometimes. Nora: Yeah. should we maybe like close the episode with a few like tangible like things from an environment perspective when it comes to the w winter months? G: show. Nora: I've got a few things that like I have done over the years when it gets a bit colder. one of them being I don't know if you've seen those alarm clocks that simulate the sunrise. G: yeah, the sad lamps. Nora: Yeah, so the sat lamp is like the one that you have in your office, which like you turn on your like at the start of your day to like get simulation of like the sun. But like what I have is like an ara alarm clock. So instead of it waking you up with like a horrible sound, it wakes you up by like putting light into the room slowly. to simulate the sunrise. G: You Nora: I know that sounds awful. Gio hates it, but I love it. Like I think it's a much calmer way for me to wake up than hear this like this like awful sound. G: Yeah, but you can choose a song for your alarm and stuff like that. Nora: No, but even the song, I'm sleeping peacefully, and why would I want to be waken up by a sound? Instead, how naturally, in the summer months, you wake up naturally because there's light in the room. G: I don't think I ever wake up naturally unless I'm like, brr, fuck, okay, go, go, go. Yeah, I think we're different in that sense, but if it works for you, it works for you. Nora: It works for me and obviously I found it from other people as well. So it's not TikTok. It's not TikTok. G: Tiktok. Nora: I I like my standing desk and my treadmill during the winter months. G: See, I'm already like doing two to three treadmill running sessions a week at the moment. So I don't want to walk on a treadmill out of choice. So I can do my intervals on a treadmill. So I'd have to run in the dark, but I'm going to walk in there. Bye. Nora: Yeah. Yeah. It can be very difficult for people to get movement in though if they don't have a dog during the winter months. So I would recommend it. Like if you are working from home, even if you've got like a corporate job or yeah, your own business, like I would say like level up your environment. So like get a standing desk, get a treadmill. Like they're not that expensive anymore. They used to be. But now you could get a treadmill G: Hmm. Nora: for 70 pounds, you could get a standing desk for a hundred pounds. you could level up your whole office for less than two hundred pounds and have a much better working environment during the winter months. to help you get G: Mmm. Nora: exercise in, get yeah, get some movement in during the day. Like I do find when I'm doing emails or admin work, like getting the treadmill and like walking slowly whilst I'm doing it, like just makes you feel like better because you get some movement in in the meantime. G: Yeah, I do quite like the idea of that to be fair. Nora: Yeah, so I do s I do think a great, great thing to invest in in my opinion. or if you have a partner that works from home and you wanna get them a Christmas present, that would be my recommendation. Yeah. but yeah, I think G: that's really cute. What about if you have a business partner? Nora: Ha ha ha. Yeah. G: But that's exciting. Nora: The other thing that I want I told you about this the other day. But I want a proper, SAD lump that I can use during the mornings because I now that I've changed my workout times to be later in the day. I sit down and start work at 7.38. I get on my laptop, plan my day, write down my to-do list, all of that, but then it's dark. So then I'm not getting as much exposure and I don't wake up G: Mmm. Nora: very easy. So yeah, I want to invest in a good sad lamp. So I'm waiting for Black Friday for that. Yeah, so I'm not sad. G: then you're not as sad. Yeah nice. Nora: but I do recommend that's another investment I think for winter months is like a sad lamp. They're like they've got good science behind them as well. Like if you find that you're a bit lower in terms of mood during the winter months, having something like a satellite where you can get a bit of exposure at the start of the day, can change your mood, lift your mood up to start your day. so yeah, I'm I'm giving that a go. so yeah. G: nice. I think one other thing is book a holiday with a friend. Nora: Yeah. Have you done that, G? G: I'm waiting, I'm waiting for us to book our trip. Nora: Yeah. G: we're gonna book him to go to some real life sunshine to blow away the blues. Nora: Yeah, yeah, actually go somewhere, study. G: Yeah. Nora: Yeah. but yeah. Is there anything that you wanna commit going into the winter months that you wanna do more of? No, you don't wanna commit. G: HAHAHAHA Nora: No. Okay. yeah. G: No, I'm perfect. No, I just want to just keep to my routine and training schedule and just like enjoy every day. Nora: Nice. G: Not overthink it. What about you? Nora: Nothing comes to mind. I just really, yeah, just stick to the routine would be the main thing. when motivation is low, just do the thing anyways. that's the biggest thing with there's no one coming to save you, like you said at the start of the episode. it's your if it's your own business, you don't have a choice but to do the work, or or no one else will do it G: Yeah. Nora: for you. So, yeah, just stick to it. We've got some big goals to end the year on as well. We've got some big targets to hit. for those of you that have been listening to these episodes from the very start, you will know what our revenue goal was for gel and we are very close to hitting it. So yeah we we're gonna have a two very productive months. And to do that we need to both log in, stick to our routine. take a break when we need to because sometimes like you know not taking a break can lead to burnout and we don't want that for either of us or the business will also suffer. And yeah, just keep using the little things, my morning routine, my evening routine, sticking to that, because I know it helps me perform. yeah. G: Love it. Nora: Cool. Well, thank you for listening, everyone. Hopefully you got some value out of this. and we will catch you guys next week. G: coming back next week for another one. Whoa! Nora: Yeah. Woo. G: Enjoy your week. Nora: Yeah. G: Thank you. Bye!