I love solving crossword puzzles. My dad would start the daily crossword in the newspaper, and when he got stuck, he would hand it to me. I would do what I could and if I didn’t finish it, I would hand it back to him. Together there wasn’t a crossword puzzle we couldn’t figure out.

In this new modern age, physical newspapers are becoming less common with apps and digital options taking precedence. My daily crossword is now solved via the New York Times app which features the same puzzle as in the printed paper.

For about the last 10 years, my nightly routine has been to lie down at night and do the daily mini and then the daily crossword puzzle. When I couldn’t sleep, I started doing the archived puzzles beginning back when they first started publishing them in the app. More recently they have added Wordle and some additional daily word games.

Some nights I would just complete the daily puzzle and fall asleep. Other nights I would toss and turn and also do three or four crosswords from the archive. I enjoy crosswords over other games like Sudoku because it requires mental focus, active thought, and I always learn something.

There is a satisfaction that comes from a well-done puzzle, and I admire the word play and mental challenge.

When I would get up in the morning, I often picked up my phone to finish a crossword from the night before, and was amazed how many times a clue I couldn’t think of when trying to fall asleep would be so easy to solve when my mind was fresh in the morning.

Lately I have been doing five or six crossword puzzles a night and would still toss and turn and be unable to fall asleep. I began to feel guilty for not sleeping yet not doing anything productive with my time. I started trying to reassess my life and activities and took steps to manage my activites better.

Enter the Vision Workshop and the Master Key Experience.

We are only halfway through Week 3, but it feels like I have accomplished so much already. In addition to the reading assignments, I also do daily Bible reading and a short self improvement training. From the beginning of MKE, I committed to a specific morning routine.

When I wake up, I do my daily Bible reading first and weigh myself. Next I read The Greatest Salesman, the Blueprint Builder, my DMP, and the Master Key. I do not allow myself to engage in any other mental activity before completing my reading.

Once this is completed, I do my self improvement lesson, take vitamins and supplements, drink a bottle of water, and take time to sit.

Currently I split my week between Louisiana and Mississippi, so my materials must be portable and easily accessible. I use a plastic project folder to hold everything so that my book and papers do not get crushed or mislaid.

I put the Blueprint Builder with my task cards at the bottom on one side of a clear sheet protector and my DMP on the other side. I also put the Master Key lesson for the week in another sheet protector. This enables me to keep everything close at hand while being protected.

I list everything I need to do for the week on an index card: Print handouts, attend Sunday webinar, complete survey, attend Monday Zoom, revise my DMP, write my blog post, register for next week’s webinar, as well as any action steps assigned in the webinars. This also helps me stay current and timely with my activities.

If I am working, some days I am able to do my after-lunch reading immediately after lunch, but other days I am working non-stop so I make sure to do the midday reading as soon as I get in from work or get a pause.

I have not missed a day although the exact time may vary. I have also recorded each of the readings in my own voice and if I am travelling early or late, I am able to listen to them.

My end of day routine is a little different depending where I am. If I am in Mississippi with my husband, we brush our teeth then he heads to bed and I return to the single multipurpose room we have to do my final reading.

I usually review my daily schedule for the next day beforehand, but once I complete my reading, I do not allow myself to look at or do anything else. Sometimes we have some light conversation, but I do not do anything on my phone except check my alarms for the next day.

Interestingly enough, I now quickly fall asleep and rest soundly until I wake up the next morning. There have only been a few nights that I wasn’t able to fall asleep immediately due to drinking caffeine that day, but I enjoy more restful sleep than I have in a long time.

I still do the New York Times crossword when I have a few minutes in the middle of the day, but now it is a reward for staying focused and building my new habits.