- SLEEP
Sleep is the most important factor for a person’s well-being; it not only rests the body, re-synchronizes its organ systems and clears the mind of clutter, it will restore balance to your life as your body acclimates to its own needs and natural timetable.
Sleep also affects the ability to learn and remember, as explained by the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, “…animal and human studies suggest that the quantity and quality of sleep have a profound impact on learning and memory…” Without proper sleep, being exhausted will impact your ability to perform well and focus, even to the point of succumbing to accidents and injuries.
If social commitments are interfering with your sleep, causing you to set aside necessary evening chores until after everyone else is fast asleep, resolutions need to be enacted. Car-pooling for the children’s evening sport or club events is used by many active parents, giving them a small break to catch up on things. If multiple commitments of your own occupy several evenings, it may be time to cut back on one or more of those activities.
Whatever may be cutting into your ability to acquire the proper amount of sleep, only you have the power to re-assess and make appropriate changes to get a good night’s sleep and be ready for the next day. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to catch those Zzzzzs.
- EXERCISE
To many, that is almost a dirty word. “Who has time to exercise in today’s busy world filled with work, children, and all the other responsibilities which swallow us up?” You do! You have the time, really, and the good news is that you can start exercising today, without any special equipment or memberships, simply by walking.
Start out at a comfortable pace and slowly increase it as advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “You don’t have to do high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity to reduce your risk of premature death.” For anyone who has been sedentary too long, the easiest way to begin an exercise program is to start walking, even if it is walking-in-place. Of course you will check with your physician before you begin any exercise program.
There are a multitude of reasons to introduce exercise into your daily life. One of the first benefits is a change in attitude. Exercise releases endorphins which improve mood; it can also help you sleep better at night.
By week two after starting an exercise regime, your body will want to do it regularly. In time, depending on the type of exercise, frequency and duration, your weight may begin to drop. Other benefits, of which you may not be aware, are changes to your cardiovascular system – lower blood pressure and better cholesterol reports. Your new exercise plan will help reduce chances of suffering type 2 diabetes, and new studies have shown that exercise can lower your risk of colon and breast cancers.
With all the benefits that regular exercise provides, do yourself a favor and add it to your daily life. You will not regret it!
- FRATERNIZE
As part of the animal kingdom, we are among many species that socialize. It is an innate part of our nature. Through fraternizing, communities are protected by their numbers, supported in times of need, and progressively strengthened through new ideas. Humans were not intended to be solitary creatures. We need companionship, whether it is through family, co-workers, or extracurricular organizations.
Make sure to set aside time everyday to fulfill this need and converse with others cheerfully. It may be a fifteen minute phone call, a brief chat while passing by a neighbor, or a marathon phone call with an old acquaintance. The point is, make it a quality rather than quantity moment in time with another human. Be sure to talk about lighthearted things, avoiding topics such as jobs, finances, and other troubles. It is not that hard to do. Focus on something you find entertaining, positive or enlightening, share those thoughts in your conversation. Your perception of self will be elevated while validating that you are part of something greater.
- ORGANIZE
If there is a place for everything, put everything in its place! Not only will you know where things are when you are looking for them, distracting clutter will be eliminated. Clutter is an instant, visual reminder of being too busy. It does not take long to get organized. Start small. Set realistic goals.
Let the first task of your day be to make your bed. They do this in the military. Why? It sets the mood for the day. Every time you walk past your bedroom and see the tidy bed, you see the first accomplishment of the day and are encouraged to keep that pace moving forward. It may seem a small effort, but it has a big payback in attitude.
Junk drawers and closets may seem overwhelming to clean out; not so if you use the ‘like’ rule. Begin sorting like-things in separate piles, start by picking a maximum of three, different, like-things. When your pile of pencils, batteries, or loose change is complete, put them in a predetermined, specific location just for them. It is a terrific feeling when looking for something and finding it exactly where it is supposed to be situated. Move on to the next group of three like-things, continue in this manner until your junk drawer is tidy and contains useful items for its location.
The benefit of limiting your organizing task to only three like-things is that you will finish that first set of items quickly. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment and motivation to keep moving forward.
There, you have a start. A little bit of organizing everyday will help to achieve your goal of being in control and feeling accomplished.
- Let it Go
Set the negatives in your life free. This is a change in lifestyle attitude. Ask yourself what you might be holding onto that is affecting your outlook; contributing to your worries. Know what you can change and what you cannot change; accept the truth of the situation(s) and set about to change what can be changed while releasing what cannot be changed.
Part of letting go is being able to dig deeper into your own psyche. Make time to be alone, with ‘you’. Daydream, meditate, examine your thoughts, and where they take you. Get to know yourself better. Be especially kind to yourself and walk away from whatever may be causing chronic negativity. If you need to walk out of your past, do it. Your future is waiting for you and may not be compatible with the baggage of your past or unhealthy relationships.
Finally, there is no right or wrong way to start making these changes in your life. Start with just one of these approaches if it seems too overwhelming to attempt all at once. The point is to take that first step forward to improving your everyday life. If you have a setback, do not be discouraged, most success stories are built from the rocky road of failures. Turn those failures into stepping stones!