Impact of a Morning Routine

I love mornings. Each new day brings new opportunities and it’s a chance to start fresh and do better. How you start your day, or more specifically how you spend those first few morning hours has a big impact on the rest of it. Think of it as setting the tone for your entire day. That’s why making over your morning is so important. It’s about much more than those first few hours.

 

I’m sure you’ve experienced this yourself. Let’s use the snooze button as an example. You set an early alarm to make sure you have time for exercise, meditation, or simply some much needed “me time”. You have every intention of getting up and doing whatever you’re setting out to do when you set the alarm in the first place. Some mornings - hopefully most mornings - you get up when the alarm chimes and go for that walk, do your meditation exercise, or read a book for twenty minutes. Then there are those days when you just can’t make yourself get up. You hit the snooze button multiple times, or turn the alarm off altogether and go back to sleep.

 

Think about how the rest of those days went. Did you notice a difference in how you felt? How much did you got done on the mornings when you got up with your first alarm? Were you able to do all the things you set out to do? How did those days compare to the ones when you hit the snooze button over and over again?

 

If I had to take a guess, I’d say that the mornings when you got up as soon as the alarm went off went a lot smoother.  I bet you accomplished what you have planned to do, too. Chances are that sleeping through the snooze button didn’t just affect your morning, but the entire rest of your day. You set the tone for how your day is going to go first thing in the morning. That’s what the old saying about getting up on the wrong side of the bed is about. Let’s make sure we get up on the right side and start our day off in a positive and productive way. 

 

Over the course of the next seven posts, I want to guide you through the process of making over your morning. As we’ve already established, this is an important task and a good thing to work on and pay attention to. Not only will you enjoy your mornings more even if the alarm goes off much earlier than you’d like, it will make the entire rest of your day go much smoother. 

How Better Self-Care Can Lead To Success

Self-care is often brushed aside for things seen as more important; business meetings, social commitments, family obligations. While these things are important (and can in some cases contribute to self-care), it is important that we take time to ourselves when we need it. This personal investment will not be for nothing; in fact, self-care is important if we want to optimise our performance in any area of our lives. Taking the time to maintain our physical, emotional and mental health can lead to success in many ways.

 

1.    Helps us to maintain perspective

 

Self-care, regardless of the form, allows us the time to reflect and therefore better understand ourselves as individuals. We are better able to identify our triggers and put things in to perspective, rearranging our priorities to understand what is important and what isn’t. This perspective contributes to a healthier life as we understand where stress is justified and where we should be more relaxed.

 

2.    Helps us to keep positive

 

Self-care is great for our mental and emotional wellbeing. People who invest time in taking care of themselves are more likely to be more optimistic and see the silver linings in bad situations. It is an effective way for maintaining positive moods, rather than succumbing to darker emotions.

 

3.    Improves our relationships

 

By investing time in ourselves, we are better placed to interact with and support others. Self-care allows us to maintain our own health and therefore put us in a good place to be able to engage with others and maintain strong relationships. 

 

4.    Improves our work performance

 

While self-care is sometimes seen as indulgent, it often has a much broader impact that goes beyond our own lives. People who invest in self-care are more likely to be healthier, both physically and mentally, and are therefore better prepared to perform at work. They are likely to be more focused, more emotionally stable and form stronger, more positive relationships. All of these things are highly beneficial in the workplace and will lead to greater performance.

 

It does take time to invest in self-care, although the benefits far outweigh the price. Take the time to establish a good routine that includes self-care practices, whatever this looks like to you, and you will be sure to reap the rewards. Self-care is an important component of maintaining good health and should not be overlooked or disregarded. 

10 Ways To Implement Self-Care In Your Life

Self-care is often overlooked and pushed aside for more important, more pressing commitments. The truth is that self-care should be a priority. Without it, we cannot function at our optimum and therefore different areas of our life may be detrimentally impacted. The modern lifestyle is a busy one, with individuals often rushing between commitments, however there are still ways you can implement self-care in your life. Here are ten ways you can add self-care to your routine so that you can maintain your physical, mental and emotional health.

 

1.    Identify what self-care is to you

 

We all have different needs and different ways of unwinding. Identify what self-care is the most effective for you. It may be taking a walk and getting outdoors, or curling up by the fire with a good book. It may be surrounding yourself with good friends, taking a bike ride or soaking in a long, hot bath. Whatever it is, learn to define self-care for you as an individual so that you can better take care of yourself.

 

2.    Establish a routine

 

Once you understand what self-care works for you, add it to your routine. Commit to engaging the activity regularly until it becomes a habit, something that is simply a normal part of your life.

 

3.    Get regular, good quality sleep

 

Establish a sleep routine so that you are getting enough high-quality sleep. Sleep is a critical part of maintaining good health and should not be underestimated. By implementing a sleep routine, you can ensure that you are getting enough rest and are therefore optimally prepared to perform at your best.

 

4.    Eat a balanced diet

 

Diet is an important part of self-care and has a significant impact on your health. Make sure to eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, avoiding soft drink and processed foods.

 

5.    Exercise regularly

 

Exercise if great for physical, mental and emotional health and should be a part of any self-care routine.

 

6.    Learn to say no

 

The ability to establish boundaries can be important to self-care. Rather than simply saying yes to everything until things become unbearable or seemingly impossible, learn to say no when you are busy or feeling under pressure. 

 

7.    Get organised

 

A little organisation can go a long way in regard to your self-care. Implementing strategies to be more organised can really help reduce your stress and improve your mental health.

 

8.    De-clutter your environment

 

Get rid of the rubbish and excess goods in your house; a cleaner, less cluttered space is great for your mental health as it will help to reduce stress levels.

 

9.    Schedule time to yourself

 

It can often feel like we are being pulled in a million different directions. Make sure to schedule time for your self-care and don’t allow this to be interrupted.

 

10. Take a break

 

If things are getting too much, take a break. It might be taking a few days off work, getting away for the weekend or taking a longer vacation; regardless of the length, sometime simply stepping out of the environment can be great for perspective and self-care. 

6 Reasons Why You Should Prioritise Self-Care

Self-care refers to any activity that we engage in to maintain and nourish our health, including mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. While it may seem like an obvious concept, self-care often gets cast aside for more pressing priorities such as work, family and the everyday pressures of life. There are many reasons why you should prioritise self-care and we’ve listed six of the most important below.

 

1.    Improves mood

 

Investing time in your own care can have a major impact on your mood, leading to greater optimism and positivity. It will help you to feel happier, more satisfied and better able to cope with the challenges that life throws you way. Even taking a small amount of time per week to nurture your physical, emotional and mental health can be hugely beneficial on your mood.

 

2.    Helps relationships

 

Self-care helps you to be the best person you can be, which in turn as a positive impact on your relationships. Taking regular time to invest in your personal health allows you to be happier and more stable as an individual. This has a flow on effect as it allows you to be more patient and accommodating with others and therefore have better relationships.

 

3.    Decreases risk of burnout

 

We all lead busy lives and regular investment in self-care is necessary to avoid burnout. Find a form of self-care that works for you, whether that be taking a walk, spending time with family or getting a massage, and commit to engaging in it regularly. It will help to manage your stress and prevent burnout.

 

4.    Makes you become more present

 

Spending time managing yourself allows you to become more present and engaged with your surroundings. You are likely to have a better understanding of what it takes to maintain your mental, physical and emotional health, thus resulting in you having a greater focus on your current mood and trigger that have the potential to impact your health.

 

5.    Better performance

 

Self-care is often seen as indulgent, when in actual fact it can have a much broader impact. Looking after yourself helps to maintain your health, which in turn allows you to perform better in all aspects of your life: work, family, sport.

 

6.    Increases quality of life

 

The overarching benefit of self-care is that it increases the quality of your life. By helping you to be healthier, have better relationships and be more present, self-care allows you to live a more fulfilling life.

5 Tips For Better Self-Care

It can be difficult to make time for self-care in our busy schedules. We run from one commitment to another, filling every gap in our life with work, study, family and social events. The chaos of modern life makes it even more important that we take the time to care for our individual wellbeing, both physically and mentally. If you are struggling with your own self-care, consider these five tips to improve your habits.

 

1.    Add self-care to your normal routine

 

When planning your weekly schedule, make sure that you have time for self-care. Cementing its place in your routine means that you will be more likely to commit to self-care as you will have allocated time specifically reserved for it. The more often you practice self-care, the more it will become a habit and part of your regular life. 

 

2.    Do what suits you

 

Self-care looks for different for everyone. Some people enjoy getting outdoors, others like catching up with friends and some people prefer sitting at home losing themselves in a good book or movie. Identify what makes you feel better and commit to that. Don’t feel pressured by what others consider self-care; long walks arenít for everyone.

 

3.    Practice gratitude

 

Engaging in regular gratitude practice is a valuable habit and a worthwhile way to spend your allocated self-care time. Take some time each day or week to write down three things that you are grateful for. Try to think of unique things that have happened for that week, rather than repeating the same common things each time. It may be difficult at first, but the more you practice gratitude the easier it will become. Regular participation in gratitude exercises trains your brain to be more thankful and positive about the things you have in your life, rather than focusing on the things you don’t have or things that aren’t going so well.

 

4.    Be brave and try something new

 

Trying something new is a great way to break the monotony of everyday life. Your mental health will benefit and you will learn new skills, both through the actual activity but also in regard to managing your nerves and being open to new opportunities. It’s a great way to take care of your mental, and depending on the activity, physical health.

 

5.    Detox from social media

 

Social media can be a great way to keep in touch with people, but in can also lead to resentment through comparison. If you are feeling overwhelmed or finding yourself in a rut, take a break of social media to become more present and rejuvenate in the real world.

4 Self-Care Tips For Extra Busy People

Finding time to invest in self-care can be challenging, especially when you live an extra busy life. When your days are spent bouncing between work, family and social commitments, there can be little time left to catch your breath let alone take time to care for your physical, mental and emotional health. If you are struggling to find time left for self-care, try these four tips to incorporate good self-care habits in your routine.

 

1.    Establish a morning routine

 

Starting the day right is a good way to ensure your mental and physical health is maintained. This might include a healthy breakfast, daily exercise or meditation; figure out what works for you and implement it daily. Over time this will become a habit, helping you to take some time for self-care every day.

 

2.    Schedule time off

 

It can be easy to find yourself in a cycle of continuous activity, moving from one activity to the next until it seems you are just going through the motions. Make sure you don’t get lost in the chaos by scheduling some time off. It might be an afternoon away from your normal routine, or something more extravagant like a weekend away or vacation. Whatever you choose, taking a break will allow you to relax and rejuvenate.

 

3.    Get enough sleep

 

It can be easy to prioritise other commitments over sleep, but the importance of sleep should not be underrated. Getting good quality sleep allows your body to heal and re-energise, helping you to perform in all areas of your life. It can also be hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle without proper sleep as we tend to make bad diet choices and avoid exercise when we are sleep deprived. Sleep is critical for physical and mental health, which is why it should be made a priority regardless of how busy you are.

 

4.    Set realistic goals

 

Manage your mental health by setting realistic goals. There’s no point committing to something that is unachievable or will put so much pressure on you that you feel like a failure. Spend some time considering your aspirations and make goals that are challenging, but possible for you to reach. You also need to set realistic goals when it comes to your self-care commitments. Add things to your routine that will work long term with your lifestyle.

 

With limited hours in the day, it can be nearly impossible to make time for self-care. These tips should help you incorporate self-care into your schedule so that you can live life to the fullest.

7 Ways to Overcome Self-Defeating Behaviour

We tend to think that most opposition comes from around us; a complaining spouse, a controlling boss, a road-raging driver but rarely do we acknowledge the truth of the matter: we are often our own worst enemies. Here are a few ways to stop self-defeating behaviour. 

 

1.    Let go of victory.

 

It’s nice to win, but you don’t have to win all the time. The lust for victory can often lead a person to keep chugging along a path of stupidity, wastefulness, and recklessness. On the other hand, sometimes it’s good to admit defeat and win a lesson instead. 

 

2.    Stop trying to please everyone.

 

You cannot make everyone happy all of the time. Rushing around and trying to make other people happy is a huge cause of self-defeating behaviour. Whether you’re doing it at work or in your personal relationships, trying to make everyone happy all the time can cost you your health and peace of mind.

 

3.    Accept imperfection.

 

If you seek perfection, you will never find completion. Can you imagine great artists like Michelangelo continuing to work and work on the Sistine Chapel, because it wasn’t exactly the way he wanted it? Nothing would ever get done! Imperfection is part of being human, and most of the time, you’re the only one who will notice your mistakes anyway. 

 

4.    Eliminate bad habits.

 

These days, most people have bad habits that relate to technology, like obsessively checking our email or social media accounts. Take stock of how you spend your time. Make a detailed log of the minutes and hours, and see how much time you might be wasting with various pursuits. 

 

5.    Overcome fear.

 

Fear is something that holds most people back from living a higher purpose. You can’t fly if you don’t jump, and you can’t jump if you’re afraid. Fear doesn’t necessarily have to be a direct sense of trepidation. It might be disguised as laziness or avoidance. 

 

6.    Stop being a lone wolf.

 

Everybody needs help sometimes, even lone wolfs. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help when you need it, because a severe, self-imposed sense of independence could actually be doing you more harm than good. Whether it’s in business or personal life, make friends, accept help, and seek help when it’s needed.

 

7.    Drop the guilt.

 

Allow yourself to enjoy life, even if your past is checkered. People can change and grow, so you don’t have to let your past hold you back. Most of us are raised with a mentality that we have to slave away for someone else and only enjoy the weekend, but you can break free from this thought prison.

6 Tips for Finding Optimism

Optimism... it’s a four syllable word that can be harder to find than diamonds in South Africa. But believe it or not, you too can tap into the earth of your surroundings and dig up a rich store of feel-good. Here are a few ways to do that.

 

1.    Find laughter.

 

These days, it isn’t hard to find. With YouTube and social media, there is no shortage of memes, videos, vines, and more to get you cracking. You could also rent a funny movie, watch stand-up comedy, or hangout with funny people. Laughter will lead you to smiling, and smiling will lead you to feeling good. Which brings us to our next point…

 

2.    Turn the frown upside down.

 

It’s hard to believe that something as smiling can improve your mood, but studies have linked outward acts of happiness to an internal shift. Practice by looking in the mirror and smiling, even it if feels cheesy, stupid, and inauthentic. Hold your smile for a minute, two minutes, five minutes... see how long you can go. Start the day off with a smile, and make a conscious effort to smile more.

 

3.    Use positive words.

 

Studies have shown and confirmed what spiritual traditions have long held regarding the power of the tongue: words can literally shape the reality around us. If you want to build a more positive vibe, try using more positive words. Eliminate negative talk about yourself, and others as well. 

 

4.    Find positive people.

 

The impact of those we hang out with is enormous. Avoid negative influences and people who bring your down with complaining and criticism. Misery loves company, the old adage goes, and these people will quickly bring you into a downward spiral. Find friends who are upbeat, positive, and happy, and their resilience and optimism will pass on to you.

 

5.    Stay healthy.

 

If you’re feeling tired and sick, it’s easy to get irritable and negative. By contrast, try maintaining an active lifestyle of healthy choices that can maximize your energy levels and build you up. It’s easier to be upbeat and happy when you feel good inside and out.

 

6.    Get spiritual and/or actualized.

 

Most spiritual traditions promote a positive outlook on life. If you’re not so into organized religion, find something that can provide a positive outlet for you, like exercise, music, art, or reading. Just like using positive words can turn our perspective around, filling our hearts and minds with good stuff will help optimism come easier.