Breathe in….. breathe out. Prolong the exhale.
Your breath is powerful. It has the power to improve your mood, your mental health and the way that your body functions.
That sounds so easy and simple, doesn’t it?
There are loads of other simple ways to improve your life.
Not just from the comfort of your own home, but from the comfort of your own mind, your own body.
Let’s start with your morning routine:
Try and go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day. A few minutes either way doesn’t really matter, so if you’re keen on the snooze button then don’t panic just yet.
When you wake up, have a glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon – you can use up to half a lemon if desired, but just a few drops are great too.
(Warm water is beneficial by itself too, if you’re not good with the bitter taste of lemons.)
Lemon water has a whole host of benefits. From helping to detox the body, to being a natural mood enhancer.
Who needs that morning cuppa, huh?
Next up: breakfast!
Protein is a fantastic way to start the day.
An egg or a bowl of porridge are both excellent for high nutritional value as well prolonged energy and satisfaction until lunch time.
Throughout the day, a bit of exercise and/or meditation are good ways to refresh your mind and body.
A short walk around the block during your lunchbreak, or a few minutes in a quiet room, focusing on your breath.
A short walk can give you fresh air and a boost of serotonin, and a few minutes of meditation can calm your mind and help you to regain focus. If you’re feeling a bit sluggish or struggling for motivation, these two simple methods can really improve your mindset.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. It’s a simple tip, but we’re all known to forget sometimes.
Herbal tea, lemon water or filtered water are all excellent ways to remain hydrated.
In the evening, try not to eat too late, as it can disrupt your sleep cycle and affect your digestion.
This can be a tricky task in the modern world where we’re alert at all hours of the day, but try to eat healthily and regularly – looking after your physical and mental needs is vital to sustain a busy lifestyle.
Find time to relax when you’re away from work or other duties. Switch any devices off that you use for your professional duties, or leave them in a different room.
Do
something you enjoy – watch a movie, read a book, play a game, do a jigsaw.
As bedtime draws nearer, dim the lights or switch on a lamp. Avoid screens if you can, and have a relaxing bath or shower.
Meditation is great at any time of day, but first thing in the morning and/or last thing at night are particularly beneficial.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see instant benefits – it takes time to change your lifestyle. For example, after a week or two of drinking lemon water, you might notice your skin is smoother and you’re feeling more energised in the morning.
After a week or two of meditation, you may find that you’re feeling calmer and more positive.
What’s great about these methods is that you are creating options and resources to transform your day whenever you need them.
And our last few tips…
Smiling, even for no reason, can give you an instant mood boost.
Turn off
your phone for a few minutes. In fact, go out for a stroll and leave it at
home.
The world is the most connected that it’s ever been but yet this can mean that we don’t appreciate real life, real conversations, or nature quite as much. Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett talks about this in his book, Happy Sexy Millionaire.
Compliment yourself every time you look in the mirror – an awesome way to improve both your mood and your self esteem.
Read poetry.
Try a new skill at least once a week – there are YouTube guides for pretty much everything nowadays (within reason – seek out a real life expert or coach if possible).
Smile at and give a positive word to the staff in your local shop.
That’s all for today, see you next time.
Matt x
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