Demands from our professional and personal lives are increasing. It often feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to finish everything on our to-do lists. We all know of things we should be doing. These include focusing on healthy habits, engaging in lifelong learning, and fostering meaningful relationships. These actions would give us the edge over our competition. They would also improve the current quality of our lives in general. Yet, amid the chaos and distractions of modern life, we often postpone these essential activities. We focus on immediate but less rewarding tasks. This habit leads to a cycle of stress and dissatisfaction. It’s crucial to recognize that investing time in ourselves brings significant long-term benefits. These benefits enhance our overall well-being and boost our productivity.
These habits are designed to be things that can be implemented into even the busiest daily schedules relatively seamlessly. They will serve to optimize your efficiency and satisfaction with daily progress.
1. Mindful Meditation
When most of us hear the word meditation, we instantly conjure images of a stoic monk. This monk is perched atop a mountain top and making odd noises in the distance. This is certainly admirable. But, today meditation is mainstream among everyday people like you and me.
The wonderful thing about this practice is that it is adaptable and can be taken advantage of wherever you are. Meditation is often ill-defined, made out to be time-consuming and overly spiritual when this is not the case.
Set aside a modest amount of time in your day. This is five minutes or an hour. Sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Let your thoughts flow through your mind.
You don’t judge them as they, good or bad; you just let them come and go. Many meditation guides are available to get you started; YouTube is a great place to check some of these out.
The benefits, you ask?
According to the American Psychological Association, implementing daily meditation into your schedule fosters a variety of benefits, including:
• Significant symptoms of depression
• Stress reduction
• Increased working memory
• Even a higher reported level of relationship satisfaction
2. Proper Hydration
So here’s the thing: we have all heard that our bodies are 60% water. We need to drink at least 8 cups of it daily. Yet, as with other important tasks, we expertly avoid hydration. As a result, we are chronically dehydrated as a species.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that up to 75% of U.S. citizens are chronically dehydrated. It is common knowledge this is not conducive to living our best lives and achieving personal growth. Instead of the classic “water is good for you” phrase we’re all sick of, here are just a few benefits reported by the Australian Institute of Family Counseling that will kick off your journey to self-improvement:
• Improved mood
• Better concentration
• Increased oxygen delivery to the brain
3. Blue-Light Mitigation
Let’s face it; screens today dominate our world—desktop monitors, cell phones, billboard advertisement, and of course, televisions. I am not here to tell you to hide away in a cave and avoid screens at any costs. Still, dialing back your screen time when the sun sets is an absolute game changer.
Digital screens emit a type of light known as blue light. We won’t get too far into the science of the light spectrum. This type of light decreases the body’s natural production of melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates circadian rhythm and allows us to sleep properly.
Binge-watching Netflix or staring at your cellphone right before bed is damaging your sleeping habits. Think about how negatively this can impact our mission of self-growth and improvement.
Blue light not only keeps you up far too late. Harvard Medical School has found it has more serious effects. There is a correlation between increased blue light exposure and diabetes and obesity.
4. Efficient Scheduling
Many of us wake up every morning. We know we have a hectic day ahead. We don’t even know where to start. Trying to manoeuvre throughout a busy life is futile without guidance or direction.
This is where the power of scheduling saves the day. Each night, take a second to make a tentative schedule for the next day. You can do this on your cellphone. Just make sure you don’t end up on Facebook or cover your face with the blue light. Alternatively, use the old-school way; in your handy-dandy planner.
With each to-do, give a timeframe for when to start the task and what time you plan on completing it. Don’t think you must obsessively list every detail of your day; include the essential items.
I promise you’ll be amazed at how much more efficient you become. You will wonder why you now seemingly have increased hours in the day.
5. The Power Of Audiobooks
Household pieces of literature often just occupy space on the coffee table. They also make a bookshelf look esteemed and intellectual. We forget that leisurely reading is crucial to our growth as individuals. You ask, how could you possibly fit in time to read for the sake of reading? You are being pulled in a hundred different directions. This is where audiobooks come into play.
These beautiful creations allow you to pop in some headphones during your daily workout. You can also stream through your car during your daily commute. You will still be able to reap the benefits and the wealth of knowledge available via literature.
To emphasize the importance of daily reading, the Mayo Clinic states that, among other things, this practice serves to:
• Improve social skills
• Slow cognitive decline with age
• Improve sleep
6. Watch Those Around You
The phrase, “you are the total of the five people you surround yourself with”, is more than just a nice little term. It holds deeper meaning. It is something to seriously consider adding to your office desk. In the pursuit of optimizing your life and improving yourself as a human being, avoiding toxic people is a must.
You know the people I’m referring to. They are the complainers, naggers, and woe-is-me type of individuals. Such people can singlehandedly dull the sunniest days.
WebMD suggests that avoiding toxic people can result in a vast reduction in stress levels and even fatigue. If you take anything from this habit, please remember. It is perfectly OKAY to cut certain people and situations out of your life.
7. Wake Up Earlier (Just A Little Bit!)
You may have read the bold print above and been instantly tempted to stop reading. But, hear me out. Think about most of the habits we have already discussed that are incredibly beneficial to your individual growth and improvements.
How much easier would many of these be to implement if you gave yourself extra time in the morning? This would be before the family awakens and your cell phone starts buzzing uncontrollably.
Set that alarm back just a few ticks for a few days. Use this time to follow through on some of these habits. I doubt the minimal reduction in sleep will affect you negatively. It should be insignificant compared to the benefits you will experience.
