Bad stress is a significant contributor to illnesses. One person out of three reports feeling very stressed in their daily life, which tends to put us at risk of activating harmful viruses that may be in our system.
When we experience bad stress, we harm our body’s ability to fight antigens with antibodies. Daily stress and stressful situations can be detrimental to our immune system. The more stress reduction activities you can bring in your life, the stronger your immune system will become. Here are two tips to help you reduce your stress and increase your immunity to viruses.
Change Your Mindset
You can change your mindset by being more positive and live in the present moment. According to studies across the world, positivism is a trait that increases your health and reduces your chances of being sick from a virus. Not only is the immune system of optimistic people more robust, but they also show signs of being healthier in general. Whatever happens around you, you always have a choice of how you respond to that situation. You either see it with half-full glass or half-empty glass. An excellent way to start improving your attitude is to focus on gratitude. Finding things that you are grateful for will help you see the best in everything. You can do so by writing in a journal the daily gratitude that you want to express. Besides, practicing mindfulness will help you to manage your tensions. Mindfulness is the ability to stay in the present moment and stop worrying about the past or the future. Less mental stress also means less physical stress and give more power to your immune system.
A Final Thought / Tap Into the Power of Aromas
Aromas from essential oils can help you boost your immune system while bringing a sense of calmness into space. One of the most effective essential oils is Lavender. Lavender is a powerful oil in which antioxidants help the body protect the cells from toxins. You can use it in a diffuser to help kill allergen and bring a fresh scent to your home and help you relax. Place a drop of lavender oil on your pillow to improve your sleep. Another great way to use lavender oil is by adding two to four drops to your bathwater. Lavender oil will help you release the toxins from your body while finding a deep sense of relaxation.
Those are my tips, comment below and let me know which one resonates most with you.
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While working from home has a lot of upsides, it also has a few challenges. One is social isolation and loneliness. Here are just a few ways you can overcome that.
1. Go Out
Working from home is really more of a figure of speech rather than a literal description of where you are going to work (unless you are reading this during the Coronavirus outbreak!) – because actually when you’re self-employed or working at home, you can work anywhere.
Why not then go and work in a café in town? This way you will at least get to chat to the staff that work there and maybe some other people sitting in. Or alternatively of course you can sit in a bar or pub, or when it’s sunny relax on the grass in the sun with a glass of juice. This way working for yourself becomes a much more desirable, and at the same time you’ll be likely to encounter more people, have more conversations and possibly even meet attractive members of the opposite sex. Of course, you also need to be open to chatting to people for this to work.
For those that can’t leave the house, working in the garden is an option. And in the front garden, you’ll be able to tip your cap to people as they walk by!
2. Meet Up With Others
You can also make blogging, coding, or entering data more sociable by using the opportunity to meet up with people you don’t normally see. For instance, you can meet your friends for lunch on their lunch break, or you can meet them after work if they finish early. You’ve got the time, and you can even do things like design work while you chat. And in fact, this will be a lot more sociable than most people are in the office anyway. Apart from anything else you’ll be chatting to people who are actually your real friends rather than just colleagues.
If this isn’t an option? Then you can always call them over lunch instead!
3. Network
Networking and interacting with others in your industry is very good for your career and a great way to promote your business and make contacts. At the same time, it can make your business less unsociable, so try attending networking events, working face to face with designers and marketers, and responding to your fan mail rather than locking yourself away. It’s good for your site, and it’s even better for your mental health…
Those are my tips, comment below and let me know which one resonates most with you.
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We all face barriers in our life, and sometimes we wish we had a magic wand to make them disappear. I haven’t found that magic wand yet, but I have two tips for you that might help you knock down those barriers you are facing today.
Step #1: Be Self-Aware
Being self-aware simply means that you can observe yourself from a non-judgmental perspective. When you are self-aware, you can catch yourself in the present moment experiencing a specific state, reaction, or feeling.
The more you are aware of your emotions, the more you start to understand yourself. For example, you might observe that you tend to be reactive when someone provides you with a suggestion on how to do something different, or you catch yourself nervously laughing at a situation that isn’t funny. When you are aware of your emotions, you have a better idea of who you are and how you tend to react in certain situations. It is also the best way to improve yourself on certain aspects that you don’t find optimal. You become less driven by drama.
Not only will self-awareness help you remove the barriers in your life, but it will also help you with the following:
- Experience a greater ability to recognize your emotions
- Improve your critical thinking
- Improve your relationships
- Live in the present moment
- Experience more joy and happiness
Self-awareness is the key to live a life without barriers.
Step #2: Build your self-esteem
Self-esteem is the way we perceive or evaluate our worth and is the ultimate belief we place on ourselves. People with high self-esteem tend not to see problems as a barrier but an opportunity for growth. On the other hand, people with low self-esteem will often stop themselves from doing something because they feel they are not capable of.
You can increase your self-esteem by appreciating yourself. Have the goal of becoming your best friend. Take some time to hang out with yourself once in a while. It will help you build a level of comfort in being by yourself. Add some self-care during those moments; it will help you increase self-respect. Compassion toward ourselves and self-love will often lead to better self-esteem and higher self-confidence. No barriers will stand in your way.
Those are my two tips comment below and let me know which one resonates most with you.
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Everybody struggles with their sense of identity at some point in their life. We idolise others, search for perfection outside ourselves, and let our envy get the best of us.
It’s great to draw inspiration from those we admire, but where do you draw the line?
If you find yourself jumping from obsession to obsession or trying to force an image that is just not you onto those you’re close to, you may find your sense of identity becoming even more muddled and frustrating.
Imposter Syndrome
When I was in secondary school, I had a new identity I was trying to peddle every day, and it devastated me when no one believed it. I hated being told to ‘be myself’ because I didn’t know what that meant. I had zero self confidence because I didn’t have any sense of self in the first place.
When I was researching for this post, I came across this definition of imposter syndrome and really love it.
“The imposter syndrome is a psychological term referring to a pattern of behavior where people doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud.” – Psychology Today
It’s when you have a story in your head about why you’ve achieved what you have and you validate it externally instead of attributing it to yourself. It’s like there’s a main external reason you’re winning and it’s not you. Example: getting into college because you were on a sports scholarship so really it wasn’t because you were smart enough. Or running a business “full time” but really it’s because your husband financially supported you.
Imposter syndrome is really the feeling of either 1) self doubt, 2) inadequacy, 3) fear, or 4) shame.
It’s always based in self doubt.
It’s believing you don’t deserve what you have created.
It’s feeling afraid the other shoe is going to drop.
It’s not allowing yourself to be present with what you’ve created.
It’s pushing away something good. It’s immediately anticipating it leaving.
It’s falsely believing you’re unworthy. Your worth is 100%. You just have a low opinion of yourself and that’s totally optional to you.
I would say the first step to curing Imposter Syndrome, and finding out how to ‘be yourself’, is to stop caring what other people think.
1. Don't Look At Yourself Through Other People's Eyes
This happened for me shortly after I left school and started spending more time by myself. I’m not saying that isolating yourself from everyone (especially not the people you care about) is a good idea, but you should be putting more energy into just enjoying the time you have on your own. Be as comfortable as possible; do whatever your heart desires. It will help you to find a clearer sense of what you like to feel and do better than when you’re around other people. That brings us to step two.
Related:
"Care less about what the other people think, because at the end of the day everyone is so worried about themselves and how they are coming across that nobody is judging as much as y'all think they are."
2. Embrace Your Strengths
Everybody has something they’re good at, some niche, a word that will always be a go-to adjective to describe themselves.
Most people might say ‘creative’, ‘intelligent’, ‘compassionate’, etc. The trick is to pick words that reflect who you are, not who you wish you were. So even though I would really like to define myself as ‘successful’, I’m going to go with ‘playful’. And if you’re having trouble coming up with a word, for whatever reason, here’s one for every single one of you (ironically enough): unique.
Side Note: There are no variations or levels of the word ‘unique’. You cannot say that something is more unique than something else. The word itself means ‘one of a kind’.
Related:
3. Idolise Yourself
Think of all the attributes your fake persona would have.
You know, that person you pretend to be or wish you were. Are they a totally independent badass a la Lisbeth Salander? Or maybe you wish you were pretty, bubbly, and popular like Elle Woods.
It doesn’t matter what it is.
Usually, the people you idolise (fictional or not) resemble some part of you, that’s where the attraction comes from.
So if you find yourself bouncing between lots of idols and identities, focus on what you like about them and where to find those attributes within yourself. Instead of dying your hair or dressing like said person, look at their other characteristics (not the physical ones like demeanor and looks).
If someone seems really cool and independent, focus on becoming more independent in your own life and embracing the ways you already are. Learn to idolise yourself!
A Final Thought
As long as your goal is bigger than your current life, you’re going to feel inadequate because if you already felt adequate, you’d already have the result.
Know this.
Practice overcoming imposter syndrome by following the steps above. At each level of growth and success you’ll need to do this.
It’s 100% always worth it.
I hope you have found the above educational. Please feel free to contact me and I’ll leave you with that.
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The Slight Edge says the things we do or don’t do every day, compound over time to move us closer or farther away from our goals.
While it may not seem like a lot if you just decide to take it easy for a day or two, over time this actually has a massive effect. Just improving yourself by .1% every single day, will add up tremendously over time.
The Slight Edge is a philosophy. It is a way of thinking. The Slight Edge is, therefore, an important tool or processor of information in the self-help world.
“This book can be described as the how-to of all the how-to’s out there.”
The author emphasizes how there is so much information out there and somehow people’s lives are not changing. The Slight Edge is, therefore, a way of taking this information and implementing it in your life. It is a way of processing the information in the self-help books.
- Our results and lifestyle are because of our actions
- Our actions are due to our attitudes
- And our attitudes are due to our philosophy
- Our actions are due to our attitudes
The Seven Slight Edge Principles can be used every day for your personal and business life. They are:
1. Show Up:
“Be the frog who not only decides to jump off the lily pad,” writes Olson, “but actually jumps”.
Believe it or not, showing up means winning half the battle – because basically one out of two people don’t.
“The world is rife with hesitation,” comments Olson, and, unfortunately, hesitation is “the cornerstone of mediocrity.”
You don’t want to live a life of not trying.
As “Nike” says – just do it.
You’ll have plenty of time to think about it later.
2. Be Consistent:
80% of success may be showing up – as Woody Allen famously quipped once – but only if it means showing up consistently.
If you will commit to showing up consistently,” notes Olson, “every day, no matter what, then you have already won well more than half the battle. The rest is up to skill, knowledge, drive, and execution.
How do you measure effectiveness if what you are measuring isn’t performed consistently? Be consistent.
3. Have a Good Attitude:
If you had a nickel every time some self-help author told you this – well, you’ll have a lot of nickels!
But, have you ever wondered why so many people have written volumes and volumes about the power of positive thinking?
There’s a simple reason: it works!
So, from now on, the glass isn’t just half full – it’s overflowing!
And when I say “from now on,” I mean starting today!
"Each of us has the ability to put our unique human potential into action and to acquire a desired result. But the one thing that determines the level of our potential—that produces the intensity of our activity and predicts the quality of the result we receive—is our attitude."
4. Be Committed for a Long Period of Time:
From Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” to Matthew Syed’s “Bounce”, they all say the same: if you put in about 10,000 hours of practice, no endeavor is impossible.
That’s about eight hours a day, forty hours a week, fifty weeks a year, for five years.
Are you willing to sacrifice as much to excel in something?
Jim Rohn also relates to the Biblical story, The Parable of the Sower. The sower committed to sowing seed regardless of the outcome. Keep sowing, sowing and sowing (thus making it a habit) and you’ll eventually reap the harvest.
5. Have Faith and a Burning Desire:
The power of “desire backed by faith” is what Napoleon Hill said was the driving force behind all successful people.
I believe in the power of desire backed by faith,” he wrote in his unforgettable classic, “Think and Grow Rich,” because I have seen this power lift men from lowly beginnings to places of power and wealth; I have seen it rob the grave of its victims; I have seen it serve as the medium by which men staged a comeback after having been defeated in a hundred different ways.
Another important tip is to be specific about what you want and write it down!
"There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, and the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it."
6. Be Willing to Pay the Price:
If you want to put 10,000 hours into something you will have to put a lot less into something else. That’s just how it goes. But it’s not that bad: it ultimately more than pays off. It’s just something you need to be aware of. That way – and that way only – you’ll be able to live in the present.
Jeff Olson says, “Anything worth having is worth working and paying a price for.”
Zig Zilar said; “You do not pay the price of success, you enjoy the price of success.”
Following the Slight Edge Principles will keep you on track.
7. Practice Slight Edge Integrity:
Edgar Guest, America’s beloved English-born People’s Poet, once wrote a great little poem called “My Creed.”
Among its lines, there’s a famous distich you should take really seriously: “to be the same when I’m alone/ As when my every deed is known.”
That’s called integrity.
Integrity and character are demonstrated as by what you do when no one’s looking. Be true to yourself first.
The compounding effect of the Slight Edge Principles works both ways.
What’s easy to do is also easy not to do.
Success is a compilation of small daily decisions. Missing a day or two or three might go unnoticed for a while but the compounding effect of good and bad decisions eventually work for you or against you.
Key Lessons from “The Slight Edge”
1. The Simple Philosophy of the Slight Edge
If you save a penny today and double the amount you save each passing day, by the end of the month, you will have earned £10 million pounds!
If you improve in any area of your choice just 1% on a daily basis, by the end of the given year, you will be 365% better!
That’s the essence of the slight edge philosophy: steady wins the race.
Or, in other words, by making the same small step day by day – in time, you’ll have walked a thousand miles.
Laozi said that.
And he was a smart guy.
2. The Three Simple Steps to Your Dreams
Achieving a goal is nothing difficult.
It’s based on three simple steps.
First, you need to write it down and give the goal both a what and a when (i.e., a clear, detailed description, and a specific timeline).
Then, don’t forget about it. Look at it every day, and “soak your subconscious in it.”
Finally, start with a plan. May it be as simple as possible in the beginning. Remember – the point, for now, is to start acting.
A Final Thought
The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success, written by Jeff Olson, is quite an amazing book with a ton of real world advice that you can use daily. The major point is understanding that anyone can have a slight edge in their life by doing the small tasks in life that unsuccessful people neglect to follow through with. Continue making great choices, whether the short term consequences are small or large, and you will live an amazing life following the Slight Edge principle.
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Have you ever felt like you have so many dreams and potential but like nothing is happening?
I feel like that some days and I realised that those are the days when I have nothing planned and I’m just wandering around the house. I feel like so many of us wander through life not fulfilling our potential and feeling stuck, (especially right now in 2020 when Coronavirus has forced us to be at home).
The good news is there is a cure for that. That cure, is making a plan and taking action to bring your plan to life.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
Why Set Goals?
Top-level athletes, successful business people and achievers in all fields all set goals. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation . It focuses your acquisition of knowledge, and helps you to organise your time and your resources so that you can make the most of your life.
By setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, and you’ll see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind. You will also raise your self-confidence , as you recognise your own ability and competence in achieving the goals that you’ve set.
How to Set Goals - 6 Step Process
Step 1: Create Visions For Your Life
Before you set individual goals, consider the main life categories like health, relationships, finance, etc.
In each area of your life, before you create goals, create a vision. That is to say, write down what you believe in (your values) and what you want for your future. It is fruitless to create a goal without having an overarching vision because you won’t know why you’re setting your goal, and when you reach it, you won’t feel as good about it.
Examples below:
Productivity – Do you want to achieve any artistic or creative goals?
Family – Do you want to be a parent? If so, how are you going to be a good parent? How do you want to be seen by a partner or by members of your extended family?
Health – Are there any athletic goals that you want to achieve, or do you want good health deep into old age? What steps are you going to take to achieve this?
Love – Do you want to have a partner or stay single? If you want a partner, what type of relationship do you want?
Work – What level do you want to reach in your career, or what do you want to achieve?
Fun – How do you want to enjoy yourself? (You should ensure that some of your life is for you!)
Money – How much do you want to earn, by what stage? How is this related to your career goals?
Personal Growth – Is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular? What information and skills will you need to have in order to achieve other goals?
Attitude – Is any part of your mindset holding you back? Is there any part of the way that you behave that upsets you? (If so, set a goal to improve your behavior or find a solution to the problem.)
Public Service – Do you want to make the world a better place? If so, how?
Step 2: Think And Reflect Upon Where You Are Now (Take Inventory)
After you know what you want, you need to check in with yourself and “take inventory” of where you are right now.
Look at each area of your life and write down the status of where you are. Be honest with yourself. If you’re in an unhappy relationship, write that down. Being honest with yourself will help you make the necessary changes in order to move you toward the life you want to live. Do this for every area of your life.
Step 3: Create An Overarching Plan For Each Category
With each life category written down, decide on one big, overarching plan to lead you toward your vision for that category.
For example, if your financial vision is to become financially free and be an example to your children, your corresponding, overarching plan could be to become debt free (and stay out of debt) and build wealth.
The vision is something that is a way of life; it’s your legacy. The overarching plan is the biggest goal you set to get there — it’s something that is attainable. After you set your overarching plan, you’ll then be able to set smaller goals that are measurable and attainable.
Related:
Step 4: Set Your Goals
After you know what you want (vision), where you are (inventory), and your main plan of getting to where you want to go, you are ready to set goals.
A goal is an achievable aim or target in the future.
One of the most popular goal-setting strategies is the S.M.A.R.T. acronym.
Goals should be:
- Specific (not vague)
- Measurable (detailed)
- Achievable (attainable given where you are now)
- Relevant (related to the area of your life that needs improvement)
- Timely (with a definite deadline)
This means that when you create goals, they should be narrow, in writing, achievable, and have a deadline. Goals can be long-term goals (over one year) or short-term goals (less than one year). You can do this for all areas of your life, or you can focus on a few areas that you want to change the most. Examples of long-term benchmarks are: 5 years out, 10 years out, and 20 years out. Short-term benchmarks for goals include anything less than 1 year, such as one week or 12 months.
A good way to know whether you’re setting appropriate goals is to follow Michael Hyatt’s advice and ask whether you are
- staying inside your comfort zone (bad),
- getting outside your comfort zone (good), or
- being delusional (bad).
You want to set goals that stretch you outside your comfort zone (i.e. that are a reach for you), but not so far of a reach that they’re delusional.
Decide what categories you want to create goals for (as little as one category up to all categories), and get to writing. Keep in mind that the more goals you have at one time, the harder it is to focus. It may be more effective for you to focus on 1-4 goals for the first half of the year and the remaining 4 life categories in the second half of the year. Or, if you are only struggling in one area of your life, it may make sense for you to focus on that category for the entire year, setting goals only for that area of your life until it has improved. Only you know where you stand, so choose your goals wisely. Use your inventories from above to determine where you should focus your energy.
I also recommend using tools that will help you ensure you’ll achieve your goals. The best tool I’ve seen for this (and I’ve tried a lot of them), is The Dailygreatness Journal. It’s a journaling book that teaches you how to accomplish your goal in 90 days. I use it and find it very easy and helpful.
Examples of two bad goals:
- Get on track financially this year.
- Be more careful with my credit card.
Examples of two good goals:
- Create monthly budgets the first of every month for the following month with my husband.
- Pay off my credit card every month and stop using it for everything except groceries.
In the bad set of examples, you can see how the goals are vague and do not have deadlines. In the good set of examples, the goals are specific and timely. Both of these goals are written down which is incredibly important, too.
Step 5: Implement Your Goals
Implement your goals by taking action. This may seem obvious, but I believe implementation and planning needs to be a separate step because it is the difference between success and failure.
The reason I am so productive and accomplish my goals is because they are concrete and always on my calendar (I use Gmail’s calendar and always have it in the month view so I can visualize what is coming up in the next week and month). If I don’t use my calendar to plan my goals, I have about a 20% success rate. I have found it is the little things (habits and systems) that make success possible (and almost guaranteed) for me.
Whatever calendar you use, put your goals on it as deadlines.
Also, put a weekly “goals check-in” on your calendar. Your deadlines will keep you on track and focused. Your weekly check-ins will allow you to make changes and plan accordingly with respect to your deadlines. Perhaps this means that every week you put on your calendar “work on goals” on Saturday morning at 10am. Whatever works for you, the key is to plan it. If you plan it, it will happen. If you don’t check-in with yourself, you won’t give yourself the opportunity to make changes based on your circumstances. For example, if you plan to train for a marathon and put deadlines on your calendar but you’re injured two weeks into training, it doesn’t make sense for you to keep those goals on your calendar. You need to make changes accordingly.
Step 6: The 4 R’S — Reward, Reflect, Revise, AND Repeat
As I alluded to above, you are going to need to make changes. As much as you try to plan your life, you can only do so much. There are circumstances that are beyond your control (like Covid-19) that will happen. And there are circumstances that will lead you to change what you want. While you may think you know what you want in 5 years, you may end up being way off.
Enter the 4 R’s. First, you should reward yourself after accomplishing any goal. We’re creatures of positive reinforcement and you’ll have more success if you reward yourself. Second, reflect on your progress and think about the journey as time passes. Without reflection it will be hard for you to learn and grow. Third, revise your visions, plans, and goals over time. As you change, so should your goals. Revision can take place during your check-ins so that you keep moving forward in the direction you want as things change. Finally, repeat the process by continuing to make and write down new goals as time goes on.
A Final Thought
Goal setting is an important method for:
Deciding what you want to achieve in your life. Separating what’s important from what’s irrelevant, or a distraction. Motivating yourself. Building your self-confidence, based on successful achievement of goals.
Set your lifetime goals first. Then, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that you need to complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan. Keep the process going by regularly reviewing and updating your goals. And remember to take time to enjoy the satisfaction of achieving your goals when you do so.
If you don’t already set goals, do so, starting now. As you make this technique part of your life, you’ll find your career accelerating, and you’ll wonder how you did without it!
Up Next, watch the YouTube video…
Drinking can be fun, let’s be honest. But too much alcohol can lead to injury, accidents, serious embarrassment and long-term health problems. Follow this advice to drink safely.
1. One Glass or Two ONLY:
Don’t drink a bottle of wine in one go – it’s very easy to do. try to stick yo a glass or two.
2. Alcohol-Free Days:
Try to have at least three ‘dry’ days a week.
3. Natural Wine:
Try drinking natural wine. It is less processed, with no added sugar or chemicals, so it’s better for you.
4. Spirits and Mixers:
A vodka with lime and soda has less sugar than vodka tonic. Basically, any mixer you put with a clear spirit like gin or vodka is going to up your calories intake because it’s packed with sugar, and you’re going to bloat.
5. Stout:
Like wine, beer is full of sugar, so drinking several pints will have quite an impact. This is particularly true of stout: downing a pint is the equivalent of eating a pork chop (without the nutrients) – 210 calories in a single pint.
6. Beer and Wine:
They say ‘never mix grape with the grain’ and they’re right – you can get an almighty hangover if you do. If gluten intolerant, avoid grain-based drinks like beer and whisky.
7. Tequila:
Tequila appears to help with weight loss because of the agavins ( form of natural sugar that doesn’t raise blood-sugar levels) in it. Many of the calories ass through the system, rather than being absorbed. It has to be clear tequila, not the darker-coloured variety. It also stimulates the metabolism and helps dissolve fat. Be careful not to drink too much and remember that it’s not a miracle drink. It’s still alcohol, which isn’t good for you. Drunk in moderation, a good tequila won’t give you a hangover. But if you drink cheap tequila, it will knock you for six!
8. Champagne:
Sparkling wine is lower in calories than still wine – around 80 per glass, compared with 120 for a glass of red or white. It does go to your head more quickly, of course, making it all too easy to say ‘yes’ to another glass!
A Final Thought
Remember that wine and beer are equally bad for you. You need to do about 20 minutes of hard exercise to work off one glass. One glass of spirits without a mixer can be walked off in 12 minutes and one alcopop takes roughly 1.5 hours of exercise (it’s the processed food of rinks!).
When you do decide to drink, please remember to drink responsibly!
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Whether you want to avoid overeating and gaining those extra pounds, you need to control your blood sugar (for example, if you have diabetes), or you simply wish to consume only what your body requires, life can make that goal challenging.
But mindful eating might help you reach it.
Mindfulness refers to the practice of being aware and in the moment.
Mindfulness refers to the practice of being aware and in the moment.
All too often, our thoughts wander somewhere other than where we are in the moment. Perhaps we are preoccupied with what happened an hour ago, worried about what might happen tomorrow, or stressed over what we need to do next week. Mindfulness encourages us to notice these preoccupations, and then to gently bring ourselves back to the now.
Mindfulness can help you fully enjoy a meal and the experience of eating — with moderation and restraint. Some studies suggest that mindfulness-based practices help improve eating habits. For those who binge-eat or eat for comfort or out of stress, mindful eating may even aid with weight loss.
Here are 9 tips for more mindful eating. Not all of these tips may feel right for you — try a few and see how they work.
1. Sit Down At A Table:
If this seems like a ridiculously simple suggestion that shouldn’t even have to be mentioned, think about the number of times when you eat on the go — walking around the kitchen or while you’re on your way to work. Make it a rule to only put food in your mouth if you’re sitting down, and you’ll be able to focus on what you’re eating a whole lot more.
2. Don’t Get Distracted By Your Phone:
You should be enjoying the moment. According to research, which was published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, technology at the table caused people to feel more distracted and less socially engaged, leading to a drop in enjoyment equivalent to half a point on a seven-point scale.
3. Notice Caffeine And Sugar:
Notice when eating a food or drink containing caffeine or sugar makes you feel anxious or hyper. What lifts you up will bring you down again with a bump. Try cutting out food in question to keep on an even keel.
4. Limit Your Portion Size:
The size should be no more than you can imagine holding in your two hands cupped together. Also eat with a smaller fork or spoon ro avoid eating too quickly.
5. Eat Slowly:
Eating slower allows you to pay attention to when you’re full. It takes at least 15 minutes of eating for the signal torerach your brain that you are full.
6. Be Conscious Of The Act Of Eating:
Chew each morsel 40 times before swallowing. This is said to stimulate your digestive enzymes which help to break down your food.
7. Be Conscious Of Your Body:
Don’t allow yourself to be all scrunched up – your food can’t move through your body easily otherwise.
8. Sticky Mouth or Headaches:
Notice when your mouth is sticky or you have a headache. You’re probably dehydrated and ned water first and foremost.
9. Take Notes:
When you eat something that makes you feel bloated, take motes and avoid it in future.
A Final Thought
Mindful eating doesn’t always require a quiet space at home. Use these tips to practice mindful eating anywhere, even on the go! Whether you’re eating a meal, enjoying a snack, or indulging in a treat, mindful eating can help make your eating experience more satisfying with every intentional bite.
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Working from home can be a blessing or a curse, especially if you’re prone to procrastination or are easily distracted by cute dog videos. But fear not, today I’ve come up with 21 tips to help you supercharge or boost your productivity levels so you can smash out your daily duties in no time at all!
1. Have a Morning Routine
This one is kind of obvious, but not necessarily easy, especially when you’re not bound by regular office hours. Resist the urge to take that extra hour in bed, eat breakfast, and get ready to show the world what you’re made of.
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2. Work Out
I find if I work out on a morning, even if it’s a 25 minute HIIT session or a 5 minute in bed workout , I work so much better during the day. Try it out for a week and see how you feel.
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3. Get Dressed
Working in your PJs is novel, for about a week, but then it makes you feel groggy. Instead, get dressed like you’re heading out for the day.
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4. Be Passionate
If you don’t love what you do, you’ll never give it your all. So, check-in with yourself… are you happy with your job? If not, what can you do to make it more enjoyable?
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5. Create a Tranquil Workspace
Because your bed won’t cut it. Working in bed all day sounds appealing, but it can make even the best of us lazy and promotes terrible posture. Instead, create a vibrant desk area/workspace with lots of natural light and limited distractions.
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6. Separate Work and Life
Set your work hours and commit to them, whether that’s 9-5 Monday to Friday or every day from 7-12. Find what works for you and once you’re done for the day, try not to think about work anymore.
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7. Use Do Not Disturb
Ditch your biggest distraction and turn on DND, it’s an actual a life-saver! Newer phones now have a ‘focus mode’ too, so you can only use apps related to your work – perfect if you need to take calls during your workday.
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8. Ditch the TV
Your TV, including Netflix, is far too big of a distraction, so turn it off. I’m sure we’d all love to get paid to binge-watch Suits, but for 99% of us, that’s not going to happen!
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9. Play Some Tunes
Music, on the other hand, is perfect for boosting productivity. I recommend something without lyrics and find piano or jazz the most inspiring music.
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10. Set Goals
Set yourself mini tasks for the day/week and then bigger ones for the year. You’ll soon be all fired up once you start crossing them off your list.
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11. Use A “To-Do” App
Speaking of lists, use a to-do app to help you manage them. There’s a boatload out there, but I like Google Tasks as it syncs with all my other Google software. Todoist and TickTock are also great alternatives.
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12. Try the Pomodoro Technique
Do you lose focus fast? Then the Pomodoro Technique could be the answer! Do quick 20-minute bursts of work followed by a 5-minute rest and repeat 4 times. I use Tomato Timer to help me stay on track.
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13. Remember the 80/20 Rule
You know, the one that says 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. Look at where you’re spending your time and see if you can rejig things to maximize productivity and results.
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14. Embrace Parkinson’s Law
Set a deadline and stick to it. If you have a task that should take an hour, complete it in an hour, the longer you give yourself to complete a simple task, the more unnecessarily complex it will get.
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15. Use Project Management Tools
I recommend Trello because it’s free. You can add your staff to cards, set deadlines that automatically sync with your current timezone and categorize jobs. They also have an app too!
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16. Communicate Well
I love tools like Slack because you can link up with co-workers no matter where you are in the world and can get answers to your questions quickly. It’s basically an IM for businesses. Zoom is also perfect for video calling.
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17. Take a Break
Step out for lunch and again for a quick coffee in the afternoon, it’ll allow your brain some time to relax and reset so you’ll be ready and raring to go in the afternoon.
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18. Join Relevant Facebook Groups
Groups help you to share your thoughts and ideas with like minded individuals and will keep you more motivated throughout the working day; try to only use them outside of work hours, though.
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19. Try Digital Co-Working
Join people from around the globe for a digital co-working session and get them to keep you in check with your deadlines and goals.
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20. Listen to Podcasts
Download a few podcasts in your free time and learn from experts in your field. It’ll allow those creative juices to flow and inspire you to think of new ideas.
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21. Read
Join people from around the globe for a digital co-working session and get them to keep you in check with your deadlines and goals.
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A Final Thought
What do you think of the tips I discussed today?
Have you tried any? Or do you have a trick that you swear by?
Let me know in the comments below!
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Learn my 5 Step Method to Claim Your Personal Power in this FREE course.
Add your first name and email to the form below to get started right now.
Successful people aren’t born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don’t like to do. The successful people don’t always like these things themselves; they just get on and do them.
For as long as I can remember, people are always asking me how I’m able to do everything I do – I work full time on my business, run a blog on the side, maintain relationships with friends and family, eat a healthy diet as much as possible, read, listen to podcasts, journal, practice my faith.
I am not perfect, and I make a lot of mistakes, but I have managed to master my days so that I’m living intentionally and designing a life I love.
The way I have managed to do this is in large part by having a plan for my mornings. My morning routine – the time before my work day starts – is my secret sauce.
I highly recommend using a morning routine to change your life or accomplish any goal you want.
The reason the morning is the best time for designing your dream life is because the busyness and interruptions of the day haven’t started yet. You are in control and acting instead of reacting to the day.
Here’s what I recommend and think can help you maximise your mornings so you can get results you actually want in your life.
1. Plan Time For Your Morning Routine
The first step to remaking your mornings to design a life you love is to plan time in the morning for it.
I know that it feels like you don’t have time for it and it may even be exhausting. But isn’t it exhausting living how you’re living now?
You deserve better.
By getting up an hour or two before your workday starts, you are making a conscious choice to start your day investing in yourself. This choice alone can affect your outlook on life and increase your happiness because you will feel like you’re making the choice to live your dream life (compared to rolling out of bed after you hit snooze four times and are running late for work).
I get up at 5:50am every day. I go to bed around 10pm-11pm every night. Sleep is important to me, so really my morning routine starts the night before.
If 5:50am sounds crazy to you and you think you’ll be exhausted, start smaller. Get up just 30 minutes earlier every day. Then adjust to 45 minutes. You don’t have to start big. You can start small. Making a small change over time can have a huge impact on your life.
Beautiful Benefits to Rising Early:
- watch the sun rise
- enjoy the quiet, uninterrupted time
- work on a project for an hour or two before the day has begun
- work on a hobby
- exercise in the morning air
- listen to the birdsong
- relish the fact that the day has started on your terms
- meditate, pray or practice mindfulness
- enjoy the simple pleasure of a tea or coffee
- be up, dressed and ready for the day before the rest of the house wakes
2. Decide What You Want To Do With That Time (Set Goals)
During your morning routine, you need to have a specific plan. It’s too dang early to wake up and have to make decisions about how to spend that time! Instead, plan it out ahead of time (at least the day before).
To get started maximising this time, decide what it is you want. I like to use what I call the 8 life categories to decide where to start. Here they are:
- Health
- Relationships
- Finances
- Career
- Personal and spiritual development
- Environment (organization)
- Recreation or fun
- Service
It’s up to you to decide what you want to use this time for. It should be spent doing something that helps you design your dream life.
A few common themes I hear from readers that may help are:
My morning routine involves journaling (personal development), listening to podcasts (personal development and spiritual development), and blogging (career and finance). In a perfect world it would involve reading, too, but right now, I save that for either lunch or at night.
There is a certain formula you can use from The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod called The Life S.A.V.E.R.S. This will give you a plan for how to design a personal development plan during the morning that helps you live intentionally and lead your dream life. You will learn how to meditate or pray, give daily affirmations, read, create visualizations, journal, and exercise – all in one morning routine.
If you’re still not sure where to start for deciding what you want to use your morning routine for, here are a few resources:
Deciding and prioritizing what your dream life looks like is important. Otherwise, you’ll just waste the extra time on things that don’t matter. You won’t progress toward what you want. You’ll just be tired! 
Instead, plan, plan, plan!
3. Schedule Tasks For Each Time Period
Once you have decided what you want to accomplish during your morning routine, you need to set a specific schedule for it.
The more detailed your schedule for the morning, the better. This takes all decision-making out of the equation, which is important because you will be more likely to do it if you don’t have to think about it.
Examples of how to do this are:
- 5:50 to 6:00 – Get up, make a drink, brush teeth
- 6:00 to 6:10 – Meditation
- 6:10 to 6:20 – Affirmations
- 6:20 to 6:25 – Visualisation
- 6:25 to 6:30 – Journalling
- 6:30 to 6:50 – Reading
- 6:50 to 7:00 – Exercise
This is just an example. The point is to schedule down to the minute so you don’t have to spend time deciding how to use your time in the morning.
I use my gCalendar for scheduling down to the minute like in the example above. I use The Greatness Journal for setting my highest priorities and goals for the week. It’s amazing.
4. Evaluate Your Progress
Once you implement your morning routine, you need to take time to evaluate how it’s going. You need to know if it’s actually working for you. There’s no sense in continuing something if you’re not seeing the results you want.
Every week, I recommend reviewing how the week went. If you don’t like the results you’re seeing, make changes.
A Final Thought!
To get an actual plan that shows you how to master your mornings, read Miracle Morning: The Not-So Obvious Secret Guaranteed To Transform Your Life By 8AM by Hal Elrod.
This book comes with everything you need to get started remaking your morning routine into a personal development plan where you create your dream life.
It’s absolutely worth the time it takes to maximise your mornings to create your dream life.
Additional Tips On Rising Early
Here are four additional tips you can use to help you rise up early.
- Choose to adjust gradually, or do it suddenly. Try a gradual shift of 10-15 minutes every few days until you reach your ideal wake-up time. This means you’re less likely to suffer from exhaustion or hitting the snooze button repeatedly. This gradual approach may work perfectly for you. If not – simply set your alarm and get up 🙂
- Make yourself get out of bed. E.g. Leave your alarm/mobile on the other side of the room, adjust sound (quietly enough not to wake anyone else) and jump out of bed to turn it off as quickly as possible. You can also use the five second rule as a tool to get up.
- Go to bed earlier. Establish how much sleep you need to function well and work backwards. What’s your bedtime goal? Then aim to meet it every night for a week and see how you feel.
- Have a good reason to get up. If you need added motivation to get out of bed earlier, have something to look forward to or a particular reason for getting up. Be it exercise, a hot coffee on the back deck, reading a book uninterrupted, yoga, a warm shower… Whatever it is that sparks a little fire in your belly – make that your reason to get up early.
Every person has their own bucket list, at least in some shape or form, so I decided to help you out with another 55 things every person should do by the time they hit the bucket.
If these are not on yours make sure you consider adding at least some of them, if not all.
A true freedom seeker will always look to outgrow their comfort zone and live as much of a significant life as possible! Always challenge your surroundings, your current state and aim as high as your mind allows you! Then get to work towards making those dreams a reality!
Before we jump right into the 55 Things Every Person Should Do: The Ultimate Bucket List, I’d like to start with a quote that is perfect to get your mind racing towards all the amazing things you will do in your life:
A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.
55 Things Every Person Should Do: The Ultimate Bucket List
1. Buy your dream car in cash!
Imagine yourself walking into a dealership, seeing the car you’ve always wanted and paying cash for it. No debt, drive away in it!
2. Become healthy and have a fit body!
Your body is your temple, finally get the 6 pack you’ve always wanted!
3. Mentor someone and help them achieve greatness!
Helping others achieve their full potential is one of the biggest rewards one can achieve in his lifetime.
4. Go skydiving.
Jump out of a plane, preferably somewhere with a gorgeous view.
5. Live in your favorite city!
At least for a while and make sure it is as amazing as you thought it will be. If everything is great, buy a place there!
6. Go skinny dipping.
Preferably surrounded by gorgeous people doing the same.
7. Buy a Rolex watch and pass it on to your child.
Buying a Rolex watch is a symbol of success and it can be the great starting point for an ongoing tradition.
8. Go bungee jumping.
Get that blood rushing through your veins.
9. Build a school.
Have that kind of an impact on a community that will benefit on the long run of your kind gesture.
10. Learn to fly an airplane.
Enjoy the freedom the sky has to offer!
11. Build a treehouse for your kids.
Building it with your own hands and having them help will be a lifelong memory.
12. Buy a ticket on a plane that leaves the same day. Be spontaneous!
Check flights for today, pick a place and go. You’ll figure it out on the way!
13. Visit every continent.
Travel as much as possible, create memories and stories to tell others.
14. Learn to play an instrument really well.
Impress everyone with your skills and be proud you’ve done it since you’ve always wanted to.
15. Buy a motorcycle and enjoy it.
Hop on and enjoy the empty road.
16. Become really good at chess!
Chess is the sport of the mind, teach your kids to think a few steps ahead.
17. Throw a Great Gatsby party with a few hundred people showing up.
Try to get as many quality people as possible so it doesn’t turn into Project X.
18. Run a marathon.
Someone who finishes a marathon in their lifetime will have reduces risk of death from a heart attack.
19. Leave a £500 tip at your favorite restaurant.
Or even more if you’re feeling generous, that tip will have a big impact on someone who’s just starting out in life.
20. Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Germany.
If there’s one place and time to drink beer it is Oktoberfest!
21. Quit the job you hate.
Do it in style, you’re never going back there anyway!
22. Start your own business, even as a side gig.
It’s the challenge of creating a product or service that people are willing to pay for that is so exciting!
23. Fly in a private jet without posting 1 pic to Instagram!
If someone is flying private and doesn’t post to instagram do haters still hate?
24. Swim with the sharks.
If you survive that dealing with annoying people becomes a piece of cake.
25. Attend the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show – and the after party. (If it happens again!)
Spend a night surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in the world.
26. Vacation somewhere without internet for at least one month with someone you love.
Removing yourself from all the technological pressure will do wonders to your mind-set and you will create amazing memories.
27. Learn to cook really well and have a signature dish.
Impress people with your cooking skills.
28. Race a formula 1 car.
Drive as fast as your mind allows you to.
29. Own a boat and throw a boat party.
Things can go wild in a private way when you have your own boat.
30. Create a custom drink that tastes amazing and name it after yourself.
What will you name yours? Leave the name in the comments below.
31. Get on the cover of an important magazine.
Get that recognition you deserve for all the hard work you’ve put in.