Everyone has deadlines to meet, work to complete, families to take care of, and friends to socialize with. But what about taking time for your own wellness?
The Following Are 7 Simple Steps You Can Take Right Now
Exercise
Exercise is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. And one of the most effective ways to stay focused and stop your mind from wandering too much is to exercise regularly. Now, there’s no need to stress yourself out with strict routines and complicated exercises – you don’t have to do push-ups until your arms collapse! Instead, brisk walking for half an hour several times a week will be enough – it gets your blood pumping and also helps clear your head.
Meditate
Meditation is another way of training yourself how to focus on one thing at a time, particularly useful when you feel like your attention is scattered all over the place. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth; then pick something simple to focus on, like visualizing the shape of an orange.
If you catch yourself thinking about other things or daydreaming, simply bring yourself back to that orange. Be patient with yourself – this is definitely not an easy habit to build!
Keep Organised
One reason people’s minds tend to wander too much, especially during quiet periods of the day, is that they are not used to having free time without any distractions. Having a tidy home is definitely helpful because it keeps you from worrying about the mess, but you can also take this time to be constructive in other ways, such as dedicating an hour each morning for some light reading. In addition, take care of any chores or errands you’ve been putting off, and don’t forget to reward yourself afterward.
Prioritize
This one might sound like a no-brainer (and it is), but people often forget about it because they’ve been taught not to put themselves first lest they seem egotistical or selfish. But as much as you want to support equality, this isn’t an absolute truth because everyone deserves to feel good about themselves. So what does this mean exactly? It means you should spend time working on your personal well-being whenever possible, even if it means enrolling in an inpatient rehab:
- Training yourself to handle stress better.
- Staying healthy and feeling great through proper nutrition.
- Sleeping enough.
- Taking occasional mental health breaks.
Find Something You Enjoy Doing
This is pretty straightforward – if you’re having fun doing something, then there’s no problem with zoning out while thinking about this ‘something’! While most people have their hobbies outside of work (e.g., cooking/gaming/knitting), some might even enjoy their job so much they want to throw themselves into it, mind and body!
But always keep in mind that when you’re at work, you should be working, not playing! If your current job doesn’t provide sufficient intellectual stimulation or isn’t necessarily fun per se, then this is where hobbies come in.
Clear Your Head Often
Although it might feel nice to procrastinate every now and then, doing so all the time is counter-productive because it means that you’ll always put off important tasks until the last minute, it’s much better to clear your head and get refreshed by doing something you enjoy.
Take Frequent Breaks
Taking breaks increases productivity by reducing mental fatigue and adding that creative spark to your work. But, more importantly, taking several 5-15 minute walks during the day can help eliminate stress, lower blood pressure and promote cell growth – all of which contribute towards better health! If you’re at the office, though, make sure to go offline or turn off email notifications before you leave; otherwise, it defeats the purpose of taking a break.