How to have a productive and healthy new year
Every new year, resolutions are made and usually broken within the first 30 days. Why, you ask? This failure is not because we don’t desire change, it is usually because there’s a lack of implementation know how. Here are a few tips to help your 2018 be the most productive, healthy and happy year ever.
Self-management vs time management
Time is finite. A day is only 24 hours, a week is only 7 days, a year is only 365 days. I am certain that you get the picture… We tend to focus on time management because it is a known quantity. However, trying to get as much done as you can in an eight hour work day or 24 hour period can increase stress and defeat our sense of purpose thereby reducing our accomplishments.
Using the work/rest pause method throughout your DAILY life; not on a weekly basis only (work M-F, rest Saturday, Sunday), will enable you to recharge yourself throughout the day to be at your best even at the end of your day. What you do with yourself in the finite time you are given will determine your effectiveness and efficiency. Creating time for yourself on a daily basis seems counterintuitive to our way of life; however, doing so will create a mindset of wellness, reduces stress, and in turn promote productivity.
Prioritizing your need to pause
This is about prioritizing your need to pause throughout the day and allowing yourself to accommodate your need for rest to recharge that not only does NOT derail your goals but actually helps you to perform in a more effective manner in the time you do have.
Ways to help you find your way through your daily rest/pause:
- Start your day with a focus on an uplifting thought, scripture, prayer or meditation. Use this quote, scripture verse or thought throughout the day to help recenter yourself.
- 20-30 minutes of physical activity in the middle of the day. As I lead yoga in the noontime hour twice per week I have become very aware of the enrichment of my energy throughout the day subsequent to my practice; my students have shared with me that they enjoy these same benefits.
- At the dreaded lag of the 3/4pm hour approaches, get up and move your body. Stretch, foam roller, practice some breathing exercises for 5 minutes, or just take a walk around your office building (5 minutes of continuous climbing up and down the stairs clears your mind and gets your blood pumping)!
- Limit Social Media. You may not know how engaged you are on social networks until you make a concerted effort to stay off of your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. Disengage or reduce your screen time and see how much better you feel!
