Small changes for a healthier, more balanced day.

1. Hydration:

We all love a morning cup of coffee, and for many, coffee is the highlight that motivates us to get out of bed. This tip isn’t about taking away that joy; but enhancing it. For every sip of coffee, take a sip of lemon ginger water. You can even use coffee as a reward for practicing healthy hydration that supports digestion. You get to keep your morning ritual while nourishing your body.

2. Morning Podcasts:

Getting ready for the day doesn’t have to be boring. Instead try listening to a 20-30 minutes of a self help podcast or audio book while getting ready. There are plenty of excellent experts to learn from that focus on topics like entrepreneurship, goal setting, personal development, motivation, and many more. This sets an uplifting tone for the day, and resides in the subconscious mind as the day progresses. 

3. Strategically Placed Affirmations:

Placing a sticky note or magnets with affirmations in places you see often can serve as powerful reminders to stay focused on big-picture goals. Consider adding these affirmations on spots you visit multiple times a day such as your car dashboard, keychain, a bathroom mirror, refrigerator, laptop, and even custom print them on a shirt.  

4. Intentional Stretching: 

Work can be exhausting, and during micro breaks, our first instinct is to check our phone. Before doing that, take a moment to do a couple of strength stretches. A seated spinal twist, the hamstring stretch, and a chest opener stretch are a few medically recommended stretches for those who work in office jobs. Spend 20-30 seconds on each stretch, then reward yourself with checking your phone. 

5. Journaling:

Give yourself a phone or laptop curfew each evening or morning and substitute starting or ending your day with journaling. Many people tend to scroll right up till bedtime. Setting the phone on silent or creating a daily reminder in your calendar to journal gives our eyes a break from blue light, and helps release lingering thoughts from our brain to promote a more restful night’s sleep. Journaling gives you a place to put personal thoughts and feelings so the emotional weight does not have to exist in your body. Healthy venting to a journal, even over the same repeated topic gives you a place to vent the energy and release stress from the body.

6. Aromatherapy:

To enhance your journaling routine at home, or in the office, incorporating aromatherapy using essential oils makes a significant difference in calming and uplifting and the space. Research shows that adding essential oils like lavender, citrus, eucalyptus, and sweet scented herbs like cinnamon and vanilla supports the mood and focus of accomplishing tasks. 

7. Landscape Art:

Adding visual art in your home or work space can have a powerful psychological impact. Especially if the art is a photo of a landscape you visited or intend to visit. It activates a positive memory and engages the brain to think about future travel adventures. 

8. Acts of Kindness:

It’s easy to get caught up in self care, but let's not forget the emotional reward that comes from an act of kindness. These can be as simple as making a cup of coffee/tea not just for yourself but also a co-worker, volunteering, donating items you haven’t used in a year, offering to pick something up from the store for a friend or family member, or even picking up discarded trash. 

9. Five Minute Chores:

The Five-Minute Method is great for getting smaller house hold chores out of the way. Set the timer for five-minutes and instead of telling yourself you’re going to finish the chore, challenge yourself of how much of that chore you can accomplish within those five-minutes. This reduces the feeling of obligation and lowers procrastination. Most people often find themselves continuing the chore past the five minutes or accomplishing more than expected. This is a great technique for chores like taking out the trash, putting away the dishes, transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer, or watering the plants.

10. Do One Brave Thing:

Humans often limit themselves due to fear of judgment, rejection, or failure. Building courage that strengthens confidence and personal growth. Brave acts don’t have be dramatic, they can be smaller decisions that push you slightly past your comfort zone. These brave acts can include telling a crush they look amazing, pitching an idea to a supervisor, asking for feedback on a creative project, apologizing when know you’re wrong but have ben arguing with your ego about it, saying yes to a new experience, or saying no to protect your peace.