Amid the demands of modern life, it’s common to feel both overwhelmed by daily responsibilities and underwhelmed by life’s routine. While many of us are aware of strategies to improve our wellbeing, incorporating these into our daily lives can be challenging. This post aims to provide practical tips to help you seamlessly integrate these activities, making your daily life more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Time for regulation
A very common issue I work on with my clients is stress management.
So often stress builds up slowly over time and we are unaware of it until we are at the end of our tether. Symptoms such as irritability, difficulty focusing and a loss of enjoyment of hobbies can be signs that you too are stressed and could benefit from regulating activities. These activities allow your nervous system to switch from the “flight-or-fight” modus to a calmer state.
- Regular breaks can help you shift focus and give your brain a chance to recover, improving your focus and reducing end-of-day fatigue.
- Breathing exercises allow you to regulate your nervous system.
A simple breathing exercise: Breath in for 3-4 seconds before breathing out for 6-7 seconds. Do this for about 10 times or 2-4 minutes. Do you feel calmer? - Go for a quick walk. Walking, especially in nature, is very relaxing. Even only a few minutes of movement can help you clear your mind and lift your mood. I recommend walking a few minutes several times per day to help yourself decompress.
Time to reflect
Regular reflection time can significantly impact your ability to change your life in your chosen direction. It helps you set and track goals, ensuring you’re on the right path. It will force you to notice where you are going and whether you want to continue in this direction. Over time, it helps you in sticking with long-term goals that are important to you, while allowing yourself to discard goals that are no longer relevant for you. It is a powerful tool that doesn’t require a lot of fancy skills.
Here is an example of how this can look like:
Find a regular interval at the end of which you take 15 to 45 minutes to reflect. Depending on what works for you this can be on a monthly, bi-weekly, weekly or even daily basis.
Ask specific questions during your reflection time, such as:
- What went well?
- What didn’t go well?
- How did I progress on [specific goal]?
- What challenges did I face?
- What actionable steps can I take to improve next week?
The goal is that you reflect on the time that has passed since your last check-in and then come up with actionable steps to progress from here on.
Well-being as part of your routine
Your routine activities have the most significant impact on your life. I highly recommend looking at what you do routinely and asking whether these behaviours benefit you and bring you closer to your goals, or make it harder for yourself to be the person you would like to be.
Once you have identified the things that you want to keep (or add), figure out how you can make it EASY to keep them up.
Here is an example, if you would like to be the person who takes regular time for reflection, but never really gets to it, you need to find a suitable moment in your routine for this. Mornings are an option, but for many they are hectic. Be creative, when could you find a moment to sit down for a bit to reflect (realistically!).
Time for growth
Personal growth is often the most neglected area in my clients’ lives. This is understandable for several reasons: Usually it is only us who are interested in progressing in this area, with few of us having people in our environment who will consistently check in with us about our goals. Another reason is that daily life can flow well without investing into our personal growth for quite some time. We can keep ourselves busy, not having much time to think about it.
But there are very good reasons why you should keep tabs on your personal growth. Spending regular time working on expanding your horizon will make your life more interesting. It allows you to feel more accomplished and fulfilled. Without it many report that they feel directionless or that their life is empty.
Here is how you can start: Try new things. Gather some ideas of things you’ve been wanting to try. Starting a blog, or enrolling in an art course, or trying out camping. The world is your oyster!
I recommend trying new things on an accessible level that is sustainable to you.Consider renting or borrowing equipment from friends for your first tries.This way, if you decide not to continue the hobby or project, you won’t accumulate regrettable costs and tools that will clutter up your life. This will also allow you to try out a wider variety of things.
However you do it, you will most likely notice how you feel a bit more excited about your life.
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope these ideas motivate you to start improving your life. If you need further guidance, I’m here to help. Contact me to set up a free initial call and discover how we can create a life full of direction and joy together.
Featured picture by Calum Lewis on Unsplash
Margaretha Madoures 