Stress is one of the key factors that may lead to the onset of so many chronic diseases. Starting your day early and slow is one of the simplest ways to help with stress management. There is power in waking up early if you want to reset your life to a more balance and composure. I say, “Waking up with the sun and birds is a way to feel in sync with nature”. The morning air is clean, fresh, calm and our body and mind benefits from it a lot. Time-management expert Laura Vanderkam highlights what makes mornings special and how we can use them more efficiently in her book What The Most Successful People Do before Breakfast. It’s an interesting read.
Healthy Lifestyle comprises of many factors. Managing sleep cycle is one of them. Late night work shifts, attending late night social events and parties, watching Netflix till late in the night and waking up too early or too late in the morning are some things that must be thought and taken into perspective. Having an erratic and inconsistent sleep cycle can disrupt your circadian clock.
Getting a goodnight sleep and maintaining same sleep time every day is important to be able to wake up early. If you still cannot wake up early, it’s probably just an old habit that needs restructuring. You also have to be consistent to your new habit and stick with it for at least 21 days. Once you get into the habit, you will look forward to waking up early while everything is still slow, calm and fresh. Shift your wake up time up by only 15 minutes earlier and gradually reach your desired goal.
Healthy Lifestyle includes healthy sleep habits. Waking up to an alarm’s jarring tunes is not the best thing to do. But use an alarm clock that can play a soothing music or mantras which can ease you into waking up early.
Utilize this quiet time to go out in the open, like your balcony to meditate for 5 minutes. Go for a walk for 20 minutes.
After which, sit down for few a minutes to plan your day, use a journal to pen down things you have to complete and make a realistic list of goals for the day. This practice will keep you focused and more productive through your busy schedule.
Practice “Doing Nothing”
Thirdly, practice “Doing Nothing” – I know it can get very busy during the day. We are living in a culture of doers. Not doing anything doesn’t only seem odd, but feels like an impossible state of being.
Stop for a moment right now and notice the tendency toward perpetual motion in your life. Take a deep breath and practice the art of doing nothing. Start with only 5 minutes. It’s something you can do anytime, at home or while working at your office desk, pause for a moment and ask what am I doing right now? And watch your feelings, your bodily sensations and learn to be present in the moment.
Meaningful connections
Secondly, 30 minutes of meaningful connection with your partner, your best friend or even with your kids will create a sense of contentment and will help with your psychological well-being. This practice can bring back love and care in your life. Effective communication can sometimes help solve so many issues that we battle in our daily lives. It also helps manage stress. And sometimes we just need a pair of listening ears, don’t we?
So prioritize 30 minutes of your day for making meaningful conversation with someone you love and care for. Find time after work once you reach home or before bed when there is nothing else to do and remember to cut down on your TV and phone time if you have to.
Real communication is about making eye contact, listening to the other person and being nonjudgmental.
We are all scurrying away to tick that one more to do list every single day, making us drained and unproductive in the long run. These 3 simple strategies if incorporated into everyday life will help us stay more present and will act as an easy and accessible tool for stress management.