Goals that take just 10 extra minutes
a day (or less), and can lead to big improvements in your health and happiness
Does the New Year mean a new you — or
another failed New Year’s resolution? Probably the latter for most of us,
psychologists say, because thinking the flip of a calendar is enough to
motivate us to axe all of our bad habits and behaviours is actually really
unrealistic.
We typically make resolutions around
our most challenging habits, such as losing weight, changing our diet,
exercising more or stopping smoking, You May Be Making Resolutions All Wrong
First of all, we’re not always as
committed to those resolutions as we need to be to actually be motivated to
stick with them, there’s a difference between changes we think we should make
as opposed to changes we actually want to make. And instead of setting
discrete, measurable goals for ourselves, we often set broad intentions, like
“exercise more,” We don’t think clearly enough about how we will implement this
change.
Plus, there’s the fact that we only
have so much willpower we can turn to help us stick to the new habits. When
people try to make multiple changes, they put multiple demands on that limited
willpower, and end up failing. That means the more willpower it takes to skip
the afternoon cookie break, the less you’ll have left to help you stick to your
resolution to hit the gym that evening. Research has shown that willpower — a
type of mental energy — is actually fuelled by glucose and can be strengthened
and fatigued, just like our muscles.
What does work when it comes to
resolutions is setting goals that are specific and attainable, so you know
exactly what you need to do to accomplish it — and you do it.
Small changes add up, It’s very easy
to fall into the trap of thinking that to make lasting and impactful changes,
we must dive into something head first and dedicate a part of our lives to it,
Small habits are much easier to grow and become big changes in our life.
Here a few such resolutions you can
try in 2019 that each take 10 extra minutes a day (or less), and can lead to
BIG, impactful improvements for your health, happiness and well-being.
1. Set a daily intention
It can be as simple as deciding not
to overreact if your kids or another family member gets on your nerves — or
take a walk over your lunch hour instead of not leaving your desk. If you feel
like you’re living on auto-pilot, starting your day by setting a daily
intention can help you feel more in control of your life and your actions. And
over time, those intentions can each serve as a small step toward big changes,
2. Cross off the toughest task on you
to-do list first
Figure out the toughest, most
important or most intimidating task you want to get done by the end of the day
and tackle it first, so it’s not hanging over your head or stressing you out
the rest of the day.It will give you a tremendous sense of accomplishment, and
you can let those positive, productive vibes motivate the rest of your day.
3. Start a belly breathing habit
Shallow breathing keeps our bodies in
that high-stress, fight-or-flight mode, but deep belly breathing sends a
message to our brains to relax. Slowing down your breath can slow down the
chatter in your head, and reduce stress and anxiety. You may also find yourself
thinking more clearly and sleeping better.
How to do it:
You can literally do this anytime and anywhere. Just, stop. Focus your
attention on your breath. Let all your air out and take a deep inhale, then
exhale, then repeat. Even if you can only practice it a few times a day, you
can still enjoy the benefit,
4. Take the stairs instead of the
lift
Stairs are a great way to quickly get
the body moving, the heart rate up, and increase your metabolic rate – no gym
required, It’s not the only change you’ll need to make if you have big
weight-loss goals or want to get from the couch to a marathon finish line — but
it can be the first step to just get in the habit of moving more, which can
encourage you to be more active in other areas of your life, too.
5. Apologize authentically
Whether you got in a tiff with a
friend, family member or colleague, get better at apologizing by doing what you
can to reconcile the conflict, rather than hold a grudge. It takes little risk
and little time, but it can be intrinsically rewarding in a big way.
Being able to say you’re sorry and
mean it, makes it easier to get back to a positive mood after going through
something difficult. Positive states, like contentment, warmth and trust, are
important to health, social connection and focus
6. Tell a family member or friend one
thing that went well every week
Too often we get hung up on the
little things that go wrong from day to day, rather than focusing on everything
that’s going right and what we have accomplished. Talking (out loud) about
something that we’ve achieved helps us remember our true potential and the
impact we’re having on the world around us.
7. Take 10 minutes every day to do
something for YOU
It’s easy to get caught up in the
whirlwind of work emails, after-school schedules and life’s countless
obligations. Spending 10 minutes of quality you-time could mean reading a
magazine, meditating or playing with your pet. Focus on activities that not
only make you feel good, but also relieve stress and improve your well-being
(diving into a bag of crisps or mindlessly scrolling through your Facebook feed
are NOT the goal). When you take a moment to do something for you, you will
start to feel a sense of calm in what otherwise may be a hectic day.
And whichever resolution you choose,
remember to be committed, celebrate the small successes as you do big ones and
go easy on yourself, Be ready for setbacks and forgive yourself when you fail
(which you WILL do).Self-forgiveness re-establishes our motivation to try
again.
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