3 EASY WAYS TO WIND DOWN AND DE-STRESS AFTER A HECTIC WEEK

I think it is safe to say that we all have very busy lives with never ending to-do lists but some weeks feel much busier and hectic than others. I have had that feeling more often lately than usual and I have gravitated to the following ways to wind down, de-stress and clear my head. Doing these types of activities is great to do at least once a day (even if it’s only for 10 minutes) but I know that it is not always possible. Whenever that is the case then I highly recommend you do something to de-stress at the end of your workweek.

Now, I’ll go into a little tangent here on alcoholic beverages. I have family and friends whose idea of de-stressing is having a glass of wine or a stronger drink and that’s it. Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, BUT, that should not be the only way you allow your mind and body wind down and de-stress. We need to allow ourselves to wind down in a peaceful and regenerating. Now onto the 5 easy ways:

Go on a walk

Take a stroll around your neighborhood; go to a park or along the beach (if you live near one, lucky, lucky you!) Also, I know it is hard to let go of our phones but try to leave your phone behind from time to time and just enjoy your walk and be present.  I know I probably do not have to go into to a many reasons walking is good for you but as a quick refresher walking is great to help you lose weight, good your heart, is a good way to boost your vitamin D intake and last but not least it is a great mood booster.

Bring out your inner child

Grab yourself an adult coloring book and color your heart out. There is something to simple yet magical about zoning out and coloring. Another hidden benefit of this activity is that it will help you increase your levels of concentration and we know we can all use some of that! I have had my coloring book for about 6 months and have pulled it out about a dozen times and when I do I cannot stop – I literally have to be pulled away from it.

Pull out a good book

This is an oldie but a goodie – reading is good for the soul at any time. You can read a book, a magazine, a newspaper. The only caveat here is for it not read from a screen  (unless you are using a kindle or e-reader) – reason for this is since the majority of us are in front of screens for work almost every day we really should give our eye a break and do some old fashioned reading I’ve mentioned before that I try to read every night before bed, sometimes I get into a good kick and stay with it for a few weeks at a time and other times I get sucked into the YouTube rabbit hole! But I will say that I read a lot more nowadays than I did a few years ago and I have also learned so much from the books I have read.

How do you allow yourself to unwind and de-stress after a busy week? Do share below!

MEDITATION MADE SIMPLE: 7 STEPS TO BEGIN MASTERING YOUR MEDITATION PRACTICE

My first memories of meditation are of my sister and I sitting next to our dad and pretending we were meditating while making fun of his strange Om chants. We were only toddlers at the time and I give props to my dad for keeping with his meditation while we wreaked havoc all around him! Little did I know that he has had the right idea the whole time, as an adult I am now aware of all of the benefits that come with a regular meditation practice.

Before we get into the 8 steps to start a meditation practice I first want to explain what I understand meditation to mean. Meditation is a practice that is used to reduce stress through the development of awareness, concentration, emotional balance and clarity. It is a way we can, overtime, attain inner peace, especially in the chaotic and demanding world we live in today.

Over the past few years I have meditated more often than ever before. But I have still struggled with sticking with meditation once and for all. One of the reasons I had not stuck to a regular meditation schedule is because I was under the belief that it required a lot more time than it actually does. While I was under the impression that I needed to meditate for an hour each time I recently learned that this is not the case. While meditating for an hour can also be a great goal to achieve, all you really need is 10 minutes of your day. And, if you can do 10 minutes twice a day (once in the morning and once at night) that’s even better! But remember, the key to see results with meditation practice is to be consistent. Studies have also shown that meditating every day for 10 minutes a day (that can be once a day for ten minutes or two times a day for 5 minutes) will enhance a person’s level of focus and attention. While this may not sound like a ton of change but these are fundamental elements of our lives that can make many positive changes in other areas of our lives.

Starting a meditation practice is actually harder than it seems. It sounds easy to sit still for ten minutes right? WRONG! At the beginning I would get anxious – thoughts like “what time is it?”, “is someone calling me?”, “I need to reply to that email” and so on. Your mind will wander and the trick is to bring it back to center, but that’s the hard part.

1 – set your timer

Decide how long you want to meditate for and set a timer on your phone.

2 – sit in a comfortable position

The best way to meditate is to sit on the floor with your legs crossed (think Buddha). Most of the time I sit in that cross legged position right on my bed (since meditate either when I wake up or before I fall asleep).

3 – elongate your back

While you are sitting in your cross legged position pretend that there is a magnetic pull that is pulling your head towards the ceiling. Keep that posture the entire time.

4 –relax your body

Allow every part of your body to sink into its self. Let go of any tension you may feel, pretend you are floating.

5 – take deep and steady breaths

Now that you have found your comfortable sitting position, you sitting up straight and your body is relaxed you can begin to focus on your breathing. Take deep and controlled breaths and feel the air move inside your nose and chest.

6 – begin your mantra

Mantras help you stay focused during your meditation so that your mind does not start racing at a thousand miles an hour thinking about all of the things you could be doing in that very moment.

7 – smile

Once you have completed your meditation you are going to feel a sense of peace, embrace it and look forward to the next time.

Do you meditate? How did you begin your meditation practice and how long did it take you to get the hang of it? Do share below!

6 PRACTICAL TIPS TO GET THROUGH YOUR TO-DO LIST

9 PRACTICAL TIPS TO GET THROUGH YOUR TO-DO LIST

I, for one, have had an extremely busy April/May – it has been a good busy but I am so happy to say that I can finally feel things slowing down a bit and getting back to normal. To catch some of you up, I recently started a new job which I really, really like but as always there is a lot of learning when starting a new role so that has kept me much busier than usual and if that was not enough I was also planning a baby shower for my sister who is expecting her second child. I am happy to report that the baby shower went off without a hitch this past weekend and I cannot express enough the relief I feel to get past it!

With so many things going on in my personal life and professional life I have been heavily reliant on my planner. I purchased the Inkwell Press planner for 2016 and I LOVE IT – I can go into a more in depth review for another blog post but in a nutshell that little planner has seriously helped me get through my busy days and weekends. Except for the time I wrote down an event I was invited to on the wrong day altogether – that wasn’t good! Here the nine tips I have followed these past several weeks to get through my never-ending to do list while not going completely crazy.

Take three deep breaths and hold

Breathing can easily fix a cluttered mind. There were a few instances in the last several weeks when I felt so over-whelmed that I was a complete scatter brain. In those instances I reminded myself to breath – I stopped doing whatever I was doing and I took three very deep breaths and I held my breath for a count of 5 and then I released. This very simple technique does wonders to bring clarity and peacefulness that always finds a way to put things into perspective.

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize

This is such an obvious thing to point out but at times I did not prioritize very well because I did the things I felt were easy but not totally important that day while I put off the things that NEEDED to get done. So, yes, it is oh so important to prioritize your to-do list. Take 5-10 minutes at the start of your day and run through your to-do list in order of importance.

Don’t be afraid to adjust your priorities

Sometimes things change and it impacts our short term to-do list – when this happens its okay to re-adjust your to-do list and move on to the next thing and get back to the task you moved when it is ready to be addressed again.

Use the Pomodoro technique

I recently began using this and I love it! The Pomodoro technique is a time management technique with which you set yourself a timer of 25 minutes and dedicate every second of those 25 minutes to ONE task and then you take a 5-10 minute break and you repeat that for up to 4 sessions before you give yourself a longer break of 30-45 minutes.  I have to admit I was pretty hesitant of this technique when I first heard of it but I went in to it with an open mind and I have to tell you that it dramatically boosted my productivity. I do not do this every day because it is hard to fit this in on days that are jam packed with meetings but on the days when I do not have meetings scheduled this is my preferred productivity hack.

Give yourself some breathing room

Be sure to allot yourself some time to do something not on you’re to do list – but it has to be something you enjoy doing. You can walk your dog, read through a magazine, listen to music or read a blog – whatever your heart desires. The point here is to understand that not everything has to be work, work, work, we need to fit in things we love to do even with a busy schedule. Life is supposed to be enjoyed not consumed by a never ending to do list.

Delegate

There is nothing wrong with asking for a little help whether it be at work or at home. So take advantage in the best sense of that word) of the people around you – you may realize that people are much more giving with their time than you thought.

How do you get through your to do lists? Share your tips and tricks below!

17 RULES TO LIVE BY TO LEAD A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE

Living the life you want requires a lot of work but most of it is internal work. Some of it can be easy and some of it can take a long time to get a good hold of, but, it is never too late to start.

1 - Get out of your comfort zone

Do at least one uncomfortable things everyday it can be tiny or it can be big. But push yourself do something you normally wouldn’t.

2 -  Slow it down a notch

We breeze through life in such a hurry that we often miss the beauty that is right in front of us. So, slow it down and take in your present.

3 -  Know your worth

Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone has their own journey and purpose. Be happy for those who are succeeding and supportive to those that are on their way.

4 - Keep moving

It’s easy to give up and quit. Don’t. Just don’t.

5 - Focus on what you want

We tend to put too much energy into the things we do not like or want in our lives. Let’s reverse that and put your thoughts and energy into the things we like and we want.

6 - Be kind

Be an overall kinder person. Period.

7 - Don’t criticize

Its easy to get caught up in gossip but you will see life through a brighter perspective when you end all of the non-constructive critiquing.

8 - Find a passion

And dedicate time to it.

9 - Be grateful for what you have

Always strive to better yourself and your life situation but while you are doing that do not forget to be grateful for the things and people you have today.

10 - Break out a smile

Just be grateful that you are alive.

11 - Get enough sleep

Make sleep a priority. You mind, body and soul will thank you.

12 - Look toward the future

Don’t dwell on your past. Its unchangeable. Focus on your future.

13 - Take a break

Listen to your body and take a break when it is asking for one.

14 - Meditate

Incorporate meditation into your life. 10 minutes a day is enough.

15 - Read

Books, newspapers, magazines, online articles – always expand your mind. It will expand your horizons.

16 - Be creative

We all have creativity within us. Let it shine through.

17 - Don’t over-analyze

It’s a natural reaction, one that I’m guilty of. But it’s just not worth the trouble.

What rules do you live your life by? Share below!