8 Healthy Habits To Help You Accomplish More

It’s easy to let our days get ahead of us. We get caught up in to do list’s and where we’re going to get our next latte, and before we know it it’s noon and we’re barely waking up and truly arriving to a productive place physically and mentally. Productivity is so much more than a list of things we want to complete by the end of the day. It’s being present and intentional with everything that we say and do. Below are some tips to prepare ourselves for a great day every day.

• Set your clothes out the night before. It eliminates the 10-15 minutes you might spend scrambling to find a shirt that isn’t wrinkled and an outfit that you feel good in. I firmly believe that when you look good you feel good. 
• Give yourself some structure. Try to go to bed around the same time each night and wake up at the same time every morning. Your brain will respond to the routine and you’ll start noticing a difference after committing to this for around 21 days. If you have a hard time I recommend downloading the Sleepytime App. It helps you figure out when to go to sleep and when to wake up by estimating sleep cycles based on 90 minutes each. That way you don’t disrupt a phase of deep sleep and you’re still catching enough zzz’s.
• As soon as you put your feet on the floor drink 8 oz of water. It’s a Japanese tradition that has a handful of positive effects on the mind and body. It balances the lymph system, boosts metabolism, increases production of new blood and muscle cells, and will give you a healthy glow.
• Decide on one “feeling” for the day. Choose one word that you connect with. It can be powerful, creative, peaceful, or vibrant. Anything that feels right to you. Throughout the day only do things that align with your desired feeling. If it doesn’t feel right allow yourself to walk away from it. This is an easy way to take control of your day.
• Eat a balanced breakfast. Eating a wholesome, nutritious morning meal will alert your mind and body that it’s time to get going. Breakfast is simply breaking the fast that you experienced while sleeping. Whip up some eggs with cut up peppers, add some some fat by adding a handful of almonds or avocado, and include some protein.
• Do something for yourself.  A light yoga class, a quick run, or a quiet cup of tea before you leave your house. Commit to yourself before anything else during the day. We tend to lose ourselves in our “to do” lists. The more focused you are on self-care the more you have to give to the rest of your day and the people involved.
• Get up from your desk and walk around for 2 minutes every 30 minutes. Sitting for long periods of time is hard on our bodies. Set an alarm every 20-30 minutes to remind yourself to get up out of your chair to walk around. Get your blood flowing to your muscles. Go grab a cup of green tea, walk over to your co-workers desk instead of sending an email, take the stairs, walk to the printer, whatever you do just get your body moving.
• Pack some healthy snack options between larger meals. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s as simple as a handful of almonds, an apple with some peanut butter, cottage cheese, cut up carrots and bell peppers or hummus, or whatever else you can easily snack on. This helps you resist the urge to eat something unhealthy that will make you feel sluggish and tired during the day.