“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.”

– Michel de Montaigne

Wellness Tip:

Give Your Social Situation a Health Check

You know smoking and high cholesterol are bad, but what about loneliness? Turns out it reduces immunity and puts you at greater risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

What to do? Try following some guidelines:

• Have three to five close friends to call when you’re in need.
• Get one to three hours of social interaction per day.
• Prioritize spending time with those closest to you – but also have some diversity in your social network.
• Don’t forget solitude and time alone to recharge. 

Read the rest here and see how your social connections match up.

Productivity Tip:

Use Rough Scheduling

Got stuff to do? Great! Schedule it. Science says planning your tasks helps you stay on point with your goals. But when it comes to leisure time, scheduling can be a bit of a downer.

The secret? It’s called rough scheduling. Single out your daily priorities and use a planner (like Panda Planner) for the must-dos – but leave your fun time flexible.

Here’s more about the science and some tips on how to balance life better. Why not give it a shot?

Routine Breakdown

Charlie Avara, Managing Director of All Done Design

An award-winning businesswoman in the male-dominated construction industry, Charlie Avara’s mornings start the night before. She:

• Checks her to-do list each evening to plan for the next day.
• Wakes at 6 and has a 5-min cuddle with her husband. “I find our communication throughout the day is better if we take that 5 minutes to connect.”
• Sets intentions and mentally plans for the day as she showers and gets dressed. 
• Meditates for 15 mins or spends 5 mins writing in her gratitude diary.
• Spends an hour focusing on family – making kids’ lunches, doing chores, etc.
• By 8am is on her way to work, making phone calls in the car.

Why it works:

• Planning at night keeps you on track for a smoother morning.
• Cuddling really is good for your relationship – and your stress levels.
• Setting intentions motivates and sets you on the path toward your goals.
• Science agrees: meditation and gratitude are both powerful for body and mind.

Charlie has a cut-down routine for when she has to be on-site early – coffee and cuddles with the kids are her non-negotiables. What are the most crucial parts of your routine?