“How you do anything is how you do everything.”
– Zen Buddhist saying
Wellness Tip:
Change Your Lock Screen
Being too attached to our smartphones isn’t healthy. But it’s hard not to pick them up – they’re designed to be addictive!
So here’s a little intervention you can use: change your lock screen wallpaper.
“Your lock screen is probably an image of something that makes you happy—like your kid, or your dog, or a sunset,” says Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up With Your Phone.
“Think about it: you’re teaching yourself to associate checking your phone with things that make you feel good. Instead, your lock screen should be your first line of defense against mindless checking.”
Price’s solution? An image that prompts you with three questions: What for? Why now? and What else?
You can download it for free here, or simply make your own. Why not try it today?
Productivity Tip:
Make Waking Up Early Rewarding
Rising early is a great way to kickstart a productive day. We get it, though – it’s a tough habit to build!
The best strategy? Find a way to make it rewarding.
Watch the sunrise with a hot cup of tea or coffee. Prep a delicious, healthy breakfast the night before. Start the day in a cozy corner with a book. Go for an invigorating walk, or pump up some music and dance around in your underwear (we won’t judge!).
Pick whatever you find pleasurable; whatever you can look forward to. Make waking up early a reward, not a punishment.
And if you’re simply not a morning lark, that’s also fine: do what works best for you!
Routine Breakdown
Jeff Wickersham, Performance Coach, Author & Speaker
If anyone should have their mornings totally nailed, it’s Jeff Wickersham – author of the book Rise, Fight, Love, Repeat: Ignite Your Morning Fire. And he doesn’t disappoint. He:
- Preps everything the night before, including lemon water and workout clothes.
- Does affirmations (“of what I want in the world and in my life”).
- Exercises for about 10 minutes. “Could be pushups, situps, air squats, burpees, stairs or just getting outside.”
- Has a green smoothie with some fats in it.
- Meditates using the Insight Timer app to track his consecutive days.
- Writes in a gratitude journal. Also writes post-it notes to his wife and sons to show them love and gratitude.
Why it works:
- Positive self-affirmations have a range of research-backed benefits.
- 10 minutes of exercise is enough to reap big rewards. Really!
- Greens + fats = a winning smoothie.
- Science supports meditation as an awesome habit, and tracking consecutive days is a great way to build that habit.
- Gratitude has lasting effects on the brain, while cultivating strong relationships is instrumental to a long, happy life.
Here’s a tip from Jeff on igniting your own “morning fire”: Use quick wins to build momentum. “If you build this momentum, if you start off in control from the moment that alarm clock goes off, it’s very powerful,” he says.
We’d love to hear how your own morning routines are going. Drop us a line and let us know!
