“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

– Confucius.

Wellness Tip:

Overcome Gymtimidation

One common barrier to working out regularly is fear of judgement – aka, gymtimidation. Not that it’s limited to the gym: it can happen out running, biking, in a yoga class, etc.

In short, we feel inadequate. And we feel like others are judging us for it. 

First thing to realize: this is normal, and you’re not alone! Now for some tips:

• Try building confidence at home before moving outdoors or into the gym.
• Remind yourself that everyone started somewhere. No one was born with washboard abs – they went through their own struggles to get there! 
• Shift the focus back to your goals rather than what’s going on around you. 
• Find an activity you love, and find a supportive environment to do it in.
• Make a pumping playlist that boosts your mood. 

Lastly, lead by example. Do your part to make the environment positive by smiling at others, practicing good gym etiquette, and showing that everyone has a right to be there. 

Got any tips of your own to add?

Productivity Tip:

Do a Weekly Review

Too often, we sail through our days and weeks without stopping to reflect. What went right? What could have gone better?

Enter the review process. If it sounds kinda painful (like the dreaded end-of-year review with your boss) don’t worry – it’s not!

A weekly review can be as simple as spending 10 minutes jotting down your wins of the week (progress is a powerful motivator!) and a few notes on how you’ll do better next week. 

That’s how Panda Planner’s weekly reviews are structured, with the prompts all there for you. 

Another tip for weekly reviews is to do them at the same time and place each week. Consistency builds habits and eases cognitive load. 

Why not schedule a review for the end of this week? And let us know how it goes!

Routine Breakdown

Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO

The CEO of Microsoft is a strong believer in work-life harmony. He:

• Usually sleeps for 8 hours and wakes up at 7 am.
• Asks himself, “What are you thankful for?” He says gratitude is grounding. “It gives you the ability to get up in the morning and orient yourself for the day.”
• Does a 30 minute run in the gym. “For me, the daily ritual is just a half-hour of hitting the gym every day,” he says. “It doesn’t matter where I am, what time zone, how late I got in, I get up and get to the gym. It’s just 30 minutes of running, and it just makes a huge difference.”

Why it works:

• Getting enough sleep is important for health, immunity, productivity, and more.
• Gratitude has a laundry list of research-backed benefits (really!).
• Beyond fitness, exercise has benefits like reducing stress and boosting mood.

Nadells says he tries to harmonize what he deeply cares about with his work. For example, he tries to be present when spending time with his kids. “When I do it well,” he says, “that gives me a tremendous amount of energy and satisfaction to go back to even work.”

So here’s a question for you: What energizes you? And how can you do more of it?