We welcome the Year 2020 with lots of hope and aspiration which also means that all of our most cherished goals—to eat better, to lose weight, Become more mindful also more environment-conscious —are about to be put to the test. Research shows that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. So thank God it’s still January. Here is the list of six little habits that will help keep your January momentum going. If you think about your everyday life, you’re likely consistent about a lot of things and don’t even realize it. Once you turn something that takes five minutes into a habit, you realize that it’s not as tough as you thought to be a little healthier.
Each of these tweaks requires less than five minutes of your time to implement.
1. Keep your phone outside your bedroom
Why? Keeping your phone in such close proximity to your sheets can lead to a delay in sleep onset, and reduce the total amount of sleep you get, too. Even if you do put the phone down 10 to 15 minutes before closing your eyes, the “blue light” from your cell, a tablet, or computer screen is still wreaking havoc; studies have shown exposure leads to less restorative sleep and more drowsiness the next day.
So it’s better to invest in a good old Alarm Clock which really costs nothing and it’s pretty cool to look at.
2.Breathe
You can stop eating for days and you can still survive, you can stop drinking water and still survive for a few days, but try to stop breathing and see how long you survive. It makes you think!
But still, we take it for granted and don’t even give it a thought.
If you want to take care of your bodies then it really starts with your breath.
We hold a lot of tension when we don’t take the time to pause with all the running around. It can happen anywhere—in a car, at your desk, before a meeting.
Science agrees. In one study, researchers divided a group of 20 healthy adults into two groups. One group was instructed to do two sets of 10-minute breathing exercises, while the other group was told to read a text of their choice for 20 minutes. The subjects’ saliva was tested at various intervals during the exercise. The breathing exercise group’s saliva had significantly lower levels of three cytokines associated with stress and inflammation.
Taking time to focus on your breath can make a big difference not only for your mind but for your body, too. If you’ve never tried yoga, which treats breathing as a critical component of exercise now is a good time to start.
3. Read for at least five minutes before bed
“Read more” seems to be an item atop everyone’s wish list. But if you need any more incentive to pick up a book, a 2012 study conducted at the University of Notre Dame indicates that recall is best when we learn right before sleeping. Knowing that you’ll benefit all day long from reading just a few pages will make the task feel a little less daunting.
4. Stretch
Stretching is something that even the most dedicated fitness enthusiast put on the back burner because they’re “just too busy.” But even a few minutes of stretching can increase blood flow to your entire body, which is a good thing no matter how much exercise you are (or aren’t) getting.
“Stretching keeps your muscles strong, healthy, and mobile. “Without it, your muscles will get shorter and tighter over time, which can lead to injury.” Go easy with yourself to start, practicing a few of Cat-cows, for example, will go a long way toward making lower back pain a thing of the past.
5. Eat more leafy greens and fruits
Aside from being a great source of vitamins A, C, E, and K, a diet rich in leafy greens and fruits has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and breast and stomach cancer. So add your greens in as many dishes as you can think of.
6. Meditate
Meditation is one of those habits that takes a long time to get used to. But give it a few weeks, and you’ll see that a small commitment can have a major impact on stress, anxiety, blood pressure, and fatigue. Research shows that just one 10-minute session of guided mindfulness can lead to noticeable improvements in problem-solving ability.
If you are new to meditation, start by walking out of your bathroom, sitting in a comfortable chair, and spending three to five minutes listening to an audio-guided session. By pinning meditation to something you already do on autopilot, you’ll be more likely to follow through instead of spending that time scrolling through the social media app of your choice.
With this list in hand, I am confident that you will be able to make all your dreams for this year come true.
I wish you a Happy & Productive 2020!
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