Lifestyle Changes & Making New Habits
Starting a new career as a home-based freelance writer and editor has given me a wonderful opportunity to create new habits for myself along with the lifestyle changes. I am taking full advantage of the situation! My physical and mental health suffered while I was working at a job I was unhappy at, so these are some of the new habits I am instilling into my daily life:
1) Regular exercise. I have recently received a gym membership to GoodLife Fitness, which is super awesome, so I am making good use of it. I love attending gym classes like Body Combat, and I’ve even gotten into Spinning! Of course, last week I definitely had to take a few days off of exercise after my first Body Combat class (might have overdone it a little. In the I-feel-[good-but-intense]pain-in-places-I-didn’t-even-know-I-had-muscles sort of way), but I still got some movement into my day by going for walks. Now that I’ve recovered from that intense workout, I’m back to the gym every couple of days, and running with Mr Science on alternate days. It’s so nice to do more than just walking and lifting the occasional light weights! My body loves it.
2) Balanced eating. Disordered eating is a strange thing to deal with. I want so badly to eat high-raw and go on three-day green smoothie cleanses and that sort of thing, but I think that I’m finally realizing that regardless of what that does for my body, my mind does not do so well on it. So my new habit with regards to nutrition is to eat a balanced diet. What a concept! I’m listening to my body and mind to understand what they want. Correspondingly, I’m eating better now than I was a few months ago. It’s refreshing: it puts my mind at ease, and my body likes it too.
3) Focusing on self-care. One of the most important lessons I learned from being unhappy in my work, and working hard hours, was the value of self-care. Exercise and eating well are of course components of self-care, but there are other pieces too that can be super helpful. For me, regular acupuncture sessions are a big luxury. Dry-brushing first thing in the morning sets me up for the day. Taking breaks in the afternoon feels great. By focusing on self-care, I’m actually more productive, happier, healthier, and (I think) a better person in general. “Self-care” means something different for everyone, but acupuncture, dry-brushing, and afternoon breaks are what work well for me.
4) Cleaning and tidying in the evening and in the morning. When I was working at the office, I was too tired to clean and tidy at home during the week. The place would become a mess. The bed wouldn’t get made. The dishes piled up. Now that I work from home, I’m much more cognizant that what happens in my surroundings affects me. So I do some cleaning and tidying before going to bed at night, and first thing in the morning, before I start working, I do another load of dishes, make the bed, and straighten up. It takes very little time since I am now keeping on top of things, and this new habit is making me very happy!
After reading your blog, I always come away feeling like I can better myself all the more. Always inspiring! xo!
Currently trying to do better at tidying up at night & getting kids clothes ready the night before so as not to fill up my morning with stress. I’m gonna get this right!
Aw, thanks! Doing things the night before always seems to set the next day up for success, doesn’t it? Love that.
Doing stuff the night before, when I’m alert, is essential!
On the other hand, I never make my bed except when I’m changing the sheets. To me, it doesn’t read as untidy, which would be irritating, but as Ready to Get Into, which is convenient.
Haha! I like that way of thinking 😉
Since I work from home, I enforce one habit above all others; to leave every day. Whether it be for groceries, coffee, and now I even leave go to the gym — despite that my home is also my fitness studio. Leaving my work behind for an hour or two every day is very important to self-care.
BTW: You are nails on the eating thing. If your mind can’t accept the manner in which you eat, your body will surely reject it. his I believe.
Peace
YES leaving the house is so important. If only to get some fresh air!
Pingback: How to be healthy (even when you're ill) | Living Healthy in the Real World