The Daily Mind
Daily Steps To Mindful Living
We all know that regular exercise is essential for both a healthy mind and body. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking regular exercise helps to prevent and improve a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis. Indeed, research also shows that exercise can have a positive effect in reducing anxiety and improving mood.
[Read more…] about The benefits of green exercise
Originally posted on August 13, 2013 @ 3:07 pm
About six months ago I took up running and have found it to be really
helpful for beating stress and improving my overall fitness. Six weeks
ago a friend of mine invited me to take part in a competitive race –
something I’ve never done before – and I accepted the challenge.
However, now that the race day is looming, I’ve been crippled with
self doubts and worries that I won’t be able to complete the distance.
During my last few runs my mindset has been terrible and I can’t seem
to silence the voice in my head that keeps telling me that I can’t do
it or that I’m too tired.
This is something that affects a lot of competitive athletes (not that
I’m saying I’m one – far from it). Overcoming a negative mindset can
make the difference between a good athlete and an award-winning one.
And not just athletes – it applies to all walks of life. Having self
belief and a positive mindset can give you the confidence to realise
your dreams and achieve all the things you want to do in life.
I’ve been doing some research into how to master your mindset, and
here are some things I’ve discovered.
[Read more…] about Self belief and mastering your mindset
Originally posted on June 27, 2013 @ 5:56 pm
Previously in this blog I’ve written about the fact that I’m not a natural optimist and that I have to work hard to maintain a positive outlook in life. Well, it so happens that I’m also not much of a morning person. It’s a pretty rare day when I leap out of bed, full of enthusiasm.
So this month I’ve decided to try and change this, by making a resolution to always start my day on a good note. And so far the changes I’ve been making have been making a real difference to my state of mind, leaving me feeling happier and more upbeat. I thought I’d share them with you now.
[Read more…] about Start your day on the right note
Originally posted on March 15, 2013 @ 1:48 pm
As I write this blog post I can feel my neck and back aching from sitting at a desk all day. I’ve also got a touch of eye strain and I think my knees are a bit locked up. What a mess I must sound! But my discomfort has inspired this blog post, which asks the question: is your workplace making you ill?
The combination of long hours, stressful working conditions and a poor diet can leave us susceptible to all manner of health problems. So perhaps it’s time to look at your work environment and habits to see if they need an overhaul.
photo credit: dave gunzenhauser
[Read more…] about Is your workplace making you ill?
Originally posted on February 28, 2012 @ 8:01 pm
Sometimes the pressures of life can take their toll on our minds and bodies, leaving us exhausted, depressed and lacking in energy. Here’s how to give your mind, body and spirit a lift.
Mind
Make sure you start every day on a positive note. Instead of reading the papers or watching the news which, let’s face it, generally leaves you feeling pretty miserable, read a book that inspires you instead. You can catch up on the news later in the day, but make sure the first thing you read leaves you feeling uplifted.
photo credit: Anders.Bachmann
[Read more…] about Boost your mind, body and spirit
Originally posted on February 17, 2012 @ 10:33 am
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself constantly rushing around trying to fit lots of things into the day and never quite feeling that there’s enough time. I think the key here is time management – something that doesn’t come easily to me, I must admit – so that’s why for this blog I’ve decided to speak to a number of health experts to get some tips. I’m going to take a look at how to manage your work life better so that you feel less stressed, and I’m also going to look at how to fit more time in your day for fitness, a healthy diet and meditation.
Work
I like to think that I’m pretty organised, but I do sometimes get overwhelmed at work when I’ve got lots of things to do at once. I asked business coach Catherine Billam for some advice on how to be better at multi-tasking and, interestingly, she claims that it’s “a very inefficient way of using the brain.” She adds: “Doing two tasks at once can reduce your performance by up to 50 per cent, and constant emailing or text messaging reduces intelligence by an average of 10 points on an IQ test.” Yikes! That puts my IQ down by several numbers.
Instead of trying to juggle lots of tasks, Catherine advises cutting your day into chunks and focusing on one type of activity at a time. “Have separate chunks of time for admin, phone calls, meetings, emails, dealing with today’s emergencies, planning, creative thinking and writing,” she says.
Catherine also suggests being clever in the way that you plan your day. “Do the most difficult tasks when you have the most energy and the routine tasks when you have the least energy,” she says.
“Most people are at their brightest early in the morning, so do your hardest creative tasks and decision-making then. If dealing with admin or emails is routine, do that when you have less energy. Most people have a dip in the middle of the afternoon. Do routine tasks then.” I’ve always wondered what to do during the dreaded 3pm slump – now I know!
[Read more…] about How to streamline your life
Originally posted on October 21, 2011 @ 10:51 am
