Bravely Map Out Your Journey to Major Life Changes
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Life is unpredictable and unexpected changes can happen. Major life transitions such as relocating, starting a new job, or coping with illness can be challenging to adapt to. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, but it’s important to acknowledge that these events can offer new growth opportunities. This write-up from How to Organize Your Life offers advice on how to embrace significant changes, prioritize self-care, and flourish in the process.
Welcome Change
The first step in embracing major life changes is to accept that change is inevitable. Change can bring new opportunities, personal growth and a fresh perspective on life. Focus on the positive aspects of the change you’re experiencing, rather than dwelling on the negatives. If you’re relocating to a new city, for example, consider the new places you’ll explore, new people you’ll meet and new experiences you’ll have. Instead of fearing change, look at it as a chance to grow and challenge yourself in new ways.
Practice Self-Care
During times of upheaval, Intelligent Change notes that it’s important to prioritize your own well-being. Make sure you’re eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercise to keep your body and mind healthy. Find activities that help you relax, such as meditation, yoga, reading, or spending time in nature. Self-care can also include seeking help from a therapist or counselor to deal with any emotional issues related to the changes you’re experiencing.
Digitize Your Documents
Undergoing major life changes often comes with the need to reevaluate and organize essential documents. One practical step in this process is digitizing your important papers into PDF format. This approach not only reduces clutter but also ensures that crucial records are easily accessible and protected. You can use PDFs to simplify the conversion of documents like passports, birth certificates, and contracts into a secure digital format. By doing so, you safeguard your vital information and make it more convenient to manage and retrieve during significant life transitions.
Embrace the Challenges
Change can be difficult, but it can also be an opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace the challenge of upheaval by staying open-minded, optimistic, and curious. Tiny Buddha suggests using this time to reflect on your values and goals and consider how the changes you’re experiencing can help you get closer to achieving them.
Try a New Environment
Sometimes the best catalyst for change is a completely new environment. Embracing a fresh start in a novel space offers an opportunity to redefine your lifestyle, particularly if you’re aiming to leave behind the burdens of maintenance or to downsize for a simpler, more manageable living situation. This often means less time spent on care and cleaning, and less room for clutter.
One practical solution is to consider renting a space that aligns with your new needs. The process can be streamlined by exploring online listings, where you can conveniently filter options based on your budget, preferred home type, and the essential number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Many of these listings offer virtual tours, allowing you to efficiently narrow down your choices without the need to physically visit each property, making the search for your new haven both exciting and efficient.
Use This as an Opportunity to Change Your Career Trajectory
Major life changes can also be a catalyst for career change. Use this time to reflect on your current job and consider if it’s truly fulfilling or leading you towards your long-term goals. Consider exploring new careers or industries that interest you, taking courses or attending conferences to develop new skills or networking with professionals in your desired field.
Keep in mind that, to enhance your chances of securing an interview, it’s crucial to craft an outstanding cover letter alongside your resume. Begin by thoroughly researching the company you’re interested in. If you have any referrals or connections to the organization, make sure to highlight them. Additionally, ensure your language is both clear and concise for the best impact. You can click here for more info on how to write a compelling cover letter.
Start a New Business and Form an LLC
If you’re starting a new business, one of the first steps you should consider is forming a limited liability company, or LLC. LLCs offer personal liability protection and tax benefits, making them the popular choice for new entrepreneurs. Forming an LLC involves registering your business with the Secretary of State’s office and filing the necessary paperwork. This process is relatively straightforward and can help protect your assets in the event of any legal issues that may arise.
It is said that a person is made whole by their mind, body, and soul. Each of these elements plays an important role in our well-being. Embracing major life changes is always a daunting task, but it can also be an opportunity for personal growth and positive transformation. To navigate this journey successfully, remember to give equal attention to all three aspects of yourself. By taking these steps, you can not only survive but thrive during this journey of change.
Read more informative articles on the How to Organize Your Life blog today!
Mastering the Parenting Juggle
Affordable Strategies for an Organized Life
Parenthood is an exhilarating yet hectic journey that demands multitasking at its finest. Ensuring that your children attend their extracurricular activities, getting your household chores done, and keeping up with your professional obligations often leaves you scrambling for a moment of peace. As a parent wearing many hats, how do you keep your life in order without burning a hole in your pocket? The answer lies in adopting effective yet economical organizational tactics. In this article shared with you by How to Organize Your Life, you’ll find several actionable tips for regaining your sense of order without breaking the bank.
Pen-and-Paper Tricks: Planning Tools on a Budget
One of the simplest ways to keep tabs on your busy life is by getting back to basics with traditional paper-based organizers. Whether it’s a cost-effective planner or a self-designed bullet journal, jotting down your to-do list helps solidify your tasks mentally. Seeing your obligations and goals on paper can provide clarity, encourage time allocation, and facilitate priority setting. You’ll find it easier to remember appointments, stay mindful of deadlines, and manage your day-to-day activities without feeling overwhelmed.
Time-Saving Techniques: Gaining Control of Your Hours
Understanding the value of time is the first step toward effective organization. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique help you divide your day into concentrated work intervals, separated by short breaks. On the other hand, the Eisenhower Matrix allows you to sort tasks into different quadrants based on their urgency and importance. These methods aren’t just beneficial for your professional life; they can also make family time and household chores more manageable. The best part? These techniques are free.
Go Paperless: Streamlining Your Important Documents
Trying to keep everything organized? Try this simple method to make your life easier: scan essential files like medical records, insurance policies, and school reports. You can use this tool to change your files to the desired format online, and converting these documents into PDF files makes them easier to manage, access, and share. Various online platforms offer free tools to compress these digital files further, so storage isn’t an issue. The initial effort required to transition to a digital filing system can save you countless hours down the line searching through physical folders and piles of paper.
One Trip, Multiple Tasks: Efficiently Planning Your Outings
Fuel costs and time spent driving add up quickly. By mapping out your errands in advance, you can accomplish more in fewer trips. Create a weekly or monthly plan to tackle chores like grocery shopping, medical appointments, and school activities in a single outing. Pair errands that are close in proximity, or better yet, choose multipurpose venues whenever possible.
The Art of Maintenance: Staying Tidy Post-Cleanup
Once you’ve cleared the clutter from your living areas, maintaining this newfound space is essential. Create easy-to-follow systems that each family member can contribute to. Label storage boxes, designate areas for specific items, and make tidying up a collective effort. Consistency is key to making this stick.
Household Harmony: Instituting a Cleaning Cadence
Establish a cleaning regimen that works for your family. Divide chores among family members and make it an event in your weekly calendar. Consistency in cleaning minimizes buildup and makes the task less daunting. Plus, a clean and organized home is more inviting and contributes to overall well-being.
Nutritional and Economical: Mastering Meal Prepping
Meal preparation is another excellent method for staying organized. Draft a weekly menu and shop accordingly. Prepping ingredients and even entire meals ahead of time minimizes cooking stress and reduces the chances of resorting to costly last-minute takeout options. Plus, planned meals are generally healthier and more balanced, in addition to saving you money.
Navigating the complexities of parenting doesn’t have to send you spiraling into chaos or financial stress. By thoughtfully adopting these affordable organizational tactics, you empower yourself to streamline your responsibilities and tasks. This newfound sense of equilibrium can drastically improve your quality of life, making room for more enjoyable moments with your family. Overall, a well-organized routine lays the groundwork for a smoother, more harmonious family dynamic.
How to Organize Your Life is here to help you get organized and start living your best life. Let us know if you have any questions!
5 Simple Ways to Beat Blue Monday
A step-by-by step guide to surviving the January blues.
“Blue Monday” refers to the weird third Monday in January—described as the most depressing day of the year—when people appear the lowest in mood. Apparently, this is due to a combination of post-Christmas blues, cold dark nights, and the arrival of unpaid credit card bills. Alas, this year’s date is Monday 15 January 2024.
Is it real?
There is no real evidence to support this theory. The concept was first publicized as part of a 2005 press release from a holiday company that claimed to have calculated the date using an equation. However, the idea is considered pseudoscience, with its formula derided by scientists as nonsensical.
Now, having said that…
Are my clients generally underwhelmed after the Christmas and New Year holidays? Maybe.
Are they broke and just about hanging on for the next paycheck? Certainly.
Have they defaulted on that rather unrealistic New Year’s resolution? Perhaps.
Do they get stressed and overwhelmed by the return to a job they promised themselves that they’d resign from? Sure.
Whilst it might be tempting to indulge in a national collective “woe-is-me” day, it’s probably more helpful to focus on how to make your life better this year.
There might not be much evidence to support “Blue Monday,” but we could probably agree that some people might feel particularly low in mood this week, so let’s be compassionate and offer support to them as we would any other day of the week.
So, if you happen to experience the blues on Monday the 18th of January (or frankly, any other day of the week, for that matter), I invite you to try any or all of my top things to do when I need to beat the blue out of any bluey day! My clients love these, too.
Try any or all of my top things to do when I need to beat the blue out of any bluey day.
5 Simple Ways To Beat Your Monday Blues
- Go to bed early on Sunday night. Your body will thank you for it. It’s important to prepare for sleep using a helpful bed-time routine such as having a warm bath and limiting blue lights which often radiate from mobile phones and tablets. If you really have trouble sleeping, I’d recommend you see your physician for some advice. However, to learn more helpful tips about sleep, my favourite specialist is Dr. Michael J. Breus—aka The Sleep Doctor.
- Plan your Monday schedule, as it’ll help you to feel more in control. Remember to incorporate time in your day for a proper lunch. If you find yourself feeling stressed, take a quick 5-minute break to practice being mindful. Focus on your breathing and allow thoughts to float in and out.
- Meet a friend online and have a good laugh! Or organize a zoom meeting with a number of friends—better yet, friends you haven’t caught up with for a while, and have a really good laugh about all the silly stuff that happened in the past.
- Burn some energy. Go out for a run, cycle ride, or walk until you feel just a little bit better. The endorphins our body produces are our natural anti-depressants and will help boost your moods.
- Don’t pressure yourself. If you don’t fancy doing any of these, then don’t do it! Do something instead that you’d actually enjoy. There’s always Tuesday. It might be a much better day anyway!
How Essential Oils Can Support the Body in Stress
Understanding what actually triggers a stress response gave me the tools to help reduce it.
For example, nipping the thoughts that stir a stress response in the bud can help avoid it altogether. Essential oils are uniquely suited to help us address, transform and clear negative emotions and thought patterns.
Our sense of smell, which is part of our olfactory system, is one of the most powerful channels into the body. In fact, our sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 times more acute than our other senses. Research has shown that scents can travel faster to the brain than other senses like sight or sound. Perhaps for that reason, inhalation can be the most direct and effective method for using essential oils. The entire process from the initial inhalation of an essential oil to a corresponding response in the body can happen in a matter of seconds.
When we inhale essential oils through the nose, the odor molecules trigger receptor sites in our mucous membrane, which then sends the odor information on to the olfactory bulb at the base of the brain. I find it interesting that it is not actually the essential oil itself that is sent to the brain, but a neural translation of the oils. These fragrance messages are interpreted and transmitted to the limbic system of the brain, known as the “emotional brain” because it deals with emotional and psychological responses.
As you may know, the limbic system serves as the control center in the brain for emotions and feelings, along with hunger, thirst and sex drive. This helps explain how scent can influence appetite and sexual attraction. It also impacts long-term memory through our hippocampus which stores our memories. The hippocampus is the area of the brain at play during those powerful experiences of smell triggering emotions or memories. For me, the mere smell of mothballs transports me back in time to my grandparent’s apartment in Brooklyn, triggering a multi-sensory memory including both the visuals and the emotions that I experienced during our annual visits.
This powerful emotional reaction in the limbic system is triggered by nerve impulses which in turn trigger other areas of the brain that are responsible for secreting hormones, neurotransmitters and regulating body functions. For example, the pituitary gland releases endorphins, which can help alleviate pain and promote a sense of well-being.
The theory of how this works centers on the idea that essential oils can stimulate or sedate the brain to promote or inhibit the production and release of various neurotransmitters which then impact the nervous system.
Because smells can bypass the thought center of the thalamus and connect directly to the emotional center of the brain, known as the amygdala in the limbic system, they can trigger us to react first and think later. All other physical senses are routed through the thalamus, which acts as the switchboard for the brain, passing stimuli onto the cerebral cortex (the conscious thought center) and other parts of the brain.
The amygdala plays a major role in storing and releasing emotional trauma. The easiest way to stimulate this gland is through the sense of smell. In other words – the emotional brain responds better to smell than it does to words that are read, spoken or heard. Our sense of smell links directly to emotional states and behaviors often stored since childhood.
This makes essential oils especially powerful tools for enabling us to access stored or forgotten memories and suppressed emotions, like anxiety, depression, fear, worry, grief, trauma, anger and self-abuse. Once accessed, we can acknowledge and release them. The word “emotion” includes the word motion, implying that are supposed to move through us and be released. Negative emotions can that we hold onto can contribute to health problems.
As you may recall, emotions and thought patterns can trigger an ongoing stress response in the body (since our stress response cannot differentiate between physical or emotional and thought driven stressors) which impedes our ability to heal. Smelling essential oils can be a powerful tool for moving through and releasing these thought patterns. To learn more about different essential oil blends to help release emotions, click here.
Essential Oils as Tools to Relieve Stress
Armed with this knowledge that I could use essential oils to help balance my stress, and not need to abandon my job or my children, I incorporated several emotional blends (my personal favorites are Liver Support™ for my anger and Small Intestine Support™ for my boundaries), along with:
Parasympathetic™: The first line of defense against stress is known as the “fight or flight” response triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. We are designed to switch into this sympathetic state, flee from danger, then drop back into the balanced parasympathetic “rest and digest” state where we can rest, repair and heal. To help stimulate the Parasympathetic response, apply Vibrant Blue Oils Parasympathetic™ blend to the vagal nerve (behind the earlobe on the mastoid bone). For more aggressive vagal stimulation, you can also apply at the base of the skull (where you feel a small indent). Apply before meals to optimize digestion and up to 6 times daily to help reset the body into the Parasympathetic state.
Adrenal™: The adrenal glands help determine and regulate the body’s stress response by secreting hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Prolonged periods of stress can deplete our reserves of these hormones and exhaust the adrenal glands. Applying Vibrant Blue Oils Adrenal™ blend over the adrenal glands (back of the body, one fist up from the 12th rib), may help to increase the body’s ability to adapt to stress and maintain healthy adrenal function.
Hypothalamus™: The limbic lobe can also directly activate the hypothalamus – a pearl size region of the brain often referred to as the “master gland” which acts as the hormonal control center for neural and hormonal messages received from/sent to body and plays a key role in the body’s stress response. The hypothalamus releases hormones that can affect everything from sex drive to energy levels. The production of growth hormones, sex hormones, thyroid hormones, and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, are all governed by the hypothalamus. It is constantly reading blood the levels of hormones, and adjusting resulting signals sent to the body to maintain internal balance (homeostasis). Chronic and prolonged stress can damage the hypothalamus’s ability to receive clear messages from the body which then impacts all outgoing endocrine and neural signals. Applying Vibrant Blue Oils Hypothalamus™ blend over the third eye may help reset the natural ability of the hypothalamus to send and receive clear messages to and from the body.
What are your tips for beating the Blue Monday blues? Please share in the comments below
5 Best Foods For Colds and Flu
While we might want nothing more than to retreat under a blanket and sleep away the sickness, it’s vital for recovery to know what foods are good for colds and flu, too.
After all, your body will need a helping hand in fighting off the viruses and/or bacteria that have you feeling under the weather – and food is the best backup you could ask for. By eating the right meals and snacks, you can provide your body with the nutrients that it needs to recover.
Read on for a breakdown of the 5 best foods for a cold and flu.
1. Soups and broths
Whether served up by parents to their little ones off sick from school or used as a tonic to get you back to feeling your best, soup is a fantastic food to help with colds and the flu.
Chicken soup, in particular, is the go-to choice for people suffering with sore throats, stuffy noses, and pounding headaches. That’s because a steaming bowl of chicken soup is packed full of the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to fight off the sickness, including protein, energy-filled electrolytes, and essential amino acids.
For an extra kick, try adding chilli flakes or powder to the soup. The spicy edge can clear your sinuses and get rid of annoying blocked noses, making this tasty food to help a cold even more beneficial!
2. Fruit and veg
If we’re talking about the best foods for a cold, continuing to eat your five a day is so important for fighting off those uncomfortable symptoms.
Citrus fruits and leafy greens are the name of the game here. The best fruits and veg for combating a cold include oranges, grapefruit, spinach and kale – the ones that are packed full of fibre, vitamin C, and antioxidants with each and every bite. It’s these essential nutrients that give your body the helping hand it needs to recover from a cold or the flu.
So, munch on the sweet fruits as a tasty snack to boost your energy levels or include the leafy greens in your meal prep. If you’re looking for inspiration of what to eat with a cold, our recipe for red lentil and spinach dal includes those vital vitamins to give you a much-needed pick-me-up.
3. Herbal tea
While eating foods that help with colds is obviously important for your recovery, you need to make sure you stay properly hydrated, too. Water and fruit juice are often touted as the best drinks for a cold, keeping your thirst quenched.
However, if you want to add some essential nutrients to your beverage, stick the kettle on and brew up a herbal tea. Herbal teas are amazing at helping recover from cold and flu symptoms as they contain lots of antioxidants. Breathing in the steam from the hot water can also help to unblock sinuses and stuffy noses.
For a nutritional sweetener, consider adding honey to your herbal tea to help soothe your sore throat with every sip. In fact, research suggests that honey contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties, helping you get rid of that sore throat and headache when you have a cold.
4. Yoghurt
Yes, we’ve already talked up a storm about how yoghurt can help improve gut health, but did you know that yogurt is a great food to eat when you have a cold, too?
The probiotics found in yoghurts help boost your immune system, fighting off the bacteria and viruses that have you feeling under the weather. What’s more, yoghurt is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals that are also important for your immune system.
To get a healthy helping of vitamin C as well, sprinkle a handful of berries atop your yoghurt. This tasty combo makes for one of the best foods to eat with a cold!
5. Oily fish
There are so many reasons why having enough protein in your diet is so important for your overall health – and chief among them is the immune-boosting benefit of giving your body more energy to fight off a virus.
In this respect, oily fish are good foods for colds and flu. Not only are they rich in protein goodness, but they are also packed full of omega-3 fatty acids that can help your immune system work more effectively.
Need a recipe for foods that help with colds? Our quick salmon with green beans and pesto potatoes will have you well on your way on the road to recovery!
Healthy New Year’s Resolutions for 2024
These simple suggestions will have a positive impact on your health.
1. Walk more
Brisk walking, even for just 10 minutes a day, can improve your circulation, boost your mood and improve your sleep. If you want to start walking more in 2024, try doing it in 10 minute chunks to make it less daunting.
Remember, you can tell if you’re walking briskly enough if you’re able to talk, but you’re breathing faster than usual.
2. Experience nature
Mental health charity Mind found that proximity to nature can have positive wellbeing benefits, including helping you feel more relaxed and less angry.
If you’re able, visiting green spaces more often can be really beneficial. One study found, for example, that just hearing birdsong can boost mental well-being for four hours or more.
You can bring nature into your everyday life by having flowers in the house, looking after house plants, growing your own food or exercising outdoors.
3. Spend less time sitting down
Sitting is the new smoking – the body wasn’t built for spending hours at a desk or in front of the TV. It increases your risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and breast, colon and colorectal cancer. Why not try the Pomodoro method to break up desk time.
Set a timer to break each hour into two 25-minute blocks separated by two five-minute breaks. Work intently during the work periods and move about during the breaks. Use your breaks to stand up, do a quarter squat, do some rotations, or just go for a walk round the office. This technique can also boost your focus when you’re working.
If you’re to maintain a healthier balance between staying on and off screen, why not check out our article on things to do instead of looking at your phone.
4. Get good sleep
Being sleep deprived can negatively affect your mental and physical health. It can even make you prone to major illnesses, from obesity to depression. Reducing screen time before bed, sleeping in a cool room, and going to bed at the same time each evening all help with a good night’s rest. Apps such as Sleep Cycle can help you pinpoint any issues and help you to improve your sleep. For more tips, see our article on best and worst foods for sleep.
5. Stretch
Many of us want to become more flexible and introducing stretches into your daily routine can help you achieve that. Dynamic stretching can help improve flexibility and range of movement, and decrease the risk of injury.
Make a habit of stretching when you wake up, or while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. Discover more ways to getting more mobile, including some morning stretches to try.
6. Make food more fun
Challenge yourself to cook and eat one new recipe every week. As well as vitamins and minerals, there are hundreds of micronutrients known as phytochemicals in food. Eating a wide variety of food is an easy way of ensuring we get a good nutritional mix. If you’re looking to shake things up, why not try one of our delicious, healthy recipes, with ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
7. Plan meals
A focused food shopping list cuts calories and waste, and saves money, as you only buy what you need (and throw nothing away). Take the time to plan your meals, and write out a list before you go to the shops.
8. Reach out to others
We’re all busy, but in 2022 take time out for your relationships. The Mental Health Foundation says that having good quality relationships can help us to live longer and happier lives with fewer mental health problems.
Try to schedule calls (or in-person meetings) with your friends on a regular basis rather than leaving it up to chance. You can increase your sense of belonging by joining clubs or volunteering in your area. If you can’t get out and about, there are plenty of online communities you can join – from book clubs to parent/grandparent groups. For your romantic relationships, reflect on whether you’re in a healthy relationship.
9. Drink plenty of water
Drinking enough water is crucial to good health. The NHS recommends drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day (or 1.5 to 2 litres in total).
You can meet this target by buying a reusable water bottle and keeping it with you throughout the day. If you know your bottle holds 500ml, you know you have to refill it 3 to 4 times to drink the recommended amount. Don’t forget that you need more water if you exercise, or on hot days.
Overcoming Substance Abuse: Practical Steps to Reclaim Your Life
Overcoming substance abuse is a difficult yet rewarding path that requires focused effort, support, and practical strategies. This article, courtesy of How to Organize Your Life, provides actionable insights for anyone ready to make the leap toward a substance-free existence. From the role of community in healing to the positive influence of mindful living, let’s explore the roadmap to recovery.
Connect Through Community
One of the fundamental elements in the journey to recovery is the power of community. Being part of a support group or a structured recovery program offers not just expert advice but also a network of people who understand your struggles. This connection fosters accountability, provides emotional sustenance, and instils a sense of purpose—all of which are crucial in the fight against substance abuse.
Cultivate Mental Wellness Through Gardening
Engaging in therapeutic activities can offer a profound impact on mental wellness, and gardening is one such endeavor that has demonstrated positive effects. The very act of working with soil, sowing seeds, and observing plant growth can imbue a sense of meaningful achievement and emotional restoration.
Before getting started, it’s prudent to consult online resources that offer in-depth product reviews and expert gardening advice. Click here to explore these resources!
Pinpoint the Catalysts
Understanding what prompts you to use substances is an instrumental aspect of recovery. Are you driven by stress, emotional trauma, or mere routine?
Identifying these triggers allows you to circumvent situations where you’re most vulnerable so you can make more informed choices. Once you know what to look for, you can develop preemptive strategies or healthier coping mechanisms to replace the act of using substances.
Evaluate Institutional Care Options
For those who find that outpatient methods are not sufficient, the next logical step might be inpatient care, which offers a rigorous, structured environment free from common triggers that might lead to relapse. The concern about the cost is understandable but should not be a barrier to seeking help.
Many inpatient centers have affiliations with health insurance providers, which can alleviate the financial burden. When considering this option, you might ask, “Are there available treatment alternatives in my area?” A discussion with your insurance company can answer this question and guide you to a treatment facility that aligns with both your medical needs and financial resources.
Foster Resilience Through Alternative Coping Strategies
Engagement in life-enhancing activities can significantly aid your recovery journey. This can range from physical exercise to artistic expression.
By investing your time and energy in these pursuits, you create a compelling alternative to substance use. Developing new skills or hobbies can serve as both a distraction from cravings and a means of emotional regulation.
Embrace Accountability
Acknowledging your past actions and their ramifications is a fundamental aspect of recovery. This acceptance allows you to genuinely apologize to those you’ve hurt and mend fractured relationships. Accountability is the gateway to personal growth, paving the way for you to make informed choices in your ongoing journey to recovery.
Integrate Physical Activity
Incorporating even minor changes in your physical routine can contribute to your general well-being. These changes can be as simple as walking instead of driving for short distances or choosing stairs over elevators. Such activities are not just beneficial for physical health but are also conducive to mental wellness.
Master the Art of Mindful Living
Mindfulness techniques, such as focused breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, can be valuable tools in managing cravings and emotional upheavals. These practices train you to remain present, and aware of your thoughts and emotions, so you can react less impulsively to stressors. Practicing mindfulness cultivates a mental environment where recovery can truly thrive.
Recovery from substance abuse is neither a straightforward nor a solitary journey, but it’s an attainable goal. You can navigate the complexities of recovery by fostering a strong support network, recognizing triggers, considering structured treatment, and adopting enriching activities. A life free from the grip of substance abuse is not just a possibility; it’s a realistic outcome for those willing to commit to the transformative power of practical, supportive steps.
If you enjoyed this article, you can find more helpful content on How to Organize Your Life!
Are you addicted to your smartphone?
We now know that today’s diet, lacking in brain-friendly fats and other nutrients, yet high in sugar and ultra-processed food, is likely to be shrinking our brains, dumbing us down and triggering a big increase in mental health problems. But it isn’t just nutrition that is creating the perfect storm for our mental demise.
The digital culture we exist in is pushing us towards a whole new paradigm of background stress. This is partly because the marketeers have learnt how to get us addicted to their products – applying a level of stress and variable reward to trick the brain’s reward system – leaving you with a ‘gotta have it’ feeling.
So is this where smartphone addiction comes from?
This manipulation of the stress/reward response is one of the oldest mechanisms of the brain. It is both core for our survival, but also makes us more impulsive, manipulatable and, effectively, stupid.
Most of all, it makes us good consumers. Reward, based on dopamine, equals pleasure. We are living in space-age times with stone age minds and multinational companies have learnt how to get us hooked – literally neurochemically addicted to consuming their products.
We are being sold pleasure in the guise of happiness: the happy hour, the happy meal, happiness in a can. But joy and happiness are regulated by the neurotransmitter serotonin, not the latest special offer. And in fact, this pleasure-seeking may be counterproductive.
“The more pleasure you seek, the more unhappy you get” says Professor Robert Lustig, author of ‘Hacking the American Mind’. This is because too much dopamine (the ‘reward’ neurotransmitter) suppresses serotonin (the ‘happy’ neurotransmitter) and we end up feeling unhappy and depressed. This brain hijack may be why depression, suicide and psychiatric drug prescriptions have rocketed to the point where, in the UK and US (and probably elsewhere), there are almost twice as many prescriptions for psychiatric drugs per year than there are people.
“We are the most in debt, the most obese, the most medicated and the most drugged up adult population in human history” says Lustig. We have literally learnt how to fool our brains and in doing so have fooled ourselves, by creating addictive behaviours and addictive foods.
It seems dopamine, the brain’s main neurotransmitter of reward and desire, is the key.
Of all the changes that have taken place in the 21st century, the ‘digital revolution’ has changed our world beyond recognition, seemingly speeding up time. Yes, our diet and environment have changed a lot, but what’s really changed, especially in cities that now house half of humanity and an estimated two-thirds of the world’s population by 2035, is the pace of life. People all over the world are sleeping less, having less downtime, feeling more anxious and stressed and burning out at a far higher rate. This is reflected in the increasing rate of work absenteeism, depression and suicide, especially in cities.
The speeding up of communication – emails, smartphones and digital media – means that we are supposed to react to demands, and are bombarded with them, at an ever-increasing speed.
We have literally become addicted to our phones(8). The average person picks up their phone 352 times a day – more than every three minutes, and swipes it thousands of times a day. A UK survey reports 62% cannot make it through dinner without checking their phone. Almost half of us report anxiety if we don’t have our phone, or a signal, suffering ‘nomophobia’. We are going to sleep with our phones and checking them first thing on waking up. One survey found that one in ten university students in the US admitted to having checked their smartphones during sex!
Why? Basically, to sell stuff. “I feel tremendous guilt,” admitted Chamath Palihapitiya, former Vice President of User Growth at Facebook, to an audience of Stanford students. “The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works.” Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn or any other platform, the core design is to get your attention, then show you ads tailored to your attributes and behaviours which the technology learns about you. Facebook, for example, has learnt how to do this with prompts, swipe downs, red icons that you press and don’t know what you receive. Is it a ‘like’? Do I have more ‘friends’? Or has another person ‘linked’ to me on LinkedIn etc.
Facebook even knows when you’re feeling ‘insecure’, ‘worthless’ and ‘need a confidence boost’ or are ‘bored’, and can make sure you receive a notification of a ‘like’ at just the right time to keep you hooked. If you find yourself checking your phone at the slightest feeling of boredom, purely out of habit, know that programmers work very hard behind the screens to keep you doing exactly that. A study of 143 undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania, limiting use to 30 minutes a day versus a control group found significant reductions in loneliness and depression (9). The researchers concluded, “Our findings strongly suggest that limiting social media use to approximately 30 minutes per day may lead to significant improvement in well-being.”
Whether it’s a text, a notification or a ‘like’, just like sugar, this digital consumption triggers a reward signal in our brains. The marketing algorithms schedule the precise times to deliver our digital diet and serve up the extra addictive quality of a variable reward.
Your brain’s reward system
It’s to do with a tiny organ in the central hippocampal area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens. This is the headquarters of our dopamine-based ‘reward’ system.
The more dopamine you release the more receptors shut down, so you seek more pleasurable behaviours and foods. Insidiously and unknowingly your brain has been hijacked and the symptoms you feel are the direct consequences of an intended addiction. Gambling, gaming, overeating, sex, drugs, food, social media and other digital addictions are all part of it. We end up needing this constant stimulation and, to fuel that, need instant energy foods and drinks – sugar and coffee.
The issue here is to understand how the combination of sugar, caffeinated stimulants, alcohol, tech and social media addiction, shopping, gambling, gaming and so on can hijack your brain’s natural reward system and result in the opposite – you feeling more tired, anxious, unfulfilled and depressed. If that’s happened to you, rest assured there are some simple suggestions that will help you reclaim your brain’s full potential for feeling good, energised, clear, focussed and purposeful.
Simple ways to win back your brain
- Limit your time spent on social media – 30 minutes a day max is a good target but you may need to build down to this. Turn your phone off (or to ‘airplane’ mode) at least an hour before bed and keep it that way for at least an hour in the morning. If you have to have it on, don’t check social media for a couple of hours.
- Limit your intake of caffeine to under 100 grams a day – that’s one strong cup of coffee or two weaker cups of tea. If you have a second cup, use the same tea bag, or have a filter coffee ‘run through’. Avoid all caffeine after noon.
- Avoid buying food that contains added sugar, dates or raisins – if in doubt, read the label and remember sugar is often disguised as high fructose corn syrup. When looking at food labels remember 5g is a teaspoon of sugar and foods with more than 22.5g per 100g of sugar are considered high sugar and those with 5g or less per 100g are considered low sugar. Ideally, only have sugar in whole fresh fruits. Fruit juice is also high in sugar so best avoided or limited.
- Limit your daily intake of alcohol to 20 grams, or a maximum of two small glasses (125ml is one small glass) of wine. Have at least two days a week alcohol-free.
8 tips to combat the Sunday scaries
What are the Sunday scaries?
The Sunday scaries, also known as the “Sunday blues,” are the sense of anxiety or dread you feel on a Sunday night before returning to work on Monday. You might recognize the Sunday scaries as the pit in your stomach that forms on Sunday evening as the last hours of the weekend tick away and the beginning of the workweek closes in. The Sunday scaries are a form of “anticipatory anxiety” since they cause you to feel anxiety about an event that hasn’t happened yet.
Tips to combat the Sunday scaries
If you’re struggling with the Sunday scaries, we’re here to help. While the dread that fills your Sunday nights can feel overwhelming, there are several actions you can take to reduce—or even eliminate—the fear that takes hold on Sunday evenings.
Remember, you’re not alone in this. The Sunday scaries are related to self-care, but they’re really a work issue. They’re also a valid feeling of anticipatory anxiety that many people, likely including your colleagues and peers, struggle with. By taking steps to identify the cause of your anxiety and prioritize your well-being, you can overcome your Sunday night dread.
1. Determine the cause of your Sunday scaries
Without a clear root cause, the Sunday scaries can feel insurmountable. One moment you’re enjoying your weekend, and the next you’re hit with a feeling of impending doom or unease that you just can’t shake. Instead of writing off this sense of dread as a natural reaction to the end of the weekend, focus on what might be causing the feeling. Ask yourself, is there anything going on at work that you feel unprepared for? Are you happy in your role, or are you feeling stagnant? What’s your work-life balance like?
Determining the specific source of your Sunday-night dread is the first step to overcoming it. Once you have a better idea of what might be causing your feelings, you can brainstorm steps to fix the origin—like prioritizing your most important work to increase your productivity and reduce missed deadlines.
2. Try anxiety-coping techniques
The Sunday scaries are both a work and a well-being challenge. Since the Sunday blues manifest in feelings akin to feelings of anxiety, using anxiety-management and relaxation techniques can help you manage your levels of Sunday-related stress. Try coping strategies like:
- Practicing mindfulness and gratitude
- Using deep breathing exercises
- Keeping a work journal to provide clarity and awareness around complicated work situations
- Taking a long walk or meditating
- Using visualization techniques or reciting positive affirmations
Of course, these are short-term strategies that will help control your feelings of Sunday-night anxiety in the moment. To curb these feelings long-term, you’ll want to focus on actionable changes you can make to your work routine.
3. Create a relaxing Sunday
Since the Sunday scaries lead to increased stress, one of the best ways to combat them is by prioritizing an otherwise stress-free Sunday night. Even though it’s tempting, try not to push all of your weekend responsibilities, like household chores or grocery shopping, to Sunday. Instead, knock out your essential weekend to-dos on Friday evening or Saturday morning to give yourself space to breathe and relax on Sunday.
You can also incorporate a relaxing routine into your Sunday night. Creating a routine will help you wind down, reducing the stress you’d otherwise feel about the upcoming week. Plus, creating a relaxing routine you enjoy gives you something to look forward to on Sunday night, which can reduce your anxiety around the end of the weekend. Try adding stress-management techniques to your routine, like reading a book before bed, taking a warm bath, or meditating.
4. Plan something fun on Monday
Like giving yourself something to look forward to on Sunday evening with a Sunday night routine, planning something fun for Monday can make the start of the week a little less intimidating. It can be something small, like grabbing a cup of coffee before work. Or you can schedule time for something you enjoy, like watching a favorite TV show or cooking a favorite meal. Bonus points if it doubles as something relaxing, like taking a walk or doing yoga. Or, plan an event that will make Monday your favorite day of the week, like a standing happy hour or dinner with a friend. You could also create a productive morning routine to start your Monday fresh and energized.
5. Prioritize your work-life balance
As you may have guessed from our first few tips, prioritizing your work-life balance is key to curbing the Sunday scaries. And while making time for yourself is an important part of developing a successful work-life balance, it will take more than a few bubble baths.
Truly prioritizing your work-life balance means reframing how you think about work and what’s required to succeed. According to the Anatomy of Work Index, 40% of all workers think burnout is an inevitable part of success.
Use strategies to achieve a healthier work-life balance. These could include:
- Setting clear boundaries around when you’re online
- Reducing the amount of work activities you do outside the office
- Learning how to say no if you’re overscheduled
6. Use “do not disturb” and block notifications when you’re off the clock
Technology has connected us—and also made us more distracted. According to the Anatomy of Work, over a third of workers feel overwhelmed by persistent pings. What’s more, workers are facing technology overload: 42% of workers are spending more time on email than one year ago, and 56% feel they need to respond immediately to notifications.
Despite this, only 37% of all workers snooze notifications to limit notifications. Look for tools that offer a “do not disturb” function so you can block app notifications when you’re offline. This sets clear boundaries and gives yourself time away from the hustle and bustle of work on evenings and weekends. After all, your time is your time. When you’re off, you should be fully off(line).
7. Plan out your work week
One root cause of the Sunday scaries is feeling overwhelmed or unprepared for the week ahead. Perhaps you have looming deadlines you’re not sure you’ll be able to meet, or you have an upcoming presentation you don’t feel ready to present. Creating a weekly work plan can help.
A weekly work plan breaks down and organizes your weekly tasks into a manageable overview, so you can see what you need to do and by when. Weekly work plans also allow you to prioritize tasks and set due dates, giving you visibility into your upcoming week. Since weekly work plans help you break down large tasks into smaller to-dos and give you a view of your week at a glance, they’re perfect for balancing your workload. And a balanced workload means less stress during the week—and less anxiety on Sunday.
8. Know when to ask for help
It’s important to recognize the signs that the Sunday scaries are becoming something more serious, like depression or an anxiety disorder. If the above strategies aren’t helping diminish your feelings of Sunday-night dread, or if your work anxiety is significantly impacting your work or personal life, it might be time to take further action. Talk to your manager, mentor, or HR department about workplace benefits that might help. Remember, mental health is health. It’s important to prioritize it—in the workplace and beyond.
What is SPF, and why is it important?
SPF Factors Explained
It needn’t be a sweltering day to feel the full force of the sunshine. Even in overcast conditions, sunlight remains extremely strong, penetrating clouds and even glass.
And with that sunlight, come plentiful supplies of UV rays. These can covertly and very gradually damage the skin, cause wrinkles, and increase the chance of developing skin cancer, especially if skin is over-exposed and under-protected.
While we won’t be suggesting you avoid the sun completely or give up that golden tan, you can minimise the risk of sun damage by getting to know what’s on your sun cream bottle, and what that means for your sun protection.
Take a look at our top tips below about what SPF means, how SPF works, and how often you should apply sun cream.
Understanding your sunscreen bottle
What does the SPF number mean?
SPF stands for sun protection factor which acts as a yardstick for the length of time the sun’s UV radiation will take to burn your skin versus if you were unprotected.
For example, an SPF 30 sun cream should take you 30 times longer to burn than if you were wearing no sun cream, as it allows around 3% of UVB rays to reach your skin. Likewise, SPF 50 would take 50 times longer to make you burn and allows around just 2% of UVB rays through. This only applies, of course, if you are applying sun lotion as directed on the bottle and reapplying as instructed.
What does UVA and UVB mean?
Beyond what SPF means, your sun lotion bottle provides much more vital info about its sun protection level, including the differences between UVA and UVB.
UVA (ultraviolet A) penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB and has a longer-lasting effect. These types of rays are closely linked with skin cancer and premature ageing, such as wrinkles, leathery skin, and sun spots. UVB (ultraviolet B) has shorter wavelengths than UVA and is more commonly displayed on sun cream bottles; it is also the main cause of sunburn and is linked with some skin cancers.
Where is the expiry date on sun cream?
Not had a chance to buy new sunscreen this summer? Are you wondering how long sun cream lasts as you’re looking to apply last year’s bottle?
To know when suncream expires, all you need to do is look out for the symbol that looks like an open jar on the sunscreen bottle. This has a number inside that tells you how long the product should be used after it has been opened.
For example, if you see “12M” in the open jar, then the sun cream should be used within 12 months of cracking it open. After that time, the sun cream becomes ineffective – no matter how high the sun protection factor is. As such, try to remember when you last opened it and, if you know you used it last year, it’s time to buy a fresh one.
How often should I apply sun cream and how much should I be wearing?
While many dermatologists will recommend wearing sun cream everyday to provide constant sun protection (yes, even during the winter), during summer, when the sun is at its hottest, you should consider reapplying sun lotion every two hours. If you are out and about during the hottest point of the day, have sensitive skin, go swimming, or sweat a lot, you may need to increase the frequency.
As for how much sun cream you should apply, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 35ml (around seven teaspoons) for all over body coverage. This amount of sun cream should cover a teaspoon on the head and neck, one teaspoon on each arm, each leg, your front, and your back.
Generally, we don’t apply enough sun cream to our bodies which means, while we think we’re doing everything we can to protect our skin, we could be greatly reducing our level of sun protection. If in doubt, apply more, not less.
What SPF should I use?
It goes without saying that, for maximum sun protection, a higher SPF is advised.
.The decision comes down to what you know about your skin. Are you prone to burning at the first sight of sun? Is your skin pale? Have you any skin conditions? If you know your skin has a low tolerance to sun exposure, it is always better to be over-cautious with sun protection and opt for a higher SPF, even if it is cloudy.
Other than sun protection factor, what else should you be looking for on your sunscreen bottle? Water-resistant sun creams are most effective as they are able to wick away sweat, rain, and swimming water. Sprays don’t always play well with windy weather and tanning oils – which develop a deeper tan through attracting more UVB rays – will deepen your chance of burning.
Also don’t forget to consult the UVA and UVB ratings on the bottle when choosing between sun creams: they should say ‘high’ or ‘very high’ or provide a star rating of 4 or more (the higher the rating, the better).