Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for both your mental and physical health. However, everyone knows how hard this can be, especially when it comes to getting the rest your body desperately needs. This task is harder still now when so many people started working from home, which skewed the balance further.
One of the most effective ways to restore your health and energy to continue working is to go on vacation. Multiple studies prove that doing this regularly is vital for your wellbeing. But the truth is that sometimes we simply do not have the opportunity to take a couple of weeks off. If that’s the case with your career, you need to be proactive and prevent the accumulation of stress. You can do this by adding some relaxing activities to your daily routine.
Practice Mindfulness Every Day
The benefits of mindfulness meditation for increasing stress-resistance and strengthening mental health have been proven by research. Every expert that deals with emotional and mental wellbeing is likely to recommend this method to all their clients. Yet many people are hesitant to try it, often because they misunderstand the nature of this practice.
If you are one of those who are hesitating about mindfulness, you really shouldn’t. This practice doesn’t require anything complicated. It’s not necessary to freeze in some complicated position repeating mantras for hours. You can practice mindfulness effectively sitting in your favorite chair for five minutes every day.
The point is to concentrate on nothing but your breathing for this time. Simply breathe in and out and when your mind wanders to any thought, bring your focus back to feeling the air run through your nose and lungs. That’s it. Spend about 3-5 minutes like this at the beginning and don’t give up when your mind starts to wander or you lose focus. Mindfulness requires regular practice to become easier. But if you do practice it regularly, you’ll notice how much easier it is to focus and how much more relaxed you are. You can do this at any time during the day. This practice is highly efficient for dealing with anxiety or when trying to “collect yourself” before an important task.
You can also practice mindfulness in small episodes throughout the day. Just give yourself a few moments to fully immerse into some experience. For example, enjoy smelling your favorite coffee in the morning or spend a few moments not moving under the shower and enjoying the feel of hot water. The point is to be mindful of the simple joys that we have in life.
Unplug During Specific Times
If you have children, you should already know how important it is to limit their screen time. However, the majority of parents disregard the fact that it’s just as important for their own wellbeing. Therefore, if you can’t go on a digital-detox vacation, you should make sure there are at least a few hours in a day when you unplug.
Note that you can’t cheat and schedule this time for when you are in bed. But it would be a good choice to make about two hours before bed your gadget-free time. You can spend it reading a book, practicing yoga, enjoying relaxing at-home spa treatments or just spending time with your loved ones.
This practice should also help those who suffer from insomnia. Reducing screen time before bed and turning down the lights will stimulate the production of melatonin. This is the hormone that makes you sleepy and helps your mind and body rest well.
Exercise No Matter Where You Are
You don’t have to go to a gym or have access to a big park to enjoy a morning jog or a workout. You also don’t need to invest in expensive digital programs and equipment to exercise from home. YouTube is full of free classes that can help you learn how to work out in every technique imaginable.
All you need is the motivation to do it. Keeping your mind and body healthy should be motivation enough.
Physical exercise literally reduces the level of stress hormones in your blood and replaces them with endorphins. It also helps protect you from excruciatingly painful chronic conditions, like arthritis. A sedentary lifestyle is dangerous on many levels and it’s within your power to reduce the damage it does to your body. Remember, humans should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week in order to maintain their wellbeing.
