Shape up your life with healthier habits

The modern woman is faced with so many opportunities and correspondingly, a list of exciting goals to achieve. You make plans and have the best intentions. Then life, with all its duties, demands and distractions, gets in the way. To make those goals a reality, taking care of yourself should be your first priority. If you break up this goal into simple daily activities that you can achieve consistently, your success rate will increase significantly.

Here are some great daily practices that will put you on the path to being the best version of yourself!

Get your fit on

To nail your fitness goals, find an exercise you enjoy and do it daily, even just for 30 minutes. For example, you can create a habit of going for a run or working out to free online fitness videos in the comfort of your home every day. For this, you will need a cue and a reward.

Your cue could be waking up and putting your sneakers on straight away or promising yourself to leave the office at 6pm sharp to make time for working out. After your training, reward yourself with a refreshing shower and chill out with your favourite music or movie. Whatever you choose, make sure you commit to it every day. It doesn’t need to be major – start small and build up the good habits along the way. You can start by walking a block to the bus. By the following week, walk two blocks and soon, you will find yourself striding with ease. Soon, you’ll find yourself in a workout routine – no special willpower needed!

Start your day right

It’s true, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Research shows a balanced breakfast helps you lose weight and boosts brain power and productivity². And we don’t mean coffee and a doughnut. We’re talking whole grains, protein, healthy fats and plenty of fruits and veggies. 

For eating good breakfasts to become a habit, it has to be hassle-free! Choose something easy to prepare like a spinach omelette, nut butter or blueberry pancake. Or pre-boil some eggs you can take with you to work. A smoothie with oats, bananas and milk is super easy. And if you want an extra nutritional boost, an Anlene smoothie or a glass of Anlene will set you up for an energised day. 

Check in with yourself

Sometimes, emotions can get in the way of your goals. You may not always be happy and inspired, or feel like going to the gym and eating right.

A great way to manage your emotions is to write your thoughts and worries in a journal. Once you’ve expressed everything on paper, your mind will be free to focus on the task at hand. In fact, journaling has many scientifically proven benefits³. It’s like therapy for your brain! You can do it first thing in the morning to get yourself in the right frame of mind for the day ahead, or just before bed to ease your mind into a peaceful sleep. Keep a journal and pen right by your bed so you don’t forget!

Celebrate the good times:  Don’t forget to write down the positives too – an unexpected kindness from a friend or a stranger, what you are thankful for today, or pat yourself on the back “I did really well today – I walked three blocks … am going to do four tomorrow”. Challenge yourself and smile when you succeed.

Consistency creates habits

So, when you find yourself falling on the wayside with life’s daily demands, and procrastination creeping into your daily routine, one trick to banishing it is to be consistent. As you repeat an action, your brain learns to do it automatically. According to Charles Duhigg’s bestselling book The Power of Habit, a habit is formed in a cue-routine-reward cycle¹. Try using a habit tracker app, available from your Apple Store or Play Store. The app will help you battle procrastination and check back on your goals. By creating good habits and rewarding yourself for them, you’ll soon be fulfilling your goals without even thinking about it!

Sources:
1. https://fourminutebooks.com/the-power-of-habit-summary/
2. https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2012/10/16/the-morning-meals-impact-on-productivity/
3. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/thai-nguyen/benefits-of-journaling-_b_6648884.html

This content originally appeared on Yahoo.