In any season of change and uncertainty, our resiliency and wellness can be heavily taxed. It is normal to feel a bit wobbly. And during these stressful seasons, we may find ourselves slipping back into old, and perhaps maladaptive, patterns. Even though we know we had systems and practices that kept us healthy, they can fall to the wayside during seasons of change and uncertainty.
I want us to be able to lean into simple yet effective habits, routines, and practices that serve us well in the messy middle—as we navigate the hard parts of our lives. And it doesn’t have to be joining the 5 a.m. club, practicing hour-long meditations, going to CrossFit, or doing a cold plunge every morning. It doesn’t need to be extreme. You also don’t need to do a complete overhaul of your life.
The goal is to build simple and sustainable practices and systems that work for us and bring us closer to our goals and how we want to be feeling so we can show up in the most optimal way. Once we’ve created and established these behaviours and practices, they don’t just become one more item on the to-do list, and we don’t negotiate with ourselves in terms of whether or not we do them—they simply become part of who we are and how we show up in our lives. For example, “I am someone who goes for a morning walk, no matter the weather.” It is all about creating sustainable habits, routines, and practices that help build our self-efficacy, follow through, and keep us well.
10 Habits and Practices to Support Your Well-Being
- Pay yourself first
Morning routines are extremely helpful for maintaining clarity and intention and setting yourself up for the day ahead. Build a system that allows you to tend to your body, head, and heart before opening yourself up to the demands of work (including work within the home). For example, move outdoors, listen to a podcast, and engage in a gratitude, prayer, or reflection practice. - Day mapping
Creating daily “To-Do, To-Be, and Not-To-Do” lists allows us to align our day with our values and what matters most to us. It helps us build clarity around our priorities, how we want to show up (e.g., patient, present, etc.), and the behaviors that don’t align with our goals and values. - Cope ahead of time
Whenever and wherever possible, cope ahead of time. Coping ahead of time is about proactively doing what you can to make “later” feel easier and more manageable. This can help set you up for success and minimize how much recovery or bounce back you will need after a challenging day, week, month, or season. For example, if you know you have a busy day, plan what’s for dinner in the morning instead of trying to figure that out at 6 pm! If you know you want to work out the next day, place your running shoes, workout attire, and headphones out the night before. Or if you know you have a difficult meeting in the afternoon, schedule a walk immediately afterward. - Schedule microbreaks and time for active recovery
Try scheduling microbreaks and opportunities for active recovery in your calendar and honor them as you would any other important meeting. Even fifteen-minute blocks of rest, reflection, self-compassion, and active recovery can make a big difference. My research team and I came upon five easily accessible forces we can use to reset, recalibrate, and feel better in the moment. The Five Forces of Recovery are: solitude, connection, nature, music, and gratitude. - Movement practices
Our bodies are designed to be in motion. Find something that fits with your lifestyle and remember to meet yourself as you are. This could look like committing to taking phone calls standing up, doing squats while waiting for your morning coffee, or going for a daily walk. - Get outside
Stepping outdoors and enjoying nature, even for just a few minutes, can start to regulate your nervous system. And when you feel as though you don’t have time to get outside, that may be when you need it most. - Mindful checkpoints
Creating checkpoints in our days can help ensure that we are present, grounded, regulated, and well-resourced to handle whatever comes our way. Pause regularly to check in with yourself by asking, “How am I feeling right now?” or “What is it that I need right now?” Honor your feelings and needs. - Check-out routine
While it is important to care about the work that you do, it is also important to try not to carry it home. So often, the people on our home team—the ones we need most and who need us most—are the ones who get the brunt of our bad days. Your check-out routine could involve tidying your space for five minutes, going for a walk, listening to a song, changing out of your work clothes, or anything to signal that the workday is over and you are transitioning to home/family life. - Practice gratitude
Cultivating gratitude helps us shift our perspective and hold appreciation. When we hold space for gratitude, we are more likely to follow through with wellness behaviors. Try taking time each day to reflect on three new things you are grateful for. - Build a supportive bedtime routine
Winding down at the end of the day with a calming bedtime routine can make a big difference in how you decompress and transition the mind and body to rest. Common behaviors like scrolling on social media and working up until the moment you go to bed tend to have quite the opposite effect. Work on finding relaxing activities and aim to limit screen time before bed and keep a consistent bedtime.
Final Thoughts
My final invitation is to focus on building routines, systems, and practices that work for you. Take what you need from the list above and set the intention of putting your time, energy, and attention into the practices and behaviors that will get you the best return on your investment. Ultimately, it’s the consistent choices that we make that determine the quality of our days. Our wellness is closer than we think. Let’s not make it more complicated than it needs to be.
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