One Minute Habits I Swear By
There is always so much going on in the wellness space. So many different trends, practices, and things we can do to improve our lives, health, and mental health. While not all of these things are for everyone and, trust me, there are half a million wellness things I’ve tried and gave up on, it doesn’t take much to make a tiny difference in your life (and wellbeing). Even just adding one minute quick habits can bring you to a new level of calm or a state of improvement. I’m talking about small things like avoiding a break from work doom scrolling social media and stretching instead or reducing work stress by prioritizing important tasks at work. I’m no expert on wellness or even mental health, but these are the few one minute habits I swear by for better wellbeing.
Adding Lemon to Water
Ever since I was small, lemons have kinda been my jam. I’m talking like eating straight lemons much to the dismay of my stomach and teeth enamel kinda jam. So it’s really no surprise I ALWAYS have a huge bowl of lemons out in my kitchen. Not only does it look pretty chic but it serves a purpose. I try to use lemons while cooking but especially add them to my water and even tea. It only takes a couple of seconds and adds extra nutrients with tons of benefits. Lemons are filled with vitamin C which helps the immune system not to mention help the skin by reducing damage from free radicals. Lemons are acidic and have alkalizing properties that help balance the body’s PH levels. It tastes yummy and helps to encourage water consumption. I add lemon to hot water, my water bottle, and even mineral water for a special little kick.
Giving Myself Deadlines
This one may seem like it might take more than a minute, but this is just a one minute fraction of a larger practice that I have for getting organized. Setting a goal and making a list of things one wants to accomplish is the easy part. Not having a set time to accomplish these things often leads us to never really get close. A deadline exists as motivation whether it’s a small or large segment of time. It could be a deadline for anything from paying a bill, reordering that one thing you’ve been putting off, or setting an end date to a project you’ve been working really hard on. It’s all about being held accountable and for me it fights my feelings of being overwhelmed. At the beginning of the week I look at a general list of things I need or want to get done and pick a deadline for doing them. It helps me analyze which are most important and which ones I’ve just been putting off for no reason at all.
Cleaning Up Before Bed
I’m the kinda person who's bed collects a ton of crap during the day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to get into bed and found everything from pens to a water bottle I spent a bit of time looking for earlier in the day. Clutter drives me nuts and makes me feel much more stressed out than I need to be. It can feel like the walls are closing in around me and like I’m being consumed by things. In reality, it takes only a couple of seconds to put things away. It’s as simple as clearing the bed and unmaking it for a restful night or getting my bedside table cleared off so it only has the essentials. A tidy environment is calming and honestly reduces stress the next morning. I can find exactly what I’m looking for without becoming a headcase. When the chair in the corner isn’t looking like a jacket monster, it can hold my gym bag and water bottle ensuring I get out the door even quicker. Better sleep and starting my day out on the right foot? Sign me up.
STRETCH BREAKS
When I worked in an office, taking a break meant getting up and visiting the kitchen to get a snack or check out whatever was on HGTV. When moving to work from home, that mere activity began to switch to checking my phone. Not even just during breaks. Any time I felt overwhelmed, bored, or just didn’t feel like being involved I would check my phone. It kinda starts to feel all-consuming and really isn’t great for physical or mental health. My posture and moods began to suffer so instead of running right to Instagram, I take a few stretch breaks. A few minutes to get up, walk around, be a little active, and step away. These few moments help me re-center, clear my mind, and improve my physical being. They are made so much easier by the move notifications on my Fitbit, but you really don’t even need that. When you feel the urge to grab the phone, get up, do a stretch, take a walk around the room, or just walk away from the device entirely. Your body, mind, and posture will thank you.
3 Task Planning
This concept isn’t really new or all that original. In fact, it kinda goes along with my setting deadlines idea. 3 task planning is a one minute practice I do at the very beginning of my workday. After taking stock of everything I have on my to-do list, I pick 3 tasks I MUST complete by the end of the day. They don’t have to necessarily be all work-related but rather anything from completing that project to remembering to make that appointment to re-ordering dog treats. They don’t have to be routine daily things that get done, but the point is to prioritize things that must be done. It helps to prevent overcommitting and the unrealistic expectations that I am some superwoman who can work a full-time job and take care of myself, pets, a home, and maintain a social life. Life and work love to throw in little curveballs throughout the day and as long as I know I’ve completed at least those 3 things I can feel accomplished and good.