Let’s face it, a new year dawning does not always mean a blissful outlook with refreshed attitudes for the year, or even the quarter, ahead. And holiday breaks are not often… breaks. Many people arrive at the top of the year with great intentions but have not yet recovered from the burn out and overwhelm experienced the year before. To add to that, renewed plans and schedules often mean more time committed to new ventures, more meetings, more obligations. So where, in that, is there time to care for yourself, time to build resilience, time to engage in habits that support disease prevention, longevity and joy?
Yes, we all know we have to take care of ourselves and prioritize wellness. And we don’t need more pressure, guilt or lecturing on that. But that doesn’t solve the problem of exactly how to do that, when life moves as fast as it does. While making time for wellness can mean a huge shift in how we schedule our day, even doing one thing can help us feel like we are working towards mastery of this skill. Here is a list of Atrium’s “Daily One Thing” that can shift the needle towards wellness, one minute, and one step, at a time.
“Daily One Thing”
- Get up from your desk and stretch every twenty minutes.
- Take 3 deep belly breaths in a row.
- Add omega 3 fatty acids to your diet once a day in the form of fish, flax, chia, or nuts and seeds. Omega 3 fats reduce inflammation, support brain health and build immunity.
- Eat something green at least once a day for B vitamins which help create energy and gut health.
- Carry a water bottle with you and drink water out of it.
- Don’t join extra classes or make extra commitments… yet.
- On a non-work day, prepare extra protein that you can eat throughout the week- a pot of beans, a dozen eggs, some chicken breasts etc. Protein repairs muscles, contributes to energy and builds immunity.
- Look up from your phone when you are standing in line. Give your brain a rest.
- Read something written on paper for 10 minutes before bed.
- Turn the lights low an hour before bedtime. Light a candle.
- If you are needing mental health support, tell someone. Reach out to Atrium for confidential support any time of day, every day.
