As most of us are working from home in these times of Covid-19, depending on your work and family responsibilities, we see ourselves working longer and harder throughout the day with our work and life totally integrated.
It is common for all working parents to be awake by 6am in the morning as they prepare their kids for school. This includes meal preparation, ironing of uniforms before coaxing your kids to prepare for school.
While that is just the beginning of the day, you are already stressed over your colleague and work. How do we embrace healthy living? We all have stress in our lives. It makes your muscles tense and your heart race. If this happens a lot and you do not handle it well, it can cause serious health problems, including high blood pressure, ulcers, and heart disease.
Healthy living means different things to different people, but there are some simple habits that can help you lead a more balanced, energized life every single day.
1. Stay Active & breathe
Always include a regular walk or workout that can help you to unwind. It does not have to take too long. When we are swarmed by back-to-back meetings, taking 10 mins during lunchtime is all you need.
You get to burn more calories, improve your circulation, and stay more alert. It may even help prevent certain health issues, like diabetes and high blood pressure. Not only do we reap benefits from exercising, this could also be "me" time for a pause to reflect your day and re-prioritize your week.
Your goal is to block out 15 minutes of your lunch hours daily and take a 10 mins walk.
Do not disregard early signs of discomfort. Regular stretching can help to reduce backache.
2. Drink & Hydrate
Drinking enough water can have numerous benefits. Staying hydrated keeps our bodies healthy down to the cellular level and it also helps keep us from overeating. We often mistake thirst for hunger. This may result in taking in more calories from what your body is asking. Dehydration can lead to feelings of hunger, headaches, and lack of energy.
Surprisingly, it can boost the number of calories you burn. Two studies pointed out that there is an increase in metabolism by 24–30%. This can amount to 96 additional calories burned if you drink 8.4 cups (2 liters) of water per day.
The optimal time to drink it is before meals. One study showed that drinking 2.1 cups (500 ml) of water 30 minutes before each meal increased weight loss by 44%.
Your goal is to drink at least 2 litres of water a day and observe how your day improves.
3. Eat like you mean it
Simply eating well every day will yield better long-term results for most people. Having a balanced diet is extremely important with a well mixed a greens and protein goes a long way.
Apart from healthy eating, mindful eating is another one of those things that is easier said than done. While we normally have our meals with our phone by our side, it is definitely worth a try to take at least 10 to 15 minutes to enjoy your meal distraction-free. Not only do you taste and appreciate food, you pay attention to satiety cues, and stop eating when you are full. Treat eating like a sacred ritual and take the time to savor your meal.
Your goal is to list the ingredients down and appreciate the food you are eating.
4. Find little breaks and naps
Small breaks can leave you feeling energized and put you back in a positive mood. This helps you in decision making that could be a jump starter to tackle the day ahead. Companies like Google have embraced the idea of having short breaks during office hours and have encouraged their staff to do so by having sleep facilities in the office.
Getting enough sleep every night improves immune function, memory, cognition and mood in totality. In serious terms, a lack of sleep can lead to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression and weight gains.
Your goal is to rearrange your schedule and get at least 7 hours of sleep a day!
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