Make These Changes for Success
You may not realize it, but small lifestyle choices have a huge impact on your success throughout the day. The way you work, eat, and sleep can either set you up for success or hinder your progress.
But change can be difficult. It’s common for people to make resolutions or goals – only to let them fall by the wayside after a few days, weeks, or months.
What can be done? The key is to make small changes and gradually adjust them to your needs. For example, if you want to lose weight, the answer isn’t to stop eating sugar entirely overnight. This leads to failure almost 100% of the time.
Below are four lifestyle changes that can be beneficial for your health and adjusted to meet your needs.
Eat Breakfast
The most important meal of the day is breakfast. It’s also the easiest to skip, but if you want to set yourself up for success, try making time for this important meal.
Breakfast has been shown to help with weight loss and prevent overeating later in the day. In fact, eating breakfast can reduce cravings significantly. Eating a healthy breakfast also makes it easier to stay focused throughout your workday and helps with productivity because it gives your brain fuel.
If you aren’t yet doing this, you can start with something as simple as a small fruit smoothie or granola bar.
Exercise
Exercise is a must for your health. It helps you stay fit, sleep better, manage stress, and even feel good about yourself – all of which can help improve your brain function. Exercise also increases longevity by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The best type of exercise for adults is aerobic activity that raises your heart rate into the target range (50% to 70% max) for at least 30 minutes per day, 4-5 days a week.
Start with walking, basketball, or another activity that isn’t “exercise” but is enjoyable and fun. Once that becomes easy, crank up the intensity!
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is a critical part of your health and wellness. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should get between 7-9 hours per night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, it’s time to make some changes.
Here are some small tips and ideas to help get you more sleep.
- Get up at the same time every day. This will help regulate your circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock), which helps you feel more rested even if you don’t sleep as long or as well on certain days.
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon. Caffeine can stay in your system for six hours, meaning that drinking it before bed will affect your ability to fall asleep.
- No screens before bed. Melatonin is the chemical that helps your body fall asleep and stay asleep. The blue light that is emitted by phones and televisions does not allow melatonin to be produced.
- Try out different pillows. Sleeping is one thing, but the quality of sleep is completely different. Sleeping for eight hours is fine if the quality is good, but if the quality is poor, it would be better to sleep for seven hours and get quality sleep. If you find yourself tired despite getting plenty of sleep, try a new pillow to see if it makes a difference.
Professional Services
Nobody wants to have to use a professional for an emergency, but that doesn’t mean you won’t need one. Whether it be needing an attorney following a car accident or a doctor to diagnose back pain, it is helpful to have a list of professionals who are ready to help. The last thing you want is to get in a situation where you are needing help and relying on the help of a stranger you’ve never met.
There are many professionals who could help you in an emergency, but here are seven you may want to consider.
- Financial Advisor
- Lawyer
- Accountant
- Physician/Dentist
- Therapist
- Estate Planner
- Realtor
If you ever find yourself in a difficult situation, you will be grateful to know and have a relationship with people you trust.
