Be Good To Yourself!

bythelungdoc

3.2K followers

4 years ago

Most of us have certain goals we want to accomplish during the coming year. Usually these goals are not unique to yourself but shared among many of us.

Minimal changes to our daily habits can go a long way to accomplishing some of these new goals we all seem to share.

Studies have found the most common shared goals - and some solutions - are,

1. Save More Money

CNBC states that almost 40% of millennials have "spent money they didn't have and gone into debt to keep up with their peers."

Of course, going into debt is usually a bad thing especially for appearances only.

Financial advisers suggest many of these purchases are impulse buys - if we can remove the stimulus for these purchases we would be less likely to buy them. They suggest unsubscribing from all those notifications and app push notification from favorite retailers.

Then you won't know about those "special sales" and "30% off" specials.

2. Be More Present

The past is gone and the future is still ahead - we can only life in the present. To dwell more in the present and not worry about the future or the past, it often helps to practice being more grateful.

Spending a few minutes with a Gratefulness Journal to help keep track of all the things for which we need to be grateful should help focus the mind on the here and now - the only things we really have.

3. Improve Work Performance

Another big goal is to do better at work - whether we work for others or for ourselves. A 2017 literature review shows that "in the complex relationship between well being, health, and productivity ... sleep disturbances may be both the cause and the consequence of reduced well being and may therefore set up a vicious circle with relevant consequences for productivity.

Improving our sleep quality relates to better on the job performance and enjoyment of life, not to mention reduced stress, blood pressure, heart attacks, and even cancer.

4. Manage Stress Better

We all have stress but some of us seem to do better than others.

Setting a relaxation goal of a few minutes every hour or so, to put your work away and enjoy doing something - go outside, play the piano, take your dog for a walk - something you enjoy. This will cut down on your stress and when you return to work you will likely be more productive.

5. Self-Care

As we get older especially but all through life, we have to focus on taking care of ourselves. This might mean exercise, meditation, eating better - whatever is important for your long-term well-being.

Most of us need more sleep - we drag ourselves around the office or home exhausted. If you have insomnia - get some help, read up on how to improve your sleep without medications.

6. Connecting

Connecting with other people is important for most of us. This might be certain social activities like a bowling league, volunteering at church, going to a movie or taking your significant other out on a date.

As John Donne noted several centuries ago, we are not an island to ourselves - we are built to be social creatures - and must socialize for good overall mental health.

7. Sharpen Your Mind

Sometimes our job keeps our minds sharp, but sometimes - well, not. Taking care of small children can be especially draining. Setting a goal to read books, maybe a new podcast, maybe a Great Course on a topic you find interesting.

Learning new things helps keep us motivated and be more interactive with the world around us.

I am sure you can think of others but these seven would be a good start!

Dave.