1. Stop, be still and breathe

Now this may sound counterintuitive when you have a lengthy to do list and not enough time, but believe me it is worth it. When I take time – perhaps as little as 10 minutes – to withdraw from the immediate pressures of life, connect with my breath and go within, I feel calmer, more focused and have the resilience to respond to the day from a place of calm.

2. Keep it simple

To do lists are OK but can be daunting and overwhelming particularly if long and continually added to. Take a closer look and prioritise. Which are really necessary? Why are you doing them? Who are you doing them for? Select those that need to be done today and come back to the others when your priority tasks are done.

3. Ask for help

If, like me, you pride yourself on being independent, a good organizer and efficient, it can be hard to ask for help. But we are not machines nor are we islands. We are here to support each other and work together. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. It shows that you are only human. With support life will feel much less pressured.

4. Learn to say No

I was once asked ‘If you always say Yes what is your No worth? So when asked for help always buy yourself a little time to consider your answer. Ask yourself – Am I the right person for the job? Do I have the time and energy? Do I want to do the job? Have I the right to say No? And by that I mean will the person accept your answer unconditionally?

5. Stay out of the Drama

If you find yourself in the midst of a drama take a step back and ask yourself – What are the facts? How am I feeling? What old story am I telling myself? How can I look at this situation differently? Are they reflecting an aspect of me that I would rather deny? Then let it go. This will conserve your energy. Read more . . .

6. Get some fresh air

Did you know that just 10 minutes of daylight per day will boost your Vitamin D levels, as efficiently as taking a supplement, unless that is your deficiency is due to a medical condition, in which case medical advice should be followed. There are good reasons why it is worth the time and effort. Symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency include: bone aches, muscle pains or weakness, fatigue, depression, mood changes, irritability and low immunity to name a few. A walk around the block will also improve and maintain your bone density levels.

7. Drink water, water and more water

Water is essential to life. Symptoms of dehydration include brain fog, headaches, creaky/achy joints, constipation, inflammation, lower backache and more. So you are not sick you are thirsty. Aim for eight 250ml (small tumblers) spread throughout the day. Try hot water with lemon, or cold water with slices of cucumber. If you want to know more read Your Body’s Many Cries for Water by F Batmanghelidj, M.D.

8. Get enough sleep

Sleep is the time when our bodies repair and recharge given the chance. In my experience if I lack sleep I feel overwhelmed, become irrational and emotional.

So I try to follow my mum’s suggestion “An hours sleep before midnight is worth two after”.

9. Do what makes your heart sing

Remember the saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Do you live to work or work to live? Do what makes you happy. For me it is connecting with nature, singing and dancing, if only to the radio.

10. Gratitude

Abundance is to see that there are endless possibilities before us and at the same time, still see an incredibly rich existence right where we are. It is a feeling of gratitude for everything and everyone we have in our life. To quote Baloo, from Jungle Book:

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

That’s why a bear can rest at ease

With just the bare necessities of life

. . . don’t spend your time lookin’ around

For something you want that can’t be found

When you find out you can live without it

And go along not thinkin’ about it

I’ll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you.

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Read Privacy Policy

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close