“My personal healing accelerated significantly by adding these healthy routines throughout my day”

This article is part of our #Tools2thrive content series released during mental health awareness month 2020, containing personal insights from members of the UNCrushed team. You can learn more here.

Work, paying bills, cleaning, cooking, shopping, exercising, getting enough sleep, and taking care of children are just some of the things millions of Americans do each day and it is easy to be overwhelmed. It can feel impossible to get everything done, let alone take care of yourself – especially if you’re already struggling with a mental health concern like depression or anxiety. By creating routines, we organize our days in such a way that taking care of tasks and ourselves becomes a pattern that makes it easier to get things done without having to think hard about them.

Tips For Success

1. Create the routine that is right for you. We don’t all have the same schedules or responsibilities and some of us struggle with certain parts of daily life more than others. All healthy routines should include eating a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep, but no  two  routines  will  be  exactly  the same. In fact, your routine may not even be exactly the same every day.

2. Start small. Changing up your day-to-day routine all at once probably won’t end up with lasting results. Pick one small thing each week to work on. It could be adding something new and positive, or cutting out a bad habit. Small changes add up.

3. Add to your existing habits. You probably already have some habits worked into your routine, like drinking a cup of coffee in the morning. Try adding new habits to existing ones. For instance, if you want to read more, you could set aside ten minutes to read while you have your coffee (instead of drinking it on your drive to work).

4. Make swaps. Think about the things you do during the day that aren’t so healthy and swap them with better behaviors. For example, if you feel sluggish in the afternoons and eat sugary snacks for a quick pick-me-up, try taking a brisk walk instead to get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing. Or if you find yourself having a few alcoholic drinks after a long stressful day, try sipping hot tea instead.

5. Plan ahead. When life gets hectic, you may be tempted to skip out on the new parts of your daily routine. By doing things like prepping meals ahead of time, picking out an outfit the night before work, or having an alternate home workout option for the days you can’t make it to the gym, you help set yourself up for success even when you’re hurried.

6. Make time for things you enjoy. Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, set aside time to do something you find fun or relaxing—it will release chemical messengers in your body that are good for your physical and mental health.

7. Reward yourself for small victories. Set goals and celebrate when you reach them. Have you added exercise to your weekly routine and worked out every day as planned for the last couple weeks? Treat yourself! Watch a movie you’ve been wanting to see or try out that new video game.

8. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Making life changes can be hard and you might forget to do something that is new to your routine every once in a while. You don’t have to be perfect, just try to do better the next day.

   The above tips and facts were created by MHA. you can download them as a printable handout as part of their free ‘tools 2 thrive’ toolkit.

LINDSEY BOGGS SHARES….

The road to recovery can be a long one for many, but for some, simple routines can speed up the process. My personal healing accelerated significantly by adding these healthy routines throughout my day. This is not, by any means, a “cure to solve all problems,” but do consider trying some of these routines as many of them have been suggested by certified therapists and some even by doctors. I hope that you find them inspirational and helpful, and please report back on the impact it’s had on you, if any!

1. Journaling

I didn’t realize what a profound impact journaling would have on me until I actually started to do this, and my, what a huge shift I have seen.

The actual journal I use is called the “5-minute journal”, and a link to it can be found here. I love the idea of it- the first thing you do in your morning is write in the light part of your journal, and the last thing you do at night is write in the grey part of your journal, reflecting on your day.

My days before journaling looked like this, maybe you can relate: my alarm would sound on and I would turn it off, immediately check my phone and make all the notifications go away, and then start my day. There was no transition phase, which journaling and meditation (my next topic) now provide.

My nights would consist of scrolling aimlessly on my phone until my last waking hour and turning my phone off as my last event for the day. Now, it’s filled with beautiful memories of my day in my journal- a pleasant way to end my evening, not something I no doubt filled my mind with from social media in the past.

I reflect daily on 3 things I’m grateful for every morning, things that would make today great, a daily affirmation, and then reflect on how the day went. My daily gratitude has also transitioned into my work environment-  I ask my team often what they’re grateful for. I’ve even incorporated this into my home life. At dinner, we share what we are grateful for which, now more than ever, is important that we share what we are grateful for during this trying time in society.

2. Meditation

In December of 2019, I decided to go on a wellness retreat called the Happiness Retreat by The Art of Living, in Boone, NC. In attending this retreat, my life would forever change in more ways than one.

Prior to going to the retreat, I had meditated some using the great app called Headspace, which I highly recommend. However, it was at the retreat  where I learned the art and science behind meditation. This took me to a new level and I learned the fundamentals of happiness that would forever change my life.

What I learned was this:

• The mind often lives in the past tense which is filled with sadness, regret and anger.

• The mind often lives in the future tense which is filled with anxiety, worry, fear, and hope.

• When you choose to live in the present tense, you are often more calm, energetic, and filled with empowerment. 

Your breath is the only thing you can control in the present tense, that’s why meditation is so profound.

Think about that for a minute and let it digest. 

When I meditate, versus not, my days are inherently better. I challenge you to try meditating in the morning, even if it’s just 5 minutes, and see how much calmer your day is. 

3. Live by The Four Agreements

One of the books that I’ve grown to love since visiting The Art of Living is called “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz, and I practice the agreements daily.

The Four Agreements are quite simple when you look at them, but living by them? Harder than you think. Here they are:

1. Be impeccable with your word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t take anything personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t make assumptions: find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always do your best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.

See what I mean? Looks easy enough but when it says “don’t take anything personally?”- are you kidding me? Easier said than done! Drill into these, print them out, put it in your pocket, and read them from time to time when you’re feeling down. I know it picks me up often.

4. Digital Detoxes. And Often

You’ve probably seen me write about these on LinkedIn before and it’s true, I’m a big advocate of them. And especially now, being glued to digital working from home, digital detoxes are necessary for the soul.

I’ll never forget the first time I did it. It was over a 5-day period where I actually turned my phone off. You know, with the button on the top right of the iPhone and slid to “off.” It does exist, you know? 

What I learned about myself was this- I can have joy, without sharing every wonderful thing in my life on social media. I can have sorrow, without reaching for a friend to commiserate with me. I can just be.]

I do them regularly now, but not as much as I should. But then again, should is a hard word on the soul, as I learned at The Art of Living. So for now? I just live in the present ,do what feels right in the moment, and just breathe. 

5. Walks in nature

Finally, I find that when I’m in nature, I tend to be more relaxed and calm. There have been studies that have linked just small doses of exercise and nature to healing depression. Being in nature has plenty of positive effects, so I highly recommend being outside as much as possible. Even a 20-minute walk outside can do wonders.

If you’re finding yourself working harder than ever right now with COVID-19 and realizing you’re forgetting to take breaks at your home office, set calendar reminders on your office calendar to get up and take a walk outside. It is good for the soul and mind.

I hope you have found my routines helpful. If you implement any of them into your day I would love to know how they positively impact your life. Please use the comments section just below. If you want to share your experience at greater length with the UNCrushed community, please click here.

lindsey boggs

raleigh, nc, usa

‘FAST FACTS’ SOURCES

1. Haines, J., McDonald, J., O’Brien, A., Sherry, B., Bottino, C., Scmidt, M.E., Taveras, E.M. (2013) Healthy habits, happy homes: randomized trial to improve household routines among pre-school-aged children. JAMA Pediatrics, 167,1072-1090.

2. Williams, J. (2000) Effects of activity limitation and routinization on mental health. The Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 20,100S-105S.

3. Lallly, P., Van Jaarsveld, C.H.M., Potts, H.W.W., Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol., 40, 998-1009.