If you have returned from holiday with intentions of making changes to enhance your routine and reduce stress but are concerned about slipping into old habits, this might help.............
It's often more tricky to implement changes to our habits than we anticipate when we get back to work.
That's not our fault! Habits are hardwired into our subconscious, that's how our brain is designed, so that we can routinely carry out the same tasks on autopilot, without having to give it much thought.
If you find this sort of thing a challenge, these suggestions might help.
Start small! It's often a number of small changes that lead to significant transformation. Don't underestimate any amount of change!
You might simply want to take a lunch break away from your desk. It might be making a point of being mindful at a certain point of the day, it might be to walk to work, to eat a healthy lunch etc, exercise class once a week, practising a relaxing breating technique, reading a book, listening to a podcast, anything!
We love a win and to see progress, so it's really helpful to record all progress, every little success, simply by writing it down in a notebook.
If you miss your new habit on one occasion, write the intention down for the next day. We don't always succeed at everything straight away, but that doesn't mean that we quit!
By writing it down, we are keeping the idea alive in our mind (and on paper) and that action alone makes it much more likely to happen.
If your new habit requires some planning, consider the following questions. Take a few minutes to write out a plan.
Typically we will go with the path of least resistance so it's helpful to make a habit as easy as possible to carry out.
What is your motivation for this new habit?
What will the benefits be of carrying this out?
How will you feel (see if you can imagine feeling this way now)?
What preparation is required to make this happen?
What reminders might you need to set?
What might get in the way?
How will you overcome any obstacles to see it through?
How will you celebrate your success?
Who else could be involved?
Go for it! Amanda