Did you know one of the keys to happiness is progress? Feeling like you’re progressing in an area of your life makes you feel energised and gives you the motivation to keep on driving towards a goal. Through these times, it may feel like your progress in certain areas has been stumped because we are in a lockdown and are living within tight restrictions. There are many areas of my life that I feel like I haven’t made much progress, but there are other areas that I have made more of with the extra time on my hands.
My name’s Zach Berwick, and after ten years working in the health and fitness industry to help people improve their wellbeing, I wrote a book to put down on paper what I’ve learned to share with others. In this article, I will speak about how we can get consistent with our daily actions to make ourselves feel better and become happier.
The most important relationship you will ever have is the one with yourself, because if you don’t look after yourself, you can’t do a good job of looking after someone else. The more we work on ourselves, the more we can give to other people. In a world where we need each other more than ever, let’s look inwardly to see what areas we can improve to live happier and more fulfilled lives. The consistency you demonstrate in the areas of your life that matter to you, such as your health, finances, relationships, and career, will determine how successful you are in them. If we keep up this level of consistency throughout lockdown, we will thank ourselves at the other end.
I have days when I feel low and demotivated, but I tell myself that if I still perform today and complete all of my tasks, I will feel better later on. I feel a sense of pride for achieving them, even when I didn’t feel like it. Getting to the end of our day and feeling like we still did a good job, even if the lockdown is making you fed up, is what we all need to focus on.
Take responsibility for your health and make good choices
If you have always had an on and off relationship with getting into shape, being consistent every day and getting a little bit closer to your goal is your answer. When you master consistency, you train your brain to perform a task even when you don’t feel like it. The brain is the most fantastic tool we own, and we can teach it to do the things we don’t want to regularly. Through lockdown, try and get 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, be consistent with getting out, and you will feel like you’re in control. Your choices are yours, and you can always make healthier ones.
Healthy eating and planning
Believe it or not, we have complete control over what we eat for once in our busy schedules, and we have more time to plan. We can’t be distracted by the steak & chips at the restaurant or the go-to takeaway stall while in the office. We have control over what we eat, so use this opportunity to master your nutrition. Be consistent every day with eating a balanced diet, and eventually, you will feel great and create a habit. Taking the time to plan healthy meals for the week ahead is a good habit for your finances and waistline.
Get outdoors and connect with nature
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Some days it might feel like getting dressed and stepping outside is as hard as running a marathon, but the moment you start walking in nature, you will instantly feel better. Most of us are walking experts by now, but if you haven’t found the energy to get out every day and find somewhere nice to walk or somewhere outside to sit, start making an effort to get out daily. Quality time outdoors does wonders for our mental health. Exposure to sunlight is the best source of Vitamin D, which helps support a healthy immune system.
Start work at the same time every day
While most employees are working remotely, not having a commute gives us more time in the morning, and it is natural to start work a little later than when you were in the office. Starting work at the same time every day helps with your routine, and it helps you wake up at the same time every day. Starting work at different times can make you feel uneasy and disorganised, so being consistent with your work start times can help with productivity during the day.
Engage with the community
The inability to see friends and family is extremely difficult for some. However, in many cases, the awareness of potential loneliness led to many new initiatives, new relationships, and brought communities closer together. There are so many ways we can still connect with people through the internet, such as meal schemes, online community work, and reaching out to your neighbours to see if you can help them. If you feel like you haven’t engaged with anyone else, reach out to some new people and lend a hand. The more you help, the happier you will be.
Always remember the end goal
Before you make unhealthy habits, try and remember the end goal and the feeling you have when you create healthy ones. We have so much temptation in life, but you have the power not to succumb to negative temptations and create a healthy, happy lifestyle for yourself. If the choice is between sitting in front of the TV eating junk food on your lunch break or getting outside and doing some exercise, you know what to choose. Visualise why you want to create a healthy habit and be consistent every day in your actions. You will feel great about yourself, and your mental health will improve. Always choose the positive habit over the negative one, and eventually, your lifestyle will be exactly what you want it to be.