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Lifestyle October 1, 2019

5 Things to Stop doing after Waking Up

Mornings are full of people trying to go to their workouts, jobs, and preparing for the day. No doubt that all this is not easy to accomplish in the first few hours of the day, we all need more time, right?

Mornings are supposed to be a fresh start, but many of us do not understand the importance of this time. The first hour of our day determines how the rest of the day is going to play out.

If you would have noticed, when you wake up in a rush to get things done, the whole day feels rushed out and similarly and when you wake up with worries the remaining day feels heavier.

Not acknowledging the first hour of the day is like taking life for granted.

Here are 5 things you need to stop doing in the first 15 mins of your day

1. Stop Scrolling

This is a big one, we are so habitual of looking at our phones that as soon as our day starts our social media life begins. This is unhealthy on so many levels. The first thing you want to do is to look at what others have posted? This increases our chances of being anxious through the rest of the day.

2. Stop with your task list

Yes, you are busy and do not have much time to waste but breathe for a while before taking on to the next thing. This builds up the pressure to get things done too soon through the day.

3. Stop Worrying

Do I have to mention this one? Why can we not take the new day as it is, New! We have such a reserve of worries which are half processed through the night that we start worrying as soon as we get up.

4. Stop being Negative

This is a powerful time to manifest, visualise, or to set intentions for the day do not cause yourself harm by being negative.

5. Don’t get involved in the drama

Well, there are phases, when a lot is going on in our lives or in the lives of people close to us. Sometimes, we are the compassionate listener and the other times we are ones discussing our problems. However, do not approach these issues in the first few mins of your day. No drama is more valuable than your mental health.

Though these practices are very easy, we often forget to implement them in our lives. If you are performing any of the above, I hope you find your way to work on it as your mental health and happiness comes first.

Your energy in the morning is a clean slate, and you get a chance each day to build it up the way you want.

I like to start my mornings by waking up to my favourite songs, stretching and paying gratitude to the universe each day. I like to stay quiet and not engage in conversations in the first 30 mins of the day. During this time, I prefer to have green tea, lime water or apple cider vinegar. This helps me in staying calm and think more clearly throughout the day.

Well that was my morning routine, what are things that help you in starting your mornings on the right note?

Lifestyle October 1, 2019

#1 Productivity Hack

Corporate life has taught me a lot of things, and one of them was to stay at the top of your game and to be more productive, you have to keep a journal/ list or tool to track your activities.

Then, I started trying different things to work on my goals for the day. From Wunderlist to Evernote, I tried multiple apps and excel files but it still wasn’t working for me. I just couldn’t get the stuff done because I would write everything on the list, then I would forget to read the list and will miss tasks then and now.

Gradually, I shifted from keeping a virtual task list to Sticky Notes, and I would completely fill my desktop’s corners with them. The good thing was that they worked, the faulty part was the space that they were using.

Finally, I started making a handwritten task list on a page, and I would not mark something off until I completed that particular task. And, it helped, and I use them till this date. They are one of the best productivity hack till now.

Here are some tips to create your own list

Take first 5 mins of your day and note down the things that you have to complete in the given day.

Be realistic, don’t burden yourself with too many tasks.

Be honest, if you haven’t completed a task on the given day move to the next day’s list.

Keep this list where you can easily see it through your day.

Review it, after the end of each day review your list and make sure all your tasks are completed.

Write it down yourself.

This was the main difference which made me more productive than I was. After writing the list in your own handwriting, you get a sense of investment and commitment towards your list. This hack has made me much more productive than I have been in my whole life.

Try this if you are struggling with managing multiple things at once and let me know your experiences and opinions in the comments below. Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

Lifestyle October 1, 2019

6 Ways to Make your Life Lighter

Life can feel heavy at times, and if we accept it for too long, heaviness becomes a new normal in our life.

Many of us cling to the clutter in our life. The dress that we haven’t worn in a year, old books that we do not read anymore or those broken articles holding a place in our wardrobes in the hope of fixing.

Being attached to things that are not serving us any longer, takes up unnecessary space in our lives. It not only creates blockages in our storage space, but also blocks the energy flow of our life.

Get things fixed or let them Go

We often have a dysfunctional item in our rooms because it needs fixing and we will keep it in our drawers for months, in hope of getting it to work again. But, getting it mended never makes it in our to-do list. Raise your hands if you have been there, or are still guilty of it. This time, assign a specific day each week when you get to work on the items that require a repair.

Another challenge here is when an item keeps dysfunctioning again and again even after getting repaired multiple times. This time, take a day out in your week and let this item go.

The Clothes we won’t wear.

We keep holding on to clothes for more than we should, in the hope that we will get to wear them again. We might be expecting to fit into that size again or, waiting for the trend to come back. To live lighter, we have to let go of the clothes or things that are not right for us at this moment.

Detox your body

Take a day to cleanse your body. I would recommend one day per week but if you cannot, take one day in a month to purify your body. This can be done by adding fruits and juices as a major part of your food intake for one whole day. If you feel like you have to have a full meal, then prepare your dinner with a healthy salad. A single day of detoxing can make us feel lighter and fresh.

A No Complain Day

Take one day and carefully pick your words and statements; consciously choose not to complain about life. No comments like, ‘people are mean’, ‘we don’t have good food in the cafeteria’ or, ‘it is a boring day’. We use these sentences very frequently in our day. If we pay close attention to words we are saying and choose to not complain, just for one day, we can create lighter energy around us.

Get rid of relationships which do not add value to your life

If you are constantly giving your time to the empty conversations and your presence to the people who do not value it, then you need to detach yourself. Your time and energy are two precious aspects of your life, and spending them on the company which does not bring joy or happiness is a complete waste. Remove yourself from your friends, colleagues or relatives, who do not add positive value to your life and use that time in something that you find productive. This will be tough at first and might make you feel lonely, but it makes your life lighter.

Forgive

Forgiveness makes our heart feel lighter. Letting go of the thought of people who did you wrong, is a beautiful experience for your inner peace. Forgive each person who has caused you pain or sorrow. It may be difficult at first, but keep trying till you get there. I will soon be posting a different blogpost focusing on the ways you can forgive.

I hope that the dullness in your life may disappear using any one of the tips mentioned above. Or, If you have figured out your own ways of making your lighter let me know in the comments below.

Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash

Lifestyle October 1, 2019

4 Reasons why Loneliness is Important

Loneliness is not the absence of the people around you; you can feel lonely in a crowd as well. It is a dominating emotion that you may sense in your life, at some point.

Life is not a party all the time. You are not always having fun and surrounded by people.

Even when you are hosting a party and waiting for people to come in, you have to set the venue up all by yourself. Or prepare everything before the party begins.

While the people at the party can bring us joy and happiness, the only person who stays before and after the party is you (or your best friend).

You cannot prepare for a party with a lot of people in the room. Nor, can you clean up after the party is over if they have not left.

This is why being lonely is important it gives the time and space that you need to prepare for the next thing in your life.

People often consider loneliness as a block that they need to get rescued from. They go looking for partners, friends, and kids to escape their loneliness.

People choose a miserable company over solitude because solitude can get scary. Though it is scary at first, it can get rewarding towards the end.

Lessons I learned from Loneliness

a person sitting alone in front of a lake

We get to see things from a different perspective

When we are lonely, at first our mind starts with the mindless chatter and slowly moves to our deeper fears, desires and thought patterns. You can only know your thought pattern when your consciousness is independent of other’s thoughts and running freely. We start thinking more about ourselves instead of what people want from us.

Loneliness can help us choose the right company

It is not that you should stay in isolation and cut yourself from everyone, but don’t be afraid of the time when you have to deal with life all by yourself.
Don’t cling on to people who are no good for you in search of company. Take a deep breath, take your ‘alone’ time and prepare for the great company coming your way.

Loneliness can bring you closer to your real self

It eliminates the noise around so that you can make yourself the centre of your life and take work on things or hobbies that will make you happier. Because when everyone and everything is gone all that we are left with is ourselves and that is always enough.

Spending enough time being alone can make you cherish your own self. Take your self out on dates, spend more time in self care and be your own person. It is a great time to work on yourself and your craft. You get more comfortable in your own skin and that leads to wonderful changes in your state of life.

Loneliness can teach you Gratitude

The best things in life are often taken for granted. Solitude can make you develop a genuine appreciation for the people who are always there for you. It makes you appreciate life more and makes you thankful for all the resources and gifts that life has presented you.

We all feel lonely at some point in our life, the best we can do is not try to run away from this feeling, instead embrace it. Learn the lessons that universe has been asking you to learn, once you learn to be happy when you are alone, life will gift you the people you truly appreciate your company, and chances that will lead you to a life full of Joy and contentment.

If you keep running away for it, you will find yourself in the same situations again and again. If you cannot be happy when you are alone, it will be challenging to find happiness in your relationship and friendships.

I hope you enjoyed reading this piece, let me know your experience with loneliness and the lessons it taught you.

Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia on Unsplash