Many of my clients tell me that they can’t find time to exercise and eat healthy while working the nine to five grind. I agree the hectic modern-day schedule leaves us with little time for a movement that makes us feel better and is good for our health.

A few years back, when I was suffering from perfectionism- yes, I’m a recovering perfectionist, my healthy-to-do list was a mile long; cut down carbs, count my macros, lose weight, build muscle, build mileage, turn off devices before bed, blackout the room at night, and on and on it went.

Honestly, just sticking to the list started stressing me out more than anything else. I wanted to have time to check all these things. I’m glad I walked away from that approach and have started keeping things simple, like eating whole foods, going slow with my running mileage, and including recovery days in my training cycle.

The good news is, that you don’t have to be deadlifting 300 pounds, counting carbs, and working out 60 minutes a day to live a healthy and non-sedentary life. Research suggests that small bouts of exercise are as effective as continuous exercise over a period.

A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.

How Much Exercise is Good Enough?

A meta-analysis of research studies shows that 75 minutes of exercise per week, which could be just a 15-minute walk or jog every day, resulted in a 14 percent lower risk of heart disease (1).

If you consider the intensity of the exercise, then just five minutes a day of physically strenuous exercise provides many benefits. A study conducted on runners found that participants who ran 10 minutes a day weren’t different than those who ran 150 minutes a week (2). This means as little as 10 minutes of vigorous exercise can give the same health benefits as a longer exercise duration.

The bottom line is to work out as much as you can. If you don’t work out at all, start moving a few minutes a day. If you walk 10 to 15 minutes a day, then do more.

How to Fit Exercise in the Busy Workday?

High-Intensity Interval Training-

HIIT or High-intensity interval training, is an easy solution for getting your workouts in a short amount of time.

A research study shows that low volume, high-intensity workouts of only 28 minutes per week- two 14-minute workouts per week led to significant improvement in VO2max scores, blood pressure, and waist circumference (3).

Workouts don’t have to be high impact if you are worried about joint pain. There are many options of high-intensity exercises to choose from.

Get a Healthy Dose of Nature-

It’s not all about high intensity, though. Low-intensity exercise is equally good for you. Nature is medicine, especially when combined with movement. The use of outdoor natural environments for physical activity and health is not new. We are born to move in the outdoor environment, and we still share the innate affiliation with the great outdoors (4).

Get some green exercise every day for 10 to 15 minutes. You will get your daily movement and an enhanced mood because of the elevated serotonin levels.

We are born to move in the outdoor environment, and we still share the innate affiliation with the great outdoors

Don’t Underestimate Household Chores-

Although following a regular exercise plan is good for consistency and health benefits, don’t underestimate the daily movement you get from household chores. Research shows that the incidental exercise you get from walking in a grocery store, going up and down the stairs, gardening, landscaping, and cleaning the house account for movement for better health too.

Conclusion

It might sound like a new exercise trend, but research strongly suggests that you can enjoy the health benefits of exercise by moving as little as 10 to 15 minutes a day. Try the three exercise modes to get more movement in your busy workdays.

References –

1-      https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.010710

2-      https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.04.058

3-      3-https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-020-02592-6

4-      doi: 10.1186/2046-7648-2-3

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If you wonder what obesity is and how to stop it, you aren’t alone. The good news is that fighting obesity doesn’t have to be complicated. The key is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Improving eating habits and increasing physical activity can help prevent obesity.

We are all a grain of sand on this beach of life. If every grain of sand takes the responsibility to be healthier with their resources, then soon, we will be able to have a healthier society and world.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is a disorder of energy balance, energy in equals energy out. Weight is steady when power is balanced. When our bodies have a positive energy balance, the extra energy is saved in fat. Obesity is an excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissues.

Causes of Obesity

There are many causes of obesity.

Family Influences-

Our environment affects our food choices. Family members tend to share the same eating habits. Obesity runs in families; although genetics might play a role, families also have the same patterns that lead to obesity.

Lifestyle Choices-

A diet high in processed foods and bigger portions can lead to an energy surplus and storage of body fat when paired with a sedentary lifestyle. Having poor sleep hygiene can cause a positive energy balance. Many external factors like work and finances that can add stress to your life also cause obesity.

Medical Cause-

Some diseases and medications can lead to weight gain. Conditions like hypothyroidism and crushing’s syndrome can cause weight gain. Certain drugs like antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, and diabetes medications also lead to weight gain if appropriate adjustments to diet and activity aren’t made.

How to Combat Obesity

Obesity can be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle means eating healthy foods, not starving yourself, listening to hunger cues, exercising regularly, and staying active.

Here are some simple changes you can make.

Eat Five a Day-

Consume fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Aim for five to ten servings of whole fruits and vegetables. A generous intake of fruit and vegetables assists in weight management because they are high in micronutrients, high in fiber and water, and low in calories, producing a satiating effect (2). The satiating properties of fruit and vegetables will reduce the consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods like processed snacks. Adults who eat five fruit and vegetable per day have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer by 13% (3). Also, the risk of respiratory infections is lowered by 35% if you consume five servings of fruits and vegetables daily (3).

Eat Three Meals a Day-

This might sound contrary to what you have heard: eat small multiple meals. I believed it myself but, let me tell you, eating three square meals a day helps your metabolism and energy intake. Eating three meals a day gives your body enough time to digest and process the nutrients. Science supports that eating three meals a day has benefits, including weight loss, lower cholesterol, and reduced risk of diabetes (4).

Cook at Home-

Cooking is simple. If there is one life skill you should learn, it’s cooking. Cooking at home helps you control the ingredients and calories without counting them. Preparing food at home, you can use more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your recipes than processed restaurants food (5). People who prepare meals at home are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes (6).

Exercise and Stay Active-

Exercise is a helpful way to combat obesity. Often, people are stuck with the choice of diet or exercise. Ideally, combining exercise with a healthy diet is a more effective way to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Aerobic exercise and resistance training both are important for a healthy body. Cardiorespiratory fitness can significantly reduce diseases related to high BMI (7). Fit individuals with excess body weight have a lower mortality rate due to chronic illnesses (7). The key is to stay active throughout the day. You can incorporate more movement by using a standing desk, taking walking breaks, and stretching throughout the day.

Make Time for Destressing Practices-

Chronic stress increases cortisol level in your blood, leading to weight gain and all the negative effects associated with weight gain. Stress can change your appetite and cause cravings. Incorporating ways to beat stress during the day can help you relax. Some of the ways to help are going for a run, daily walk, practicing yoga or tai chi, meditating, spending time with your pet, and getting together with friends.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene-

Sleep is essential for a healthy lifestyle. We overlook the importance of sleep, but it helps prevent obesity. Short rest, six to seven hours of sleep, is linked to a higher body mass index (8). Research has shown that late bedtime is associated with unhealthy body mass index over time. Practice good sleep hygiene by relaxing before bed and consistent bedtimes to improve your health.

Try to use these tips to adopt a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family.

References

• doi: 1038/nature05485
• doi: 3390/nu10111626
• https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.053293
• doi: 3390/nu11040719
• doi: 1017/S1368980014001943
• doi: 1371/journal.pmed.1002052
• doi: 1016/j.pcad.2013.09.002
• doi: 1016/j.orcp.2020.03.004

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Trail running is more technical than road running. It would help if you had different gear and metrics to measure your performance on trails. It involves more stress on your body and mind because you always pay attention to the terrain with all the twigs and turns.

Some of the tips for transitioning to trail running are:

Go Easy with Mileage – We all want to get the same mileage as the road on the trails. I am learning that’s the mistake I’ve been making. Build the mileage slowly on trails to avoid injuries. Running on the trails requires more effort and energy.

Change Your Shoes – Road running shoes are lightweight and keep you fast on paved surfaces. On trails, you’ll need stability, traction, and durability to protect you from uneven surfaces. Visit your running shoe store to get fitted for a good trail running pair. You can check out some trail running shoe recommendations here.

Go Hybrid – You don’t have to ditch road running altogether. A hybrid approach where you alternate trail running days with road running can be great for your body. The softer trails will give your joints the cushioning they need. You will be able to work different muscle groups on the trails and paved roads, leading to a better running economy on the road.

Strength Train – While strength training is essential for all runners, it’s crucial for trail runners. Try glute activation exercises with bands and plyometric exercises to build glute strength. Strengthening the lumbopelvic hip complex, especially the lower back, with exercises such as dead bugs and planks will pay you a high dividend in the form of better performance. Add agility drills for better reaction time.

Performance Metrics – Trail running calls for different metrics. Your pace will be much slower than your road runs, and it won’t be as steady either. Monitoring power and heart rate will give you a better measure of the running workload on trails.

You might be surprised that trail running doesn’t feel as natural as road running initially. Don’t be discouraged; your muscles will get stronger, making your trail runs much more pleasant with a little bit of practice and time.

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Time is a fantastic marvel. We measure it in years, days, hours, and by the moments we remember. Einstein called it spacetime. Einstein’s research proved that time is relative, and gravity and acceleration are the two factors that slow downtime. Intuitively we have all felt the speeding up of time as we age.

The measurement of time by a clock and our perception of time are quite different. Psychologists have documented this speeding up of time with age for a while. The cause for this slowing down of time is still vastly unknown. There are many theories about it.

One of the explanations is that when you are younger, the years of life occupy more of the children’s conscious memory than an older adult’s memory. For an adult who is 50 years old, one year represents 2-3% of their life memories. That’s why we remember those days in school and the long summer breaks.

Another fascinating hypothesis comes from the biological processes. Children’s heart rates are faster than adult heart rates. Scientists believe their brains’ electrophysical waves and rhythms may be more rapid too. That’s probably why children keep asking if it’s time to go, although you just told them a few minutes ago precisely when you’ll leave home. Similarly, when you request a kid sit quietly for a minute, they say the minute is up after 30-40 seconds. Children’s brains register the time faster than adult brains, and they can have more conscious experience in a set amount of time. This leads to the subjective passage of time moving more slowly for children.

A recent theory by Professor Adrian Bejan hypothesizes that the perception of time is based on the changes in our visual field. We know something happened because we see it with our eyes. He hypothesizes that as we grow older, the rate at which we process visual information slows down, making the time go faster for adults.

Our perception of time is always a backward-looking process, reliant on memory. Although there are a lot of other components that contribute to the relativity of time, memories are at the forefront. Our visual field is like a camera. Like the movie, the fewer frames per second, the faster the movie frame seems to move. This causes the perception of time to pass more rapidly as we age.

Suppose you want to get geeky about how this occurs neurologically. According to Bejan, “as we age, the complexity of our brain’s neural networks increases. This means electrochemical signals must traverse greater distances and span more pathways, thus slowing signal processing. Moreover, aging causes nerves to accumulate damage that creates greater resistance to the flow of signals, further slowing processing time.”

The feeling of time flying is real and has its basis in quantum physics. Suppose you can do certain exercises to strengthen your neural connections, like learning new languages, taking up a new physical hobby, or playing a musical instrument. In that case, you can slow down this relative perception of time moving fast. I try to set a milestone for every quarter of the year, which has helped me keep track of the passing of time better than before.

I say you can slow down time; it’s in your control.

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Foam Roller is one of my favorite recovery tools. Also known as self-myofascial release, foam rolling is a bit like getting a sports massage. But in foam rolling, you’re using your body weight to exert pressure on muscles. 

Sometimes it does hurt so bad, but it feels so good afterward. That’s because when you roll, you break the adhesions in your fascia. I like to foam roll before my runs and at night before bedtime. 

If you’ve never foam rolled or heard about it, you are in the right spot. In this blog, I am going to share information about foam rolling.

What is Foam Rolling?

Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique. Foam rollers are mostly cylindrical made of foam. Foam rollers have different shapes, sizes and firmness. Some have ridges, and some are without bumps. They are all used to release the fascial tension.

What is Fascia?

Fascia is a thin sheet of connective tissue that wraps around the inner organs. It keeps blood vessels, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. It provides inner structure and has sensitive nerve endings. Too much tension and stress on muscles can cause fascial layers to thicken and stick together in knots. These knots lead to a decrease in mobility and pain points in our body.

One of the effective ways to release the fascia knots is to apply some myofascial releasing techniques, such as foam rolling. Over the past decade, a lot of research has been done to look at the benefits of foam rolling. A systemic review of research studies done on foam rolling published in the international journal of sports physical therapy in 2019 found that foam rolling helps reduce muscle stiffness, increase ROM and should be combined with dynamic stretching and active warm-up before a training session (1). The optimum dosage to achieve these flexibility benefits is a total of 90s-120s of foam rolling on one muscle group. Plus, the analysis shows that foam rolling reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and increases performance. 

Read on to learn more about foam rolling’s benefits and when to add it to your routine.

Improves Muscle Performance

Foam rolling can improve the muscles’ amount of force if done before an activity. Myofascial release reduces tissue tension and muscle tightness, leading to a better range of motion and muscle power. Research has shown no negative impact on athletic performance. One study found that foam rolling improves power, agility, strength, and speed when used with dynamic warm-up (2). 

Improves Circulation

The pressure from rolling helps increase the blood flow to the tissue. Increasing the blood flow means the tissue will get more oxygen and nutrients. Using a foam roller during a warm-up for a brief period can elevate tissue temperature and reduce tension. 

Reduces Soreness

After an intense bout of exercise, foam rolling alleviates muscle fatigue and soreness. Research has shown that it’s because of the reduction in inflammation (3). I find it helpful for decreasing delayed onset muscle soreness. Let’s face it, most of the time, the difference between a good workout and a bad one is the amount of soreness from the last workout. Research suggests that inflammation of myofascial tissue is associated with delayed onset muscle soreness. Foam rolling stretches the myofascial and reduces inflammation. So, you can get back to your workouts recovered.

Improves Range of Motion

Research has found that foam rolling results in increased range of motion. 

Foam rolling returns the muscles and soft tissue to their natural form. Excessive exercise can lead to knots in the fascial tissue. By releasing the knots and making the soft-tissue mobile, foam rolling increases the range of motion and improves workout performance.

Don’t wait; grab your foam roller and roll on to reap these benefits.

References:

1-PMID: 26618062

2-PMID: 27182404

3- doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-50.1.01

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Fitness coaches build a personal relationship with you and help you reach your goals while focusing on mental, physical, and social health. You get the support to be successful.

Want to learn more benefits of hiring a fitness coach? Here are a few:

Education– Fitness coaches want to empower their clients with knowledge. The most important reason for working with a fitness coach is to educate you on all aspects of health, fitness, and exercise. They want you to do well in your fitness journey. Knowing which muscles to work, proper form, and nutrition is necessary to maximize effectiveness and reduce the risk of injury. You won’t find this type of comprehensive good for your fitness education on DR. google.

Personalized Program– Every individual is unique. That means everyone’s fitness abilities and requirements are different. One person can be an elite bodybuilder looking to compete, while the other can come from an injury. A fitness coach will meet you where you are. For example, if you had an ankle injury and are coming back after it, a fitness coach can help you rebuild the muscles and improve mobility. A fitness coach’s expertise can help you with a customized approach.

Goal Achievement– When we start training, we expect to achieve goals like tomorrow. Whatever your goal is, weight loss, muscle gain, or increased mobility, these changes take time to show. When your goals aren’t realistic, it’s easy to get discouraged and have anxiety from this experience. Fitness coaches help you set real and measurable goals. They assess your current fitness level, help you carve out a plan to achieve your goals, and track your progress. 

Motivation– Motivation can be internal or external. You may have some intrinsic motivation to work out, like coming off the blood pressure medication or improving your posture after sitting on the desk for hours. But there are always distractions around us, which can cause loss of motivation. Fitness coaches can motivate you to make it to your workout sessions regularly. 

Fitness coaches observe your behavior and guide you through behavioral modification principles. They can help you overcome the mental barriers that keep you in a bad habit loop.

Accountability– Accountability, and motivation go hand in hand. There are  many times we have gone to bed and said, “Tomorrow I’m going to wake up, go to the gym first thing in the morning!” You hit snooze when the morning comes and stay in the warm bed. A fitness coach will keep you accountable. You are investing your money which is a commitment device of its own. We all want to slack from time to time. A fitness coach will push you to your session and let go of the other temptations. 

Variety of Workouts– If you go to the gym without a plan, you wander from machine to machine not knowing what to do. A fitness coach can help you find a purpose for each training session. If you are already working successfully, fitness coaches can bring an objective eye. They can make necessary adjustments to make your workout more interesting, more challenging, or even just more fun.

Coaches provide unique workouts from their expansive exercise library. It will keep your body guessing and you interested in your workouts. Say goodbye to plateaus. 

Wellbeing– Research shows that physical exercise can help with mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. A fitness coach is much more than just a trainer. They help you achieve your fitness goals, but they will also help you with other wellness goals like drinking more water and getting enough sleep.

There are so many reasons why a fitness coach is essential to achieving your fitness goals. A fitness coach can keep you accountable and moving forward in reaching health goals even in busy times like holidays and busy workdays!

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In my experience, New Years’ goal setting isn’t for a complete 360 on your life. It is an opportunity to reflect on the past year’s behavior and make positive behavior changes in the coming year. This year, I am focusing on making small behavior changes towards a big goal in a particular area of my life. According to Psychology Today, this approach will make the resolutions more realistic and easier to sprinkle throughout the year. Here are a few tips to keep your new year’s resolutions.

Dream Big- Big audacious goals are motivating. Don’t shy away from big goals. The key is to focus on one or two big goals in a year and particular areas of your life. For example, set a big goal for your health like training for a marathon or triathlon and a big goal for your financial future to have a certain amount of savings by year-end. Both these goals are specific and aim at two significant areas in your life. Ambitious goals are not only good for you, but they will inspire others around you. You might end up building a big support group of people who want to see you win.

Think Small- Now think small. The big dream will have to be broken down into small steps. Small steps will keep the big dream manageable without overwhelming you. Start with foolproof measures like for marathon running it could be just walking 10 minutes every day, buying a pair of running shoes, and creating a playlist for running. I love making lists of steps to do. Lists of steps, starting with the most doable ones, will give you the confidence to continue. 

Commit Yourself – Accountability is the single most crucial incentive for action. I like to keep myself accountable by entering a contract with myself and sticking the signed contract on my vanity’s mirror. You can get a family member involved to hold you responsible for your goal. There are many ways to create a commitment device. Stickk is one such platform. You can create your goal, assign it a timeline and a penalty. Another way is to pledge your resolution on social media and share your journey throughout the year.

One Step at a Time- Trying to conquer all the steps on your checklist simultaneously is going to be daunting. Soon you will lose motivation and fall back on old habitual patterns. An easy way to get to the big dream is to focus on one small step at a time. A small habit change will lead to a bigger change over time. 

Celebrate Small Wins- Don’t wait to celebrate till you’ve crossed the finish line. Behavior changes are progressive.  Encourage yourself to keep at it by observing a win each time you complete a step. Every small step in this long journey counts. For example, schedule some ME time or get a manicure for logging in 5 miles the first time.

Team Effort Counts- Share your goals with friends and family members. Ask them for support and make them part of your team. Often, we fail because our environment, which our family and friends dictate, isn’t conducive to keeping our resolutions. When you ask your circle of people for help, you make them part of the goal. Tell them precisely what help looks like to achieve your goal. If you can’t get help from your immediate circle, consider seeking professional help. Psychologists understand the connection between the mind and body and can recommend helpful strategies to achieve your goals. 

Offer Thanks- Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. Any amount of progress is better than none. Sometimes you might even go backward. It’s okay! Please don’t beat yourself up for it. If your goal is a 40-minute workout, but you only squeezed in 10-minutes, be grateful for the 10 minutes. You showed up, and that counts. Practicing gratitude will acknowledge that you are giving it your best. In the long run, that’s what matters.

Dream big, think small, take one step at a time, and practicing gratitude will help you keep your new year’s resolutions way past the first few weeks of January.

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This past year has been an eye opener for me when it comes to recovery. I started scheduling a full day off in my week. My workouts have been more effective, and I feel better on the days I work out. I have realized that rest and recovery are vital for optimal performance, injury prevention, and progress in your fitness goals.

I am a fitness trainer and coach; my work requires teaching and training daily. I love what I do, but it’s physically demanding work. When I was training for Marathons this year, I started adding miles but kept the same workload. I have high-stress levels with the responsibilities of virtual fitness business expansion, including teaching many fitness classes. On top of that, I added the extreme amount of physical stress with twice-daily workouts.  I love running too and participating in races, but my physical stress balance was totally off. Believe it or not, mental stress and physical stress both, must be accounted for while training.

Why Recover?

According to research, exercising too much without resting enough in between can lead to low testosterone levels and high cortisol levels, the stress hormone. These hormonal changes can cause loss of muscle tissue, weight gain, and excess belly fat.

If you don’t let your muscles recover between workouts and give them at least a day off, you put yourself at risk of overtraining and getting injured. Repeated stress from exercise causes small tears that can strain muscles. Plus, the cumulative workout time and intensity can increase the cortisol level in your blood and lead to hormonal issues, muscle imbalances, and injuries.

Like me, many athletes understand the importance of training but don’t understand that rest and recovery are a part of training. Rest allows the body time to repair and strengthen itself in between workouts. Recovery is where your body adapts to that stress of exercise.

This year I learned that if I pushed hard a few days a week and added enough recovery days to bounce back, I could be a better athlete and a better coach. It turns out I love rest days now.

Three R’s of Fitness Training

Here are the three Rs of training that should be part of any balanced training program.

Relief- It’s normal to feel tired after exercise; however, feeling fatigued and constantly being tired and sore isn’t normal. It happens when your body repeatedly doesn’t fully recover after the workout. You can feel excessively drained all day. Make sure you just put your feet up on your rest days and keep it to light activities like taking your dog for a walk. Your body needs relief from constant physical stress.

Rest- Let’s talk about the zzzzs. Sleeping is vital for recovery. Make it a priority. To overcome the physical and mental demands of hard training days log-in at least eight hours of sleep. It is also one of the easiest ways to repair muscle damage. Our body’s reaction to lack of sleep includes a slower metabolism, higher heart rate, mood fluctuations, a weakened immune system, and less control over what we eat.

Recovery- In the exercise physiology text, recovery includes physiological functions returning to homeostasis, refueling energy stores, and refilling cellular energy enzymes.

Food is a major component of recovery. Eat a well-balanced meal with good protein and carbohydrates sources on your rest days. Protein is especially important to rebuild your muscles. 

Another way to restore balance to your body is by massage. Massage from a therapist or self-massage with foam rollers is an excellent way to break adhesions and get the blood and oxygen flow back to muscles.

Try taking the time to make rest and recovery a priority in your training regimen. Your body and mind will thank you, and your training will benefit from it.

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This year, I have decided to focus on three big goals and then divide them into smaller chunks. My big goals are to improve my Marathon race time, scale my business by networking with other wellness professionals, and organize my home. These goals involve many smaller resolutions like better nutrition, meal planning, better sleep, decluttering the home, donating items I don’t use, scheduling time for weekly networking, and growing Tone and Strengthens team of coaches and instructors, to name a few.

You can fill your resolution list with easy, good-for-you goals. Keep them simple and focused on a particular area of your life. These help you destress, organize the crazy in your life, and be more productive at the same time. So, try to put these easy ‘new year new you’ goals on your list this year.

Cook at Home- Cooking at home can even take less time than eating out. There are plenty of quick, simple, and less time-consuming recipes. When you prepare your meals, you have more control over the ingredients. You can ensure that you and your family eat fresh, wholesome meals by cooking for yourself. 

Feed the Bookworm in You- Try to get more reading done this year. Books are knowledge, and who knows where that knowledge will take you. Try Goodreads App to keep track of the books you have read. Don’t discount the audiobooks. I love listening to books while working out. You can get two things done at once, and you’ll look forward to your workouts.

Delegate Chores- Delegate the chores that have been on your to-do list for a while to another person. You can hire someone to do the chores. If money is tight, try exchanging chores for those you enjoy doing with a close friend.

Use Your Lunch Break- You can get a lot done in 60 minutes. Take a lunch break and use it for a hobby or workout. You will return fresh to your desk and be more productive. Need any ideas for things you can do while on lunch? Read Gone for Lunch by Laura Archer.

Write to Yourself- Reflecting on your day and acknowledging emotions is calming. Try being kind to yourself and quiet that inner critic when you write to yourself. When you’re stressed, keeping a journal can help you recognize the cause of stress. Once you know the cause of stress, you create a plan to resolve the problems and reduce your stress. Journaling can improve your mental health.

Create a Power Phrase- Mind is a powerful tool, but we don’t use it to our advantage often. Negative thoughts and self-talk primarily consume us. Create or find positive mantras for yourself and repeat them throughout the day.

Create a Calming Space- Declutter one or two chaotic areas of your home. It’s important to make the space around you as peaceful and calm as possible, even if it’s just your desk or a corner of the room. By consciously making your home decluttered, your daily life will be easier and elicit a sense of calm and relaxation. You won’t have to add non-essentials to your to-do list. A clear and clean space will help you have more clarity in your life and take action towards your goals.

Be Mindful- Pledge to be present by staying in the moment. Do some small exercises to pay attention to your current experiences and accept them without judgment? Practicing mindfulness promotes empathy, love, compassion, and joy. 

Join a Club- Joining a club will help you meet new people who have the same interests as you. Maybe it’s a new hobby you have wanted to take up or a current interest you want to get better at. Clubs help you find new friends and learn something new.

Volunteer- This year, challenge yourself to try something new and practice using your current skills while making a difference by volunteering. Volunteer work may become more valuable than your regular work! You’ll notice a slight shift in yourself as you volunteer. You’ll feel more connected to others and become less absorbed in the everyday stresses of daily life.

These are some ideas for your new year’s goals that come with social, emotional, physical, and professional perks.

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I like to include the accomplishments, wins, and losses that served as a learning experience. All the events have an impact on us. 

• First, I like to be grateful for where I am. 
• Second, I look back on the past year’s events in wonder and awe. It’s hard to believe how far I have come this year with my running and business goals. 
• Third, I look to see how I can improve my future by taking unnecessary things from my schedule and improving my current activities. 

Why Reflect on Last Year?

Last year is gone. Right! It is past now. You cannot bring this time back and can’t use an eraser to undo the mistakes.

At the most basic definition, reflection is a careful thought. But the valuable kind of reflection involves the deliberate analysis of one’s beliefs and actions for learning. Reflection allows us to slow down, pause and sort through past experiences.

Reflecting on last year, you can learn important lessons and recognize behavior patterns. Listing previous year’s events allow us to identify the patterns in our reactions and will help us to enhance performance in the new year. Reflections serve as self-feedback for the last year. I recommend reflecting on the past year because it acts as a tool to improve your performance in the new year radically.

There is a paradox in life for faster improvement. To have a more significant impact in the future, we need to slow down and reflect on the past.

Reflect and Plan

Select your own reflection process. I like to write in a journal. If you don’t like journaling, that’s okay. Consider talking to a close friend, and going over the last year is a great way to reflect. You can use your friend’s feedback as well.

To help you reflect on your year, I have put together some questions and resources that can help you.

I like to put my last year’s events into three categories:

Successful – had a tremendous impact

Redundant –can be left behind

Developing – needs improvement

Questions to Ask

Here are some of my favorite questions for reflecting on last year:

• What accomplishments are you proud of this year?
• What significant life events or transitions did you go through this year?
• How did you take care of yourself this year? Mentally, physically, financially, and emotionally.
• What disappointed you this past year?
• What have you overcome this year?
• What are you most grateful for in the last year? 
• What mistakes are you still holding onto from the past year?
• What challenges do you still need to conquer?
• If you could change one thing in the last year, what would it be?
• What is the first word that comes to mind when you think of the past year?

So, grab a warm cup of tea and a paper to look at last year’s reflections, so that next year’s image projection is bright.

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