Life can sometimes feel very pressured and overwhelming and often become very
complicated. Life presents us with a lot of choices nowadays and sometimes this can be too
much and become exhausting. Keeping things simple by going back to basics can often
allow us to be so much more productive and effective in our everyday life.
There is a lot of publicity around clean eating which has proved to be very beneficial for
many people however making a dietary change can be challenging. We have to eat
throughout the day and when you try to change what and how you eat every meal it can be
very overwhelming. Here are some tips to introduce simple changes to your eating:
We know what food is not good for us, avoid fast food and highly processed foods. Keep
your diet as natural as possible. Cut down on high sugar, salt and saturated fat, limit alcohol
and caffeine and avoid chemicals, preservatives, colourings and artificial sweeteners.
Give your diet a supercharge by choosing fresh produce, organic and seasonal when you
can .Try and aim for a variety and enjoy a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. Nuts and seeds
are packed with good fats and energy, add in pulses, legumes, beans and grains
Keep yourself hydrated – Drink plenty of water – at least 6 to 8 glasses a day. Try and keep
a large bottle with you and get into the habit of drinking every so often.
Getting more active is quite simple, find something you enjoy doing and do it often. Ideally
find several things you enjoy doing so you can mix it up a bit.
You don’t need expensive equipment; clothing and it doesn’t matter if you can’t afford a
monthly gym membership.
We are encouraged to exercise for an hour but if time is an issue do a tougher half an hour
session. Two 30-minute cardio and two 30-minute strength sessions will do the trick and
help to keep you motivated.
Exercising in the great outdoors is inexpensive as well as being good for mental health and
wellbeing. If you have kids, you can incorporate it into your school run, walking the kids to
school sets them up for the day and you can power walk or jog home. Involve a friend and
you can chat as you exercise. Make it a family affair at the weekend by hiring bikes or
borrowing a friend’s dog then everybody can benefit.
Use your own bodyweight – press ups, lunges, squats are all effective strength exercises.
Star jumps, burpees, skipping and dancing are equally effective cardio exercises. Set up a
short routine that you do 2 to 4 times a week. You can incorporate weights into it to make it
more effective.
Team sports such as netball, basketball or hockey can be very motivating. There is a
competitive edge and socially it is great to get to know others with a shared interest.
We live in a world of stresses, worries, expectations and pressures and the constant noise
we listen to daily leaves us with a mind full of clutter and chaos.
Because of this our mind sometimes cannot find the calm we desperately seek. Here are
some suggestions to help declutter our mind:
Clear your space around you. If you are surrounded by clutter, it is very difficult to find any
clarity. Set up a space that flows naturally and where everything has a place.
Slow down - We don’t always have to fill every hour of the day with a task. To do lists are
fine and have their place but be aware of what needs to be done versus what can wait.
Factor in breaks during the day and time to eat and exercise.
Multi-tasking is very easy way to fill your mind with a lot of activity but without a lot of
productivity, instead try and focus on a single task at a time and when you have completed
that move on to the next.
Allow your mind time to rest without external stimulation. Spending the evening in front of the
television feels like we are relaxing, but we are not giving our brain a rest. Become
comfortable with silence and take time out during the day to just breathe and quieten the
mind.
It is not always the concrete things that bring us joy, it is more often the lifestyle and sense of
wellbeing we create for ourselves. By learning to reduce and simplify our life we can take a
step towards leading a calmer, more productive and happier lifestyle.
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