A new year means new resolutions. As we say goodbye to endless hours of eating and drinking, we begin setting up new work out plans, trying the latest celebrity detox diets that we think will for sure have us six-pack ready in no time, and become determined to get ourselves together (finally) for the new year. Now, the thought of all of this is peachy, but, let’s get real for a second. If you spend all of your time and energy attempting to completely transform your lifestyle during the month of January, you will have exhausted yourself to no end come the beginning of Spring. Obviously, this is no good if you’re looking for a real lifestyle change.
What might help you to truly change your lifestyle for the new year is by doing something that we’re all trying to attempt to do in the office, here— taking our time, focusing, and prioritizing. You can’t do everything at once, but you need to start somewhere. Kick off 2016 by slowly tweaking your daily habits. Changing a few things you do during the week will help you build your way up to a complete transformation, and stick to it. Start by tweaking these 3 daily habits to become more productive at work, and lead a better and healthier day-to-day life, overall:
Sleeping
The cognitive effects of sleep deprivation could cost you in ways you never imagined, especially when it comes to your productivity at work. When your busy and your mind is racing, it’s extremely difficult to sleep at night. The earlier you get in bed, the more time you’re allowing your body to rest, regardless of how long it takes you to finally fall asleep. Start by getting into bed 15 minutes earlier than you usual do, and work your way up to an earlier bedtime from there.
Eating
You’ve probably heard this one too many times, but it’s true—the most important meal of the day is breakfast. So, EAT IT. Make it a habit to leave 5 minutes earlier than usual so that you have 5 minutes extra to stop and pick up something that is healthy (a.k.a, not a bagel) and can be quickly eaten at your desk. Oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, granola bars, and greek yogurt are just a few items that will take you less than 5 minutes to grab-and-go, and give you a sufficient amount of energy for your work day.
Breaking
New Yorkers are a pack of walking zombies. Seriously, we are the most sleep-deprived city in the entire world. And yet, we are expected to be on our A-game at all times. If your new year’s resolution is to be more focused at work, then you need to embrace your break time. Therefore, power nap. During your lunch time or any break you have, throw your headphones on and close your eyes for 25 minutes at your desk. This will help you to be more focused and on point in the afternoon.