STEP 1 EXPERIMENT WITH THE FOUNDATIONAL OPTIMAL WELLBEING HABIT list:
DRINK WATER FIRST THING A daily ‘internal shower’ will hydrate your cells, energise your mind, support detoxification and remind you that prioritising you is the most self-less thing you can do!
RESET WITH YOUR BREATH When we’re very stressed we breathe from our chest instead of our diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing is proven to reduce stress, anxiety & blood pressure whilst improving lung efficiency.
MOVE EVERY 45 MINUTES Set reminders for energy breaks with a posture stretch. This habit reduces the harmful effects of sitting such as musculoskeletal problems & lethargy whilst boosting natural energy!
SPEND 10 ACTIVE MINUTES OUTSIDE PER DAY This habit balances hormones, increases energy, improves sleep quality, and increases vitamin D absorption! Complete it after a meal for digestive benefits too!
REST YOUR DIGESTION FOR 12 HOURS This habit improves digestion and has been proven to increase longevity. An example is 7pm-7am, but you can adapt the 12 hours to suit your lifestyle. Caution: Digestion breaks can be slightly depleting for those who are young, very elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating, are underweight or undernourished, or have a chronic illness. Consult with your GP if you have a medical condition or are on medications.
PRIORITISE 7-9 HOURS OF SLEEP Your brain cannot detoxify without sleep, by sacrificing hours you’re accelerating the aging process and your likelihood of mental illness
CONSUME 6-8 DIFFERENT COLOURED VEG PER DAY Eating more vegetables is a guaranteed way to consume more water (hydration), fiber (digestion & detoxification), and micronutrients (essential vitamins and minerals)
CONSCIOUSLY CONSUME AT LEAST 1 MEAL PER DAY Sit. Disconnect. Pause. Slow down. Chew. Practice the 5 steps anytime you’re eating to improve digestion and appetite regulation. Top tip: tune in to your first burp – this is often the first physical signal that your stomach is full.
RAISE YOUR HEART RATE FOR AT LEAST 2 MINS PER DAY This habit improves the efficiency of your lymphatic system (your body’s waste removal system) to boost immunity by aiding detoxification.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE DAILY This practice trains our brains to scan the world for the silver linings rather than just seeing the storm clouds – it has scientifically proven benefits for our nervous system & happiness levels! When you win the morning – you win the day!
The key to staggering long-term results is small daily progress.
Which optimal wellbeing habit will you commit to experimenting with?
STEP 2 OPTIMAL WELLBEING HABIT LIST - Address other habits with curiosity and compassion
SCREEN TIME
• How do you feel about the amount of time you currently spend on your phone?
• Would it be beneficial for you to set a 30minute screen curfew at the start and end of each day?
• How else could you fill this time?
Top tip: Screen time apps can be helpful awareness & progress measurement tools.
SMOKING
Become curious about your smoking habits & if you do smoke, smoke mindfully. Do you know when you are more likely to smoke? Habitual patterns? Changes in mood? Boredom? If you do smoke, use all of your senses; taste, smell, touch, sound & sight and become curious about how it makes you feel.
For more advice visit: https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree
PLANNING
You can save many wasted minutes of reactive time by investing in pro-active planning time…
Do you plan your evening meals at the beginning of the week?
Do you plan your mental fitness activities at the beginning of the week? e.g. time for meditation
Do you plan your physical fitness at the beginning of the week? e.g. time for exercise
Do you plan your emotional fitness at the beginning of your week? e.g. time with loved ones or self-care time
PURPOSE & CLARITY
We all need a direction to aim for to know whether we’re on track or off track.
What does optimal wellbeing mean to you?
Are your current habits supporting you to be the best version of yourself you can be?
Top Tip: Try journaling, speaking with like-minded people or investing in a coach to help in this area (see professional accountability below).
ALCOHOL
Do you provide your liver with at least 2 consecutive days to regenerate?
How do you feel about your current alcohol intake?
Would you benefit from experimenting with a 30- day dry or damp challenge?
For more advice visit: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/ or https://alcoholchange.org.uk/
ACCOUNTABILITY
Life has a cunning way of de-railing even the best intentions, there are 3 main types of accountability:
Self-accountability – record metrics every 6 weeks & set reminders or nudges.
Group accountability – Join the Wellbeing People Community on Linkedin or Facebook or start your own!
Professional accountability – Book a free 15- minute discovery call with one of our internally certified Wellbeing Coaches
Optimal wellbeing is the most selfless thing you can invest in because when you fill up your own energy, resilience and fitness cups – it’s inevitable that you’ll inspire others to fill theirs too!
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