At INTU WELLNESS, we believe that the key to productivity and getting more done is to slow down. After all, if you are frantic and then struggle to get a good night’s sleep, you are going to struggle with your productivity the following day. It always catches up to you!
So, if you are struggling to achieve balance, and slow down a bit, here are some of our top tips.
1. Sleep longer and get better quality sleep
The Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Michael Grandner, PhD, MTR, told the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that many people sacrifice sleep in an attempt to get more done, but the contrary is true. Not enough sleep is associated with lower productivity.
Having a sleep routine can be very beneficial in helping you get a good night’s sleep. That may look like turning your phone off 2 hours before bed, or at least putting it away to stop yourself from scrolling, dimming the lights and doing some light stretching. Additionally, enjoying sips of INTU Sleep & Skin Renewal can be the magic ingredient to help you get that deeper sleep. Our super powder promotes ingredients such as magnesium that help to calm your brain and nervous system, lowers the stress hormone, and can help you sleep better. Including INTU as part of your night-time routine is a good way to help you drift off and get those ZZZs.
2. Go for a walk
Getting out in nature is so good for getting fresh air, enjoying the beauty of the world around us and of course walking does wonders for our body by boosting our endorphins. Next time you go out for a walk, pay attention to your surroundings. Notice if there is something that you haven’t seen before. Take a minute to check out the little things, be it a newly bloomed flower or droplets of water on the leaves. Taking a moment to enjoy the little things is a great strategy for helping you relax and wind down.
3. Stop multitasking, especially at night
So many of us are guilty of this, but did you know high volumes of multi-taking can shrink your brain? Multi-tasking could affect memory and the decision-making process. Focus on one task at a time to be more productive, especially at night when you want to start moving into a more restful place rather than a stressful one
4. Take time to relax
Ceridian’s 2022 Pulse of Talent Report finding revealed nearly 85% of Australians are burnt out which can manifest in mental and physical symptoms. Therefore, it is important to make sure you take time out to relax. If you can some time to yourself each week to do something relaxing that you enjoy that is idea, but book a holiday, take walks, do the things that bring your joy.
It’s no longer a badge of honour to be part of the “hustle culture”. Taking care of yourself should be a priority to save your having to bounce back from burn-out later.
5. Learn to live in the moment
Focus on what you are doing! Don’t worry about the things that haven’t happened, the ifs, the buts, and maybes. Author of AllPsych, Neil Peterson revealed that recent studies show people who take the time out of their day to enjoy the simple pleasures are happier and able to enjoy life more.
6. Try meditation
Chances are you’ve heard all the benefits of meditation before, but did you know doing meditation teaches your brain to slow down? A study undertaken by UCLA found that those who meditate (slowed down their brains), found meditation may slow, stall, or even reverse age-related brain degeneration
7. Learn the art of power napping
A study was undertaken on scheduled napping, the participants were aircraft controllers on the night shift. After an average of 18 minutes on the job, even though the quality of sleep was poor, it still resulted in an increase in alertness and job performance.
8. Take inspiration from a podcast
Podcasts are a great way to absorb information and feel inspired while you are doing something else, such as going for a walk, relaxing by the pool, or even cleaning your house. Whether you like a health or beauty podcast, or true crime or even an entrepreneurship one, there are so many available at your fingertips these days. Here is a link to the Healthy Hustlers podcast to hear our co-founder, Anna Robards talk about her focuses and challenges.
9. Write it down
If you feel your head going 1000 miles a minute and you find that those 3am thoughts are what keep you awake, keep a pen and paper next to your bed. Write it down and go back to sleep. If you write down the things you need to do, it will generally help your brain relax because it no longer needs to remember to do that task as it will be reminded when it sees the note pad
10. Don’t beat yourself up
Realise that sometimes you’re not going to be 100% perfect. There will be times when you overcommit yourself or find your stress levels rising. Just remember, you can always start with a clean slate tomorrow.