Spring clean your mind by practicing these beneficial habits
Spring has sprung and many of us are looking forward to a fresh start and naturally will start decluttering. But what can businesswomen do to spring clean their mindsenroute to success. Success is a very personal thing and means a lot of different things to different people. Having healthy habits with the everyday things you do can really have a massive impact and make an incredible difference to not only how others perceive you, but also how you see yourself. Consider the following by an unknown author; “Your mind is a garden your thoughts are the seeds; you can grow flowers, or you can grow weed.” Below are 15 beneficial habits that businesswomen should consider adapting:
- Get enough sleep and me-time. A healthy mind needs enough rest and to relax properly. Especially unwinding without guilt. Your mind cannot function optimally if it is tired and stressed.
- Wake up the same time everyday and start your day on a high note. Read something positive, listen to an inspirational podcast while you get dressed, take some time to meditate or take 5 minutes to do something you love, like sitting in the sun while having a cup of morning brew.
- Focus on being grateful from early in the morning and throughout the day. If you focus on the things you are grateful and thankful for, you fill your mind with positive thoughts. A positive mind will automatically lift your spirit and keep you motivated.
- Eat healthy; drink enough water and have a constant exercise routine daily. It goes without saying that a holistic approach to cultivating healthy habits goes hand in hand with obtaining your physical health.
- Declutter your life in every way. Make sure your workspace, home, car, cupboards etc., are neat and decluttered. Then, also declutter your mind by surrounding yourself with positive and likeminded people. Stay away from negative people because they will drag you down with them. Stop pondering over things that happened and practice the habit of being mindful.
- Have a plan with goals. A plan keeps you focused and on track. If you know where you are going, you can focus on how to get there. Goals keep you motivated and gives you a reason to progress and not procrastinate.
- Keep lists that you tick off as you complete the tasks. This will make you feel more accomplished throughout the day, subconsciously motiving your mindset.
- Learn to be yourself. You are amazing just the way you are. People respond better to individuals who don’t come across as being ‘fake’. Stay authentic and true to yourself. Stop caring what others think or keeping up with the Joneses. It is very exhausting.
- Knowledge is power, so upskill yourself. Read and learn as much as you can. This boosts confidence because you equip yourself with tools and techniques to assist you on your way to the top. When you acquire new skills and knowledge your mind also feels stronger and fitter, so to speak.
- Cultivate and practice the continuous improvement philosophy. Improve on something, no matter how small, but do it daily. For example, cutting down on sugar. Instead of going cold turkey, try reducing your intake regularly and constantly. Mark Twain said, “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”
- Prioritize and “make time”. Here the 100% present rule applies. Prioritize what is important to you personally and professionally, and then work on being fully present in that moment. For example, if you are at home, be a 100% present at home, while cooking, spending time with your children etc., but when it is time for work, be a 100% committed to your job at that time. Don’t get the lines blurred.
- Be kind and be empathetic. Be kind and empathetic to yourself and also towards others. If you are kind and compassionate towards others, it will do your heart and mind wonders. Always ensure you are someone who is approachable and friendly. This automatically helps you succeed in leadership roles.
- Don’t concentrate on the problem but rather focus on solutions. Sitting in a corner feeling sorry for yourself won’t get you anywhere. Rather dissect the problem to its core and come up with realistic solutions. Then as Nike’s tagline goes – “Just do it”.
- Accept that there are going to be failures. You are human, but if you learn how to fail successfully, you will develop even more. An unknown author said, “Failures are a part of life. If you don’t fail, you will never learn. If you never learn, you will never change” and we would like to add, “and never grow.” So, when you fail, take away lessons not defeat.
- Pay it forward. Teach and become a mentor. Be someone else’s guide. Investing in the development of someone else is very rewarding. It also gives you a sense of self achievement because you make yourself constantly aware of your own know-how and your triumphs when you share your stories and experiences.
Luckily habits can be adapted and changed as they are formed through daily routines. The trick is to learn how to successfully change a habit and how to create a new one. Through understanding your bad habits, removing your temptations, replacing it with a good habit and then rewarding yourself for this achievement are all steps in the right direction.
Start this Spring and commit to healthy beneficial habits.