Okay, so it might not look like this, or it might.  Either way…..

Leaving our resilience practices for the beginning and end of the work day is not enough.  Most of us struggle with adding more ‘to-do’s’ (even if it’s good for us) to an already full plate of work and family, and self-care often goes to the waste-side.

Instead, sprinkle it in throughout the work day.

Keep it simple and create achievable goals.  A little can go a long way and when you feel accomplished with small, new steps  you will naturally be more motivated to up the dose.

Some good starters:

• Drink more water.  Water flushes stress hormones.  Often we eat when we are thirsty so instead of grabbing sweets or salty treats, have a big glass of water and you might be surprised that the dopamine craving subsided.
• Move: Get up and walk around for at least 6 minutes every hour.  Meader outside, take the long way to the water cooler, stretch, twist, jumping jacks.  An idle body breeds disease and creates a dull and stagnant mind.
• Notice your posture:  Tension creeps in out of habit and often we don’t even realize we are wearing our shoulders as earrings or clenching our jaw because it is so familiar.  Posture dictates mood and energy level.  Notice how you are holding yourself and soften the edges.
• Breathe:  You have to do this no matter what, so might as well be intentional with breathing a few times a day.   Try deep inhales through the nose with a few audible exhales discharging built up stress.  Then incorporate an equal ratio breath; same length in, same length out.  I like a 4:4 ratio.  A few minutes a few times a day will do wonders.

More tips next time, for now…..practice, practice, practice!