Five Steps To Help You Build A Positive Day

Top 5 tips to start every day on the right foot

It’s that time again and, like most of us, you’re probably looking to adopt a number of healthy daily habits to get back on track after the pandemic. With longer warmer days, now is the perfect opportunity to reboot and rediscover your mojo. To help, we’ve listed five great tips to start every day on the right foot.

Adopting the best daily routines for a healthy life

Many behavioural experts say that it takes two months of consistency to create new habits. This calls for a firm routine and determination. Adopting good scheduling and ability to say NO to sideline requests can also help. 

And yes, temptations like the couch will always taunt you. But with patience and practice, ignoring them and heading towards the change you want will become much easier.  

Start the day with a healthy breakfast

Our mothers were right: a decent breakfast really is the best way to start the day. By eating high-complex carbohydrate foods - such as grainy toast, oats or unprocessed muesli - with a portion of protein, you’ll have the energy you need to kick your brain and body into action after a long night of fasting. (Which is why it’s called ‘break’ ‘fast’.)  A good breakfast will also help you to stave off mid-morning sugar cravings – like Tim Tams with coffee – giving you more control over your diet right from the beginning of the day.

Daily exercise

This doesn’t mean huffing and puffing every day. Half an hour of moderate exercise (such as walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates etc ) can help your heart, lungs, muscles, metabolism and most importantly, your mind. That’s because exercise is a natural de-stressor that releases endorphins – making you feel more relaxed and positive. It also helps you sleep better. Of course, if you want to go hard, there’s plenty of studies to support even greater benefits – just be conscious not to push yourself to the point of injury and always get professional advice if you’re new to exercise.

How to find the time? Get creative. Take your baby for a stroller powerwalk; park a bit further away for some extra steps; or wear workout gear as part of your work outfit – ready for a quick lunch session. Our Triaction sports bras and Sloggi tank tops will have you looking great both in and out of the office.

 Getting outdoors

There’s plenty of evidence that fresh air and the natural environment have tremendous benefits for mental health. It can lift your mood, inspire your creativity and optimism, and it can be incorporated into your daily exercise routine. In fact, spending time in parks, near the water, or surrounded by lush growth can change your perspective in a similar way to meditation – calming nerves, allowing you to think through problems and feel more grounded. Try getting into nature at least once a week – we promise you’ll feel more invigorated.  

 Meditation and mindfulness

Most of us are aware of the benefits meditation brings. But did you know that there are a wide range of mediations you can practice? And some require no more than 5 minutes at a time. In fact, they can be done almost anywhere, allowing you to destress and re-focus throughout your day.

How’s it done? Simply disengage from the outside world, empty your mind of thoughts, and turn your attention inwards – concentrating on breathing, relaxing every muscle, and paying attention to all five senses. With practice you’ll feel less stressed and more focused.

Mindfulness has similar benefits. It allows you to develop ‘in the moment’ awareness of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.

If you’re trying to adopt meditative/mindfulness habits, remember that it’s always easier to relax in comfortable clothing.

 Develop good sleep habits

Getting enough quality sleep each night is one of the least appreciated yet most important habits you should adopt. Sleep clears out toxins in the brain and is important for healthy neuron communication – allowing you to think clearly, remember things and react quickly to threats. It also affects the health of every tissue in your body. In fact, a chronic lack of sleep can result in high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, degenerative brain diseases, diabetes, depression and obesity.

That said, getting into a healthy sleep habit requires persistence. First, know how much sleep you need every night. Most of us require between seven to nine hours. Avoid heavy exercise, large meals and alcohol at least three hours before bed. Also, reduce your screen time an hour or so before retiring. By setting a ‘time to turn off’ on your phone and other devices your brain will start to wind down and Melatonin (the sleep hormone) will be released.

Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is also important. And if your day has been stressful? Try meditating, deep breathing or passive exercise like stretching.

When it comes to adopting the best daily routines for a healthy life, we’re all different – except for the fact that we all experience slip-ups along the way. When you do slip up, just be kind to yourself and accept that it will take some time and tenacity to get there. But every step you take to positive change will make a difference.