21 practices to take into 2021
Small adjustments = big impact
So right about now if not already, we’re going to start seeing social media posts about all the amazing things people around us and in our network, have achieved in the past year and whilst it is great to openly reflect, I won’t be doing the same…
2020 will go down in history as one of the most extremely challenging times in modern history and I would say that simply surviving this year is an accomplishment in itself.
Everyone has had to struggle with something this year, and with the UK heading towards more uncertainty with another surge in Covid-19 cases, I’m sharing some practices and words of wisdom that have helped me get through 2020 in the hope that they might help you in the coming year.
By no means do I expect you to suddenly start doing all of these - I know that I certainly don’t practise all of them regularly but I’m definitely working towards it. The great ones say ‘consistency is key’ and I’m convinced.
You can choose a couple that resonate with you the most and once you’ve eased them into your life, you can come back for more (don’t forget to bookmark this page!). Working a few of these into your daily routine can definitely make your day more productive, peaceful and more enjoyable.
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1. Use a stand-alone alarm clock instead of the one on your mobile phone.
When I used to use the alarm clock on my phone, I would automatically wake up by going through notifications and responding to the messages I’d received over night. I would start my day thinking about all these external factors instead of setting my intentions for the day ahead.
Using a separate alarm will help you to start your day fresh, without the invasion of emails, DMs and messages from the moment you open your eyes.
2. Be open-minded and keep learning.
Whether you’re a CEO, a seasoned programmer or you’ve just graduated from culinary school, there is always something to learn and improve on. It can be professional development or perfecting a new hobby.
This quote by Mike Tyson sums this up perfectly:
“I’m still learning, and over time I’ve learnt that I knew nothing when I was a champ.”
3. Perfect your posture now to prevent pain later.
Most of us realise a little too late that we should have paid more attention to our posture early on.
When I was working from the office, I had a way better office chair and being a little on the petite side (I’m 5 ft 2”), I was forced into a habit of making sure that my seat was adjusted correctly so that my feet were planted firmly on the ground and my back was supported.
Whether we have the best office furniture or not, we can all try to sit up straight and ensure that our back is supported in our chair to prevent back pain in the future.
4. Unfollow accounts that don’t inspire you or inform you.
This year I spent significantly more time scrolling through social media platforms, sometimes it would be twenty minutes before I put my phone down and I’d often feel negative and rather drained after.
Limiting time on social media is one change that I made but also unfollowing accounts that didn’t uplift me or provide me with anything of value, has also had a lasting positive impact.
5. Invest in a good skincare routine - your older self will thank you for it.
Not wearing make up every day and travelling daily on the underground in polluted central London has definitely helped but the absence of my work commute has given me a lot more time to spend on my a.m and p.m skin care routine. Now that I have got into a good routine, it’s something I will stick with.
If you’re struggling with what you need, many of my favourite products are from The Ordinary and this blog has been useful in providing realistic product reviews. Pro-tip - whatever products you decide on, don’t skip SPF in the morning!
6. We can all use a good laugh - share that meme!
If it made you laugh and forget about our current reality for just a minute, then it will do the same for others. Social media has been a fun outlet during this pandemic, the videos and memes depicting our new normal have been getting increasingly creative yet very relatable.
I used to care too much about what people would think of the content I shared on social media and although I’m still careful with some topics, making people smile or literally LOL when they’re having a bad day or their usual instagram scroll, is totally worth the risk!
7. Choose people who choose you.
We’ve all been forced to disconnect from our social circle this year and unfortunately not everyone has remained as close as expected, despite all the tech available. I’m not saying to ditch genuine friends but pay attention to those who are only present when things are going well for you, or if they only pop up when they want something from you.
This is an ideal time to re-evaluate the people you share your life with and whether they truly deserve you and your valuable time. Go where you are celebrated not tolerated!
8. Go for a walk. It’s as simple as that.
I used to get my steps in from my daily work commute and also on my lunch breaks. It was only 15–20 minutes but going for a walk was something that became a ritual I looked forward to. A chance to disconnect from work and getting some fresh air helped me to focus better when I returned.
Walking is something that can bring benefits to both the human body and mind. With many areas going into lockdowns, going for a walk (socially distanced) has been a saviour and I think this is something that can easily remain in your day in 2021.
9. Create your own opportunities.
People that know me, who have worked with me or attended my speaking events, will know that I’m a strong believer of making things happen, rather than waiting for things to happen. If you want to get more work experience, ask for it. Reach out to people in your network, ask to have an in-depth 30 min call to learn about a new role you’re interested in, see if you can shadow someone or send a proposal to your manager if have ideas for new initiatives.
If you know what you want, there’s always a way to get there, it might take one step or ten steps but you’re a whole lot closer than just waiting for an opportunity that may not come your way.
10. Create a playlist of all your favourite music.
There is evidence that suggests that listening to your favourite song can improve your mood, lower anxiety and in some cases, help with the symptoms of depression. On my most stressful days, I sometimes forget that music even exists but one thing’s for sure, every time I hear a song that I like, it always makes me feel better.
By creating playlists on apps like Spotify, you can have your favourite songs at the ready whether you need to unwind and relax, or blast your top tracks when cooking or exercising!
11. Believe in yourself so others can too.
Believing in yourself is the first step to success when taking that first leap into chasing your dreams, but this also the single top reason why so many would-be entrepreneurs are still stuck in jobs that they don’t find fulfilling.
Nobody is born with self-confidence even if some people make it look deceivingly effortless but it is something that can be developed over time. There’s nothing wrong with staying in a job because you truly enjoy it but sticking to it because you don’t believe in your own capabilities to try something else, is not worth it.
Tony Robbins has summarised the key steps on how to believe yourself in this handy article.
12. Share what you learn.
The gift of education and wisdom is probably the most underrated ones out there. Whether you offer your time to a colleague, speak at an event or share insights on a digital platform, there’s always something that you know or do better than others.
When I first spoke on stage offering career advice, it was purely by chance as I was stepping in for someone who had dropped out last-minute. Until that day, it didn’t occur to me that I had anything valuable or particularly special to share with others.
Since then I’ve realised that what might seem obvious to me, isn’t obvious to others and can make the biggest difference to someone else’s career or circumstances. Pay it forward and I’m sure they will appreciate it and do the same one day.
13. Read something every day.
Warren Buffet is famous for his investment strategies but he’s also known for his commitment to reading at least 500-pages a day. Mark Zuckerberg famously gets through one book every fortnight.
Not all of us see ourselves as future billionaires nor are we trying to build the world’s next biggest social medium platform but there does seem to be a link between reading regularly and achieving success. And if this doesn’t convince you, reading can also be another way of diving into escapism instead of watching tv.
14. Hydrate all day, every day.
Drinking water has never been a big issue for me, you’ll never see me without a water bottle in my bag or on my desk!
Medical experts say that we should aim to drink 4-6 glasses a day to reap the benefits including regulating body temperature and aiding digestion.
If you struggle with this, you can try using an app which will help you track and notify you of your water intake.
15. Breathe and journal it out.
I’ve attempted to journal multiple times in the last 4-6 years and for various reasons, journaling didn’t feel like it did anything for me.
This year though, I needed an outlet without any questions, advice or comeback. Journaling has helped me to clear my mind, clarify my feelings and more importantly, stop me stressing out about things that I can’t control.
It’s no wonder that journaling has become a popular self-care practice for many people and now I understand why.
16. Take regular breaks when working.
With so many of us working from home, we’re no longer experiencing the random office distractions or catch ups at the coffee machine, which helped to break up our work day and lead to higher productivity.
One way of ensuring you take your break is planning them into your day by scheduling them in your calendar. It might sound excessive but working for hours without a break is unhealthy and can actually make you counter-productive.
17. It’s your life and you can cry if you want to.
Take pride in your vulnerability and if you need to, just cry it out. As adults, we often hide our feelings of frustration and stop ourselves from experiencing sadness by just getting on with our day.
But bottling up our feelings, is one of the worst ways to deal with negative feelings. There have been a few times in the last year where I was reduced to tears and I actually felt better after crying it out. I was able to process my feelings and move on which is not a surprise as crying is a natural way for the human body to process stress and neutralise anger.
18. Reach out to your loved ones more often.
My family have always been pretty close but I realised that I relied on dinner and drinks to catch up properly with a lot of my close friends. Making more use of video calling has made it easy to catch up with everyone without stepping foot outside my home or get out of my cosy loungewear.
I’ve attended birthday drinks, baby showers and quiz nights all on zoom and whilst it’s not a replacement for meeting up in real-life, 2020 has taught me that even with a busy work life, there’s no excuse why we can’t reach out to family and friends a lot more with video calling at our finger tips!
19. Time and money. Spend them wisely.
The pandemic has made us re-evaluate our spending habits and realise that life really is short. I mean, they were always considered important but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been a victim of frivolous window shopping or binge-watched countless Netflix shows, regardless of how much I actually cared about the story-line.
If you’re like me, instead of wasting a few hours watching Netflix or entertaining your bank account with online shopping, why not spend one hour of that time connecting with a loved one or make a start on that book you keep putting off instead.
20. Planning leads to productivity.
If you’re a list person, you will understand the satisfaction of crossing things off your list as you work through your day. We all have busy lives and want to do the best we can with our time every day, and spending just 10 minutes carefully planning your day can save up to two hours of wasted time.
Whether you invest in a paper planner, an online planner or simply using a spreadsheet to break down your top three tasks to tackle in the next 24 hours, planning ahead will help to make your day more productive and less stressful - and let’s face it, we can all do with less stress in our lives.
21. Shoot your shot.
What’s the worst that can happen? If you’re ever uncertain or nervous about starting a new business, applying for that job or changing careers, weigh up the potential losses vs the gains. And more often than not, the odds lie with taking the gamble, after all life is too short for what if’s and regrets.
If I hadn’t pushed for a marketing secondment during my risk consultancy role, I wouldn’t have the career that I have now which I absolutely love! This way of thinking has guided many of my decisions in the past, big and small. So if you’re unsure about a new opportunity, research it, weigh it up and shoot your shot!
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Small, consistent changes in our daily lives can result in high impact over time.
You might find that a combination of a few of these practices will give you that push you needed to adopt a healthier, more productive and stress-free lifestyle, or maybe you would like to focus on one new habit.
Whatever you decide, I hope these practices help you as much as they have helped me.
Do you have any more practices to add? Please share - I’d love to hear them!