Breaking a 'Habit Loop'

provided courtesy of The Glow Wellness

Routine. It’s something we are all out of in recent months. But what can easily happen when you are shaken from your norm is you can begin to form not so healthy routines that then become habitual.

So let’s discuss how to form some healthy habits.

First off your habits must fit your lifestyle. The best healthy habits are the ones you can stick to and fit seamlessly into your daily routines.

Forming Healthy Habits

Take Pause

No doubt your new reality is working from home. No wonder we are all feeling fatigued. Less frequent breaks, no personal interaction and more screen time all add up to a feeling of being overloaded with no sense of relief. Taking a 15-minute pause to do something non-work related, whether that’s reading an article, researching a recipe for dinner, or calling a friend right now is critical. Schedule 1 15 minute break per ever 2 hours of work. One should involve a quick walk outside, even just to get the mail, in order to get some Vitamin D and fresh air.

Tip Taking brief breaks significantly improves focus and engagement.

Music

If you aren’t on a zoom call have music playing in your home. The Amazon Alexa app is perfect to hook up to Sirius or any streaming service, or to your own playlists. The smallest speakers are $20 so no excuses! Make playlists for different moods. Plus seeking out playlists always helps relieve anxiety and stress. It is a great way to refocus and capture a moment or memory too.

Tip Play music for the mood you want, not the mood you are in!

Snacking

Oh all the snacking! There is such a thing as guilt free snacking. We need food to live but it shouldn't be a distraction or pleasure source. Build in 2 pre planned snacks a day that are healthy. But make sure you are truly hungry and not just filling a void.

Tip Food is meant to be enjoyed! Restriction and guilt can lead to binge and other disordered eating behaviors, particularly in susceptible individuals. Instead of strict, good vs bad rule-based eating try a more flexible, intuitive and guideline-based approach to foods.

Drinking too much

I think we are all finding ourselves drinking more. Drinking lowers inhibitions and relaxes our nervous system. The problem is when one glass of wine with dinner becomes more.

~Takeaway A glass of wine is a nice way to unwind at the end of the day, but its effects are still up for heated debate, with studies mired in controversy. Proceed with caution, as it can impair sleep quality and suppress immune function. Try not to make it a daily habit, and like most things, enjoy it in moderation.

What to do when you are in an unhealthy routine

To curb a ‘vice’ that’s becoming disruptive, use the power of habit to switch up the cue, the routine and/or reward fueling your ‘habit loop’.

In conclusion

Life is tough right now, be gentle with yourself. Setting healthy habits sets you up for success during a normally trying time. But having some built-in flexibility is okay. Try not to be so rigid with yourself right now, realizing there are good and bad days.  But if you can stick to some healthy habits amongst the deviations you will set yourself up for long -game success; which is unfortunately what we are all facing right now.