Business owners, executives and managers may have been hyper-focused on keeping their businesses afloat the last year. As a result, their well-being has taken a back seat and may be in need of a mental reset.
According to a 2020 MetLife mental health study, 38 percent of adults report symptoms of anxiety disorder, an increase of 27 percent since 2019, and 41 percent of employees regularly feel stressed, burned out or depressed at work.
In my three-decade career in the beauty industry, I worked to change clients’ outer appearance. Amid the pandemic, I realized that fad diets, insane workout regimens, low self-esteem and fancy beauty treatments were leading me down a road without a finish line.
As “A Reset Coach,” I help my clients grow by activating and maintaining good habits to help live happier and healthier lives. The true shift happens on the inside and holding yourself accountable to good habits can truly change your life. Loving and nurturing who you are inside is as necessary as a good skin foundation.
Here are a few quick tips you can implement into your daily activities to help hit the reset button on your habits.
EAT SMARTER
If there are cookies on the counter, how many times in the day will you reach for those instead of the fruits or veggies in your refrigerator? It’s quicker just to grab what’s available instead of making a meal or eating healthy snacks.
One simple thing you can do to start is to move your fruits and cooked veggies even with a little sauce for flavor to eye-level in your refrigerator. By constantly keeping them in your eyesight, it trains your brain to physically see these healthy snacks more frequently. Soon, you may find yourself reaching for carrots instead of cookies.
Take your smart eating a step further and plan a grocery list weekly ahead of a trip to the store. According to Harvard University’s School of Public Health, meal planning can help with weight control, contribute to an overall more nutritionally balanced diet and ultimately save money and time.
GET BACK INTO A ROUTINE
Prior to the pandemic, you may have had the perfect routine in place. Wake up at the same time every day, put on your make-up, drive the kids to soccer practice after work. Then, your world changed, working from home and the kids and spouse are home, too. Your routine was completely thrown off and in turn, self-care has gone out the window.
Take just 10 minutes in the morning to kick-start your routine. Put on make-up, even just a little bit, to help yourself feel a sense of normalcy. Especially in a time where videoconferencing is the status quo and web cameras can be unforgiving. Men, you also can find confidence in putting on a little make-up for that afternoon Zoom meeting.
If make-up isn’t in your vocabulary, introducing a short workout routine to your mornings can help get your brain on track for the day. It will have the extra benefit of making you sleepier at the end of the day. Workouts can include stretching, meditation or a short walk. Hold yourself accountable by investing in a FitBit or pedometer app, where you can set reminders throughout the day. By creating a recurring, good habit, this will transform your mindset to continue the positive activity moving forward.
A GOOD NIGHT’S REST COMES IN HANDY
A tip as old as time itself is to get more sleep. In 2020, The Sleep Foundation found that more than half of Americans reported feeling sleepy throughout the day due to not sleeping well enough. Another 44 percent reported not having enough time to sleep.
You may fall in these percentages of people who don’t sleep enough. Whether it’s due to stress, depression or other reasons, sleep can completely change your mood and day. A good night’s sleep can improve motivation and focus and also reduce irritability.
Now, you don’t need to go to bed one to two hours earlier. Be more realistic with your schedule. Start by going to sleep 10 minutes earlier for a few weeks before trying to go to sleep even earlier. And that morning routine may even help making you sleepier. And try to ditch the electronics two to three hours before bed to help your circadian rhythm stay in check, or at least put them on nighttime mode to eliminate the blue light. You’ll notice a difference in your mornings as well, feeling more rested, awake and alert throughout your busy day.
This isn’t a “Crossfit”-kind of coaching. If you’re looking for a full reset on your habits and mindset, we’ll start with baby steps and set goals to be realistically achievable for your lifestyle. Let’s tackle these goals together and make the reset on your life.
For 40 years, Barbra Jo Batterman has served anyone who seeks to look and feel their best. Being a professional multimedia makeup stylist has helped her collect clients that range from celebrities, dignitaries, business moguls and everything in between. For more information, visit www.aresetcoach.com.
