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Balance

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Benefits of Routine</h2>



<p>In the unpredictable journey of life, some thrive on the stability of a set routine, while others find comfort in spontaneity. Yet, when faced with significant stress, the absence of structure can exacerbate feelings of chaos and uncertainty, potentially impacting mental well-being.</p>



<p>Establishing a routine isn't just about maintaining order; it's a lifeline during tumultuous times. While it may seem constraining to some, having a predictable schedule can provide a sense of stability and control amidst life's uncertainties. This becomes crucial, especially when navigating through periods of unpredictability and upheaval. Without such stability, the mind can struggle to find footing, potentially leading to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.</p>



<p>Structure and organization can improve your health in many ways. Routines are enjoyable and can fulfill your body's need for structure. They help you:</p>



<ul>
<li>Improve sleep: Your sleep schedule and bedtime habits can greatly affect your mental health and well-being. By maintaining constancy with your sleep/wake times, you can improve energy levels and be more well rested.</li>



<li>Be active: A key part to getting regular exercise is to be consistent. Setting a time each day or throughout the week will help you keep yourself accountable and active.</li>



<li>Manage stress levels: Routines have been known to reduce stress levels, leading to better mental health and less anxiety. High stress levels can put your health at risk and raises your chances of heart disease.</li>



<li>Eat healthier: Scheduling time for grocery shopping can make a big difference in the way that you eat. It is much easier to eat healthier, and you won’t be as tempted to order fast food or eat junk snacks. Taking the time to plan your meals or meal prep will help you remain consistent with healthy food habits.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Incorporating Routine into Your Life</h2>



<p>In the whirlwind of daily life, it's easy to get swept up in the chaos and lose sight of our goals and aspirations. However, by taking a step back and creating a structured plan, we can regain control and steer our lives towards greater fulfillment and productivity. The process of creating a plan not only helps us organize our tasks and priorities but also enables us to identify areas for improvement and growth. By incorporating routine and a carefully crafted plan into our lives, we can harness the power of consistency to overcome obstacles and achieve our desired outcomes. This structured approach not only enhances our efficiency but also promotes mental well-being by providing a sense of direction and purpose.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Creating a Plan</h4>



<ol>
<li>Take a sheet of paper and create three columns with headings: work, personal, and relationships.</li>



<li>Under each heading write down typical tasks you do during the week for that category.</li>



<li>Next, write down what you would like to add to each category, for example adding that want to read before bed under the personal category.</li>



<li>Now think about the obstacles you face in accomplishing those new tasks. How might you reduce those obstacles?</li>



<li>Create a daily routine that incorporates the items from task 2 and task 3.</li>



<li>Start your routine! It can seem intimidating at first, but the key with routine is consistency. It will get easier and feel more natural as you do it more often.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Morning and Evening Routines</h2>



<p>Investing in a morning routine is a powerful way of improving your well-being and taking ownership of your day. A morning routine consists of a set of actions that you complete after waking up and before your day’s main work. It is best if the routine is short and simple, to prevent you from not completing it.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Morning Routine Example:</h4>



<ol>
<li>Get a good night’s sleep (7-8 hours).</li>



<li>Avoid the Snooze button!</li>



<li>Drink a full glass of water.</li>



<li>Prepare a healthy breakfast.</li>



<li>Fit in a quick workout or walk.</li>



<li>Reflect. This can be about what you are grateful for, what you need to accomplish that day, or focusing on any potential challenges you need to overcome.</li>
</ol>



<p>An evening routine is key in kickstarting your morning routine and having a successfully energetic day. Evening routines allow the body to slow down, mentally and physically, and prepare for a night of rest. Sometimes this can be a daunting task, especially after a long stressful day. A routine before bed helps you get to sleep faster and get a better night’s sleep, allowing you to wake up refreshed and ready for another amazing day!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img src="http://resources.relieffactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AdobeStock_488668303.jpeg" alt="Young Asian Woman Dinks Tea While Reading Book On The Sofa In The Evening." class="wp-image-1699" width="428" height="285"/></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Evening Routine Example:</h4>



<ol>
<li>Set a time to wind down, typically 30-60 minutes before you plan to go to sleep.</li>



<li>Put away electronics.</li>



<li>Have a light snack or cup of tea.</li>



<li>Take a warm bath or shower.</li>



<li>Read.</li>



<li>Meditation, prayer, or reflection. Whatever your preference, use this as a time to relax your mind and reflect on your day.</li>



<li>Prepare your bed, plug in your phone, and sweet dreams!</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">One Step at a Time</h2>



<p>Forming a routine can take a long time and is highly variable between individuals. Not everyone needs a fully scheduled day to follow a daily routine. Take this information and incorporate it into your life the way that works best for you. Try adding one routine at a time. Don’t feel like you need to change everything all at once to see improvement. Consistency is key in keeping up with a daily routine. Incorporating healthier habits in your daily tasks will benefit your physical and mental health. Take one step at a time in creating a healthier lifestyle.</p>

Unlocking Your Potential: Cultivating Routine in Your Daily Life

Meditation

<p>Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the responsibilities you juggle and things to tend to? Modern life keeps getting busier and busier, keeping our minds racing and stress levels high.</p>



<p>But there is a practice that can ground and center us: mindfulness. This <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">technique</a> can not only reduce stress, but also boosts energy, diminishes pain, sharpens focus, and improves relationships.</p>



<p>To get you started, let’s explore what mindfulness is, where it comes from, how it works, and how to start applying it in your life!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Is Mindfulness Meditation?</h2>



<p>While mindfulness can describe a wide variety of meditation techniques (and <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/#:~:text=Among%20the%20challenges,Ellen%20Langer." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">non-meditative practices</a> too!), it refers to a specific set of practices and traditions.</p>



<p>Mindful meditation is a practice that involves self-reflection, counting breaths, and releasing one’s thoughts. </p>



<p>You can find parallel practices in a wide variety of <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-mindfulness/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">world religions</a>, the most popular are Buddhism, Hinduism, and yogic traditions, used as a self-reflective meditation. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Meditation Techniques</h3>



<p>Mindfulness meditation techniques are often centered around paying attention to your breathing or body as a means of relaxing and focusing.</p>



<p>Mindfulness breathing techniques can be guided by counting or by a narrative script that helps you focus on the feeling of breathing.</p>



<p>Counting doesn’t just apply to how many breaths you take, but also to how long it takes to inhale, hold your breath, and then exhale. <a href="https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-box-breathing" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Box breathing</a> is a method of counting four seconds for an inhale, four seconds to hold your breath, four seconds to exhale, and four seconds to pause before inhaling again. It can be used in stressful situations to reset your breathing and dispel anxiety.</p>



<p>Mindfulness can also involve body scanning. Similar to the process of openly allowing ideas to come to you and then letting go, body-scanning involves slowly focusing on various parts of your body and then letting your attention move away. This technique has enabled some people to find pain relief.</p>



<p>The techniques of mindfulness can even be used while exercising. You can develop a deeper understanding of your body by applying the intentional self-reflexing focus during a <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356#:~:text=Walking%20meditation.,of%20your%20sensations." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">walking meditation</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mindfulness vs. Mindfulness-Based Stress Response</h3>



<p>Mindfulness was formalized into a cognitive-behavioral psychological intervention called <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation#:~:text=Mindfulness%2Dbased%20stress%20reduction%20(MBSR,mindfulness%20through%20yoga%20and%20meditation." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mindfulness-based stress response</a> (MBSR) in 1979. It’s an eight-week course that profoundly influenced what we think of as mindfulness. Many scientific studies that make claims about mindfulness use MBSR as a basis for their definition of mindfulness.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mindfulness vs. Transcendental Meditation</h3>



<p>Other than mindfulness, one of the other most popular forms of meditation is <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22292-transcendental-meditation" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">transcendental meditation</a> (TM). Both seek to help restore your balance and these two methods come from different backgrounds and use different techniques.</p>



<p>While mindfulness pulls some of its techniques based on Buddhist meditation rituals, TM has roots in Hindu practices. </p>



<p>Both meditations have the goal of moving past intrusive thoughts. The main distinction is that while mindfulness trains you to allow yourself to process thoughts and reflect on them before moving past them, TM prioritizes preventing them from occurring by focusing on repeating mantras. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How Mindfulness Works in Your Brain</h3>



<p>By training in mindfulness, you are teaching your brain not to respond with a fight or flight response. Long-term practitioners of mindfulness have seen the areas of their brain associated with fight or flight stress response decrease in size.</p>



<p>By training yourself to be habitually calm, clear, and focused in a relaxed state, that practice will transfer over when you are in a stressful situation. There have been <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">scientific studies</a> that show mindfulness practitioners are less likely to respond with negativity when stressed. Internally they can have more mental clarity because they do not experience repetitive negative thoughts.</p>



<p>The mindfulness energy boost is less direct and involves how meditation reduces stress. Mindfulness prevents energy burnout from stress by activating your parasympathetic nervous system and interrupting a stress response that causes a long-term drain on mental and physical resources.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img src="http://resources.relieffactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/womenSittingOnBoardwalk.jpg" alt="Women sitting on boardwalk at sunset " class="wp-image-1690" width="443" height="294"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Benefits of Meditation</h2>



<p>Meditation has applications for people of all ages. It helps you separate your thoughts and plans from the stresses of life, helping you make better decisions, feel your feelings, process them, and share them in ways that positively affect the people around you.</p>



<p>Anna Gulmac, an <a href="https://hundred.org/en/articles/teacher-testimonials-making-mindfulness-a-way-of-life" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">educator</a>, notes, “I’ve noticed a really big movement with how children respond to each other after a mindfulness session, they’re more positive in the way that they bounce back from a challenging situation.”</p>



<p>Famous actor <a href="https://meditationlifestyle.com/hugh-jackman-meditation-changed-my-life/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Hugh Jackman</a> has practiced meditation since his early twenties and is very vocal about how it helps him deal with the stresses of his life. “With meditation, my anxiety levels dropped considerably… The mind can make us worry about things beyond their measure. And the great thing about meditation is that twice a day, the monkey mind just calms down.”</p>



<p>For older adults, mindfulness meditation has been found to improve energy, sleep, and mental awareness as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2569828/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">self-reported in diaries</a>, but one of the most exciting results is that it’s been widely reported as helping people deal with pain. One participant says, “By using meditation I have been able to reduce the feeling of pain.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to Get Started with Mindfulness Meditation</h2>



<p>Want to start experiencing the benefits of mindfulness meditation practice? To get the most out of your training, we have three tips:</p>



<ul>
<li>Take an in-person class</li>



<li>Apply what you learn to your life</li>



<li>Beware of negative consequences</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The value of in-person</h3>



<p>You can teach yourself mindfulness meditation by watching videos on YouTube. The best way to start is to take in-person classes. Then you have access to a practitioner who can answer your questions afterward and have a full conversation.</p>



<p>Breathing techniques can have a strong effect on the body--it’s best to do it with instruction. There are some breathing techniques that can make you faint and other negative potential effects of meditation, so it is good to have experts on hand to help as needed.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Apply it to your life</h3>



<p>When you have a stressful encounter, you won’t be able to sit down on the floor and start meditating. However, you might be able to slightly relax your focus and alter your breathing to a 4-second inhale, 7-second hold breath, and 8-second exhale (4-7-8) pattern for a couple of cycles before you take on the stress.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Potential Negative Consequences</h3>



<p>You may be surprised to hear that meditation can actually cause harm to practitioners.  </p>



<p>By coaching yourself to observe your feelings and thoughts from an outside perspective, it can make you feel more detached from your feelings, alienated, and disassociated. For some people, excessive quiet time can lead to increased unpleasant intrusive thoughts.</p>



<p>As you embark on meditation practice, don’t be afraid to stop practicing if it is becoming uncomfortable.</p>

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Balance

Unlocking Your Potential: Cultivating Routine in Your Daily Life

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Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation for Mental Clarity and Energy

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Balance

Unlocking Your Potential: Cultivating Routine in Your Daily Life

Read Article

Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation for Mental Clarity and Energy

Read Article

Balance

Unlocking Your Potential: Cultivating Routine in Your Daily Life

Read Article

Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation for Mental Clarity and Energy

Read Article

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Cognition Support

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Energy Boost

Sleep Support

Pain Relief

Cognition Support

Anxiety Relief

Energy Boost

Sleep Support

Pain Relief

Cognition Support

Anxiety Relief

Energy Boost

Sleep Support

Pain Relief

Cognition Support

Anxiety Relief

Energy Boost

Sleep Support

Pain Relief

Cognition Support

Anxiety Relief

Energy Boost