Whilst in isolation, 10-minutes may not seem like long enough to truly impact your physical or mental wellness, when it’s built into your daily routine and over time, these regular practices can all make a real difference. What works is, as ever, down to the individual, but here are 10 quick (and free) ideas to try adding into your daily habits for a wellbeing boost.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is the one health tip you will see time and time again because it is fundamental to so many areas of health and wellness, including your focus, sleep, mood and energy levels. Staying hydrated with plain water can get boring quickly, so change it up with adding fresh fruit or veg (we love cucumber water) or, in winter, try herbal teas. They all count towards your daily target of between 8-11 cups/glasses a day. Read more.
Sleep Routine
We’re not talking about the hours of shut-eye you get (7 minimum if you were wondering). We’re talking about your sleep routine leading up to turning in for the night to set you up for sleep success. A few hours before bed try going screen-free, using lower lighting levels, listening to relaxing music, reading, applying aromatherapy or CBD products… through trial and error you will find the nightly rituals that help you doze off, peacefully. Read more.
Good Morning
Just like your evening routine, the things you do immediately on waking up will set the tone for the rest of your day. Try not to reach for your phone immediately nor switch on the news. When we immediately plug into our phones on waking, we are skipping over the Theta and Alpha brainwave stages of waking, the dream-like, relaxed states, instead skipping straight to Beta (aka full alert). Theta and Alpha have been proven to be important for deep contemplation, creative inspiration and our overall sense of calm. Instead, try to spend 10 minutes meditating, drawing, journalling or simply thinking – with no distractions. Read more.
Journalling
Staring at a blank page can feel daunting if you’re new to journalling. A great way to start the habit is to look for ‘journal prompts’ (there are 1000s on Pinterest) to steer your writing. Try not to over think your answers and ‘brain dump’ or ‘free write’ onto the page whatever comes to mind. Over time, and with practice you will find it helps bring clarity to your thoughts. Read more.
Get Outside
Getting even 10 minutes of time in nature, especially first thing in the morning, can help improve our mental health. How? When we get a hit of early morning sunshine our body produces more serotonin which eventually converts to melatonin. Seratonin, known as the ‘happy hormone’ boosts our mood, while melatonin has a calming effect and can help reduce stress. Read more.
Phone A Friend
Remember those days? When we couldn’t just fire off a WhatsApp, or comment on a social post and count it as ‘checking in’ with our loved ones? A quick call or FaceTime with a friend, family member can help strengthen our sense of belonging, relationships and self-worth. Remember, it’s good to talk. Read more.
Move Your Body
It’s no secret that the rush of endorphins we get from exercising will give our day a boost. If you’re constantly putting off going to a class or the gym because you don’t have time, try 10-minutes of HIIT, yoga or Pilates at home. With zero equipment required and free videos online, you’re giving yourself the best chance of success.
Mindful Breathing
We all know that when our emotions are heightened, taking a deep breath or stepping out for a ‘breather’ can help us regulate our emotions. What if we built in 10 minutes of mindful breathing into our day as a preventative measure? If you’re not sure where to start with mindful breathing practice, there are plenty of apps to watch and help you sync your breathing with a visual prompt. Great to practice in short, 10-minute sessions throughout your day. Read more.
Be A Conscious Consumer
If we think about the media we consume like food, it can help us decipher whether we are getting a ‘healthy diet’. Sure, the odd binge is fine (we’re looking at you Netflix boxset). But regularly consuming social media feeds or content that doesn’t nourish our mind can leave us feeling sluggish and a bit ‘meh’. Spend 10-minutes a day auditing the media you consume, from the newsletters you subscribe to, to the accounts you follow. Seek out new forms of content that help you learn something, inspire you or create a sense of community.
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude is like flexing a muscle: the more we stop and give thanks for ourselves and those around us, the more our brain attunes to the positives in our lives and our overall sense of happiness is lifted. Whether you track your gratitude in an app, a journal or simply acknowledge the ‘wins’ of your day when you get into bed at night, it’s a simple practice that we could all benefit from. Read more.
By Lydia Mansi
March 2023
