5 Small Changes for a More Productive, Less Stressful Day
Here are five small improvements we can make in our life to have a more productive, less stressful, and better day:
1. **Ask Yourself a Simple Question in the Evening: What Did You Achieve Today?**
Don’t start thinking and panicking, "Oh god, I didn’t do that, I didn’t respond to that email, I didn’t complete my to-do list, I didn’t study that subject." Instead, think about what you did achieve. Even if you just completed a chapter or walked 6,000 steps, the tiniest accomplishment counts. Try to appreciate what you achieved today. Negative self-thoughts won’t help. You are far more important than you think. Be kind to yourself and celebrate your wins .you have to negotiate with yourself not tyrannize yourself.
2. **Spend Time Outdoors to Reduce Stress**
It is important to spend some time outside. It may be as simple as taking a fifteen-minute walk. You don’t have to hit the gym. Just go under the trees and clouds and get some sunlight. Even when we have meetings lined up and many tasks on our to-do list, taking a short break to walk outside can help reduce stress.
- Take a walk without your phone. No checking emails!
- Take a breath. Close your eyes and breathe deeply in a box format (4 seconds in, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds out, 4 seconds hold). Do 10 reps of that, focusing on the breath.
3. **Schedule Focus Blocks**
We all struggle with fighting attention residue. "Attention residue" is when a portion of your attention remains on a previous task, even when you’ve switched to a new one. This can reduce your performance on the new task. For important tasks or projects, schedule dedicated focus blocks and try to follow the same time every day to make it a routine.
4. **Read Before Bed to Improve Sleep**
Studies show that reading books, especially fiction, before bed improves sleep quality. Pick any book you are interested in and read 10-15 pages instead of scrolling through your phone. Fiction works well to help your mind relax. I’m currently reading the Ram Chandra series: Sita - Warrior of Mithila.
5. **Write Daily**
Writing helps express what we are feeling. It doesn’t have to be journaling. Any form of writing works, as long as you convert your thoughts into text. If you can’t think of what to write, just ask yourself at the end of the day, "What is one story-worthy thing that happened today?"
- Talk about what you learned today.
- Talk about new people you met.
- Talk about what surprised you.