I began this blog post on procrastination back in March of this year and here I am, nine months later and still not finished. What does that tell you about my procrastination habit? I would like to think that it simply means I am human. To feel better about this, here are some of the “excuses” I told myself; I was moving back to my house and had to start all over again (i.e. buy everything again), had guests and family functions, and completed a short online course. Not too bad, if I say so myself. However, truth be told, writing blog posts was not even on my list of things to do. Have you ever spent a whole day thinking about a task instead of actually doing it? I know I have, and I have discovered that procrastination can be more exhausting than the work itself. It’s draining to dwell on something without taking action. Can you relate?
Even when it comes to writing my blog posts—something I genuinely enjoy—I find myself procrastinating. I often ask myself, “Why am I putting this off?” I started this blog to share my experiences overcoming daily challenges, both physical and mental. Through my self-reflection, I’ve realized that procrastination often isn’t about the tasks themselves, but about what lies behind them.
So, why do we procrastinate? Here’s what I’ve found:
Complexity: If a task feels overwhelming due to its many layers, I might avoid it altogether. This leads to stress and anxiety, especially when deadlines loom, resulting in rushed work and even more stress.
Self-Doubt: When I lack confidence in my ability to complete a task, I tend to postpone it, hoping to avoid failure.
Distractions: It’s all too easy to get sidetracked by other things. Now we have many distractions such as our cell phones, and social media.
To combat this, I am learning to keep things simple, which can be challenging at times. By breaking tasks down into manageable steps, I can tackle them with greater ease and less mental burden. When I complete tasks, it gives a sense of accomplishment and boosts my confidence. How do you handle procrastination? I do not believe procrastination is simply being lazy, it can be a deeper health issue. I remember feeling extremely tired and “lazy” during my student days. A blood test eventually revealed anemia, iron deficiency, which explained my lack of energy. For a long time, I thought I was just procrastinating, but it turned out there was a deeper issue. While occasional procrastination is normal, if it becomes persistent, it might be worth seeing a doctor to rule out any underlying health conditions. This was my personal experience, and I hope it helps you avoid taking months to complete tasks like I did while writing this blog post!
To end this short blog post on a light note, I came across this quote recently: “Procrastination taught me how to do 30 minutes of work in 8 hours and 8 hours of work in 30 minutes.” – Unknown source
In my previous post, I briefly touched upon the topic of distractions. I will be the first to admit that I am addicted to technology, especially to my smartphone. I have not figured out a permanent solution to this problem, and am not sure if anyone has. However, I am in the process of implementing strategies to set personal boundaries for my fascination with technology. I will share how the excessive use of technology is affecting me and what works to reduce its use and negative impact.
Negative impact of Distractions
Unable to focus – I heavily rely on my smartphone to research, read, listen to e-books/podcasts, make shopping lists, jot down ideas, note all appointments etc. I am sure that most of us are able to relate with the productive use of a smartphone. However, there is also the unproductive side, which is the endless social media scrolling. It consumes our precious time as well as our ability to focus. There is a constant urge to check messages, emails or social media which shortens our attention span. It feels overwhelming as there is always something better to look at and learn.
Loss of creativity – When I felt bored during my youth, I would think of something creative to do to occupy myself like reading, drawing and connecting with friends. However, that is not the case these days as the first thing that comes to mind is to pick up the phone to check messages/social media. After endless browsing, I not only feel exhausted mentally, but have no energy to do anything else. This leads to feelings of guilt for wasting time and not accomplishing anything worthwhile. We are browsing creative content but not adding to our own creativity.
Loss of Social Life – I believe our reliance on smartphones has made our society more isolated than ever. We are losing social connections. I intentionally turn off all my social media notifications other than regular text and Whats app messages. Even with the notifications off, I check my phone frequently. It has become such a habit that I do it unknowingly. It is almost like a natural reflex. Can you relate to this, where we check our phones instead of paying attention to the person sitting in front of us? We exchange messages/reels with friends and think we are communicating with one another. When we do meet in person, the phone seems to take priority. So much content is easily available on this little device, and it is shortening our attention span as well as making us forget basic etiquette. Not to mention the countless instances in which I have read distressing emails as soon as I receive them. Doing this has ruined moments with my family/friends. I do not know why we have created such urgency in everything we do. This advancing technology is supposed to make life easier, not harder. It is not the technology itself, but the excessive use of it that is most damaging.
How to Reduce Distractions
Take short frequent breaks – I am not saying take breaks every 15 minutes; however, it has helped me focus when I take a five minute break every hour to stretch, drink water, and/or check messages. This keeps the blood circulation going and also helps with the urge to check the phone because you have set yourself a specific time to do so.
Find a hobby – Remember the good old days of in person activities and hobbies? Find a hobby offline so you are away from technology/screen time. We browse creative content and feel we are not creative enough to produce something similar, and such comparison is harmful to our self image/self confidence. Find a hobby like a sport activity, traveling, reading, knitting, crochet, singing, dancing, yoga and so on. The possibilities are endless. You do not have to be good at it, just try it and see if you enjoy it. In my blog post “How Hobbies can help us stay motivated”, I mentioned the importance of having a hobby and how I discovered I could actually draw. Hobbies can help us to stay away from technology/screen time. By writing these blog posts, I am actually challenging myself although I am still on my laptop typing. It has helped me engage in something worthwhile. If nothing else I will improve my writing skills 🙂
Make time for family/friends – Time is our most valuable resource and it is passing us at a fast pace. I want to spend time making memories with my family and friends instead of browsing social media. You have probably read and heard this statement way too many times. I am making a conscious effort to keep off the phone when with someone. It is not that I have the urge to browse social media but I definitely have the urge to reply to messages/emails. It seems everything is urgent and requires our immediate attention. As a result, it causes stress and anxiety as we are always trying to keep up. In fact, it is expected of us that we respond immediately, as this is the culture we are creating for ourselves and others. If a situation is of an urgent nature, then we should call. If it is a text message, then it can wait. The person in front of us deserves our full attention. Also, make efforts to meet up in person as communication is so much more meaningful. Speaking of meetups, I have some coffee/chai meetings to catch up on.
While advancing technology is supposed to make life easier, we have made it complicated by overusing it. My grandfather used to say “too much of everything and anything is bad”. I think of his quote often and try to correct myself. This is my experience with smartphone technology and I am sharing it with you even if it makes me vulnerable. The excessive use of it definitely impacts my motivation. While it is okay to use smartphone technology, it should not be okay to be owned by such technology.
As a final note, I find it ironic that while smart phones can bring us closer to those far away from us, they also take us away from those who are sitting next to us.
First and foremost, what is the difference between Motivation and discipline? Motivation is what gets us going (a goal), while discipline is what keeps us focused consistently on attaining that goal. They are both equally important. In my previous blog posts, I provided tips on how to achieve goals, or the benefits of having goals. It is also important to remember that while motivation is temporary, discipline endures.
All the goals I set for myself, like exercising and eating healthy, needed to be accompanied by action, and this is where discipline played an important role.
Why is discipline so important?
Because, even if we lose the motivation (and we all do, at one point or another), discipline will keep us going. That’s why it is important to establish a plan of action and act on it daily. You will form a habit and keep moving towards the goal even when motivation fades.
For example, when we make our new year’s resolution, the most popular goal is to lose weight & get in shape for the summer so we can wear nice summer dresses or be healthy in general. While this goal sounds lovely, it cannot occur without having a strict exercise routine and a diligent count of calorie intake. If we fail to establish an exercise routine then the motivation to lose weight will soon be lost, most likely before January 31st. And we still have 11 months to go!!
I think the hardest part of pursuing a goal is to win the battle with ourselves on those days when we do not feel like following the action plan (lack of motivation). On days like these, I find myself procrastinating to the level that it makes me feel sad. As I mentioned before, motivation and discipline are both equally important in achieving any goal, big or small. If I wait for motivation to kick in every morning to start working towards my goal, then I think I would be waiting for a very long time. While this motivation may come during the new year, it quickly dissipates as the year progresses. To avoid this, I have to be disciplined to follow through with the action plan.
In many ways, this situation sounds similar to “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”
Should I be disciplined enough to find my motivation or motivated to be disciplined?
How to Get Out of this Chicken or Egg Dilemma
Establish a Goal – Do you want to be healthy? Do you want to be physically fit? Do you want to travel more? Do you want to have a hobby? Do you want to earn extra income to live comfortably? If you are like me, you want to do all of the above and maybe you can.
Prioritize a Goal – Since I do not have the time to do everything in a day or all at once, I must prioritize based on what will help me achieve other goals. For me, being in good health and keeping physically fit will help me pursue other goals later on. Therefore, I am choosing to focus on my health. Maybe I will have a hobby that will help me achieve my goal to stay healthy. Perhaps I can join a sport that will help me stay physically fit. I should not be overly ambitious, as that may cause me to give up. My motto is “one thing at a time”.
Plan of Action – Nothing will happen without action. While I am good at planning, (for example, I will buy beautiful planners, color pens, sticky notes for my arts & crafts), I often miss out on the action part. How many of you can relate? This is why I remind myself not to be overly ambitious as I will most likely give up. I do not have a challenge when it comes to sticking to healthy food choices but I do have a challenge of keeping up with an exercise routine. So I decided to do 15 minutes of exercise every day. I know that 15 minutes does not seem long enough but there is a power in accumulating 15 minutes each day, and slowly building up to 20, 25 and 30 minutes per day. Small steps can lead to a big impact.
Check- in – When I am following a strict routine to accomplish a goal, I check in with myself on a regular basis. It offers a great sense of achievement when I show up every day and work towards my goal. Whether I am following an exercise routine or making healthy meal choices, I am working towards the goal. Before I notice any change, I acknowledge how I feel and that is a true motivation to carry on. It is the discipline to take small actions and create big changes.
Reward Yourself – I truly believe healthy living should be a lifestyle, integrated in my life in a way that I do not feel the need to take a break. However, there are little pleasures of life which I utterly enjoy such as freshly baked cake with masala chai or trying different coffee shops. I know they may not sound very adventurous but it is such small things that provide us with the greatest joy. Imagine, if I eat a slice of freshly baked cake every single day, do you think it will start showing up somewhere on my body? You bet! Similarly, a simple pleasure once a week adds so much value to my routine. So do not forget to reward yourself.
Avoid Distractions – This is a tough one, especially with the smartphones that we have. I start off with one good video and before I know it has taken one hour of my precious time. By then I am exhausted from doing absolutely nothing other than endless scrolling. It sucks up any motivation I had to begin with and I feel totally wasted afterwards. I love to watch recipe videos, interior designing, pet videos, motivational videos, how to draw, and how to start a blog. Afterwards I do not remember anything I learned. This is what I call a true distraction which steals my time and my dreams. You might have your own, and it is important to identify them and reduce or eliminate them. To combat this endless phone scrolling, I put my phone on charge or place it in the other room. It is guaranteed then that the phone will ring. It is not easy to eliminate some distractions but we must keep trying. Avoiding such distractions is a form of discipline.
As a final thought, I say that without discipline in life, motivation is lost. The very nature of motivation is that it fluctuates. Some days you have lots of it, and other days, you have very little. This is where discipline comes in. It is an uphill battle to achieve anything if we do not bring some form of discipline in life. I have provided some tips that I use in my daily life to stay focused through discipline. I admit some days, no matter what I do, I cannot get myself to complete tasks. Instead of feeling guilty, I let it be and prepare for the next day mentally by reading or listening to audiobooks on the topic. I hope you find the tips useful and integrate them in your life to achieve the goals you might have set for 2024.
I believe that in order to manage daily motivation, we need to have better control over our thoughts, as they also impact our stress level. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, Six Steps to Manage Daily Motivation, a relaxed mind can think more clearly. While I do not have in- depth knowledge about meditation, I am sharing my personal experience with meditation and how it has helped me over the past four years. In 2019, I started experiencing shortness of breath. It reached a point where I could not have a normal conversation. In a stressful situation it was impossible to talk, deliver a presentation or facilitate a workshop. I approached my family physician who then referred me to a respirologist. Due to the pandemic the wait time was longer than usual. Anyhow, I underwent some breathing tests and nothing was diagnosed. On one hand I was relieved and on the other hand I was looking for some answers to my breathing challenge.
This is when I turned to regular breathing exercises because I could not think clearly and I struggled to carry out normal conversations. I dreaded speaking in a group of people because I could hear my voice change as I couldn’t keep up with my breath.
By sparing just ten minutes a day for meditation/breathing exercises, I have experienced benefits to my overall health. I sit with my eyes closed and focus on my breathing and perform some breathing exercises. Here are some of the benefits:
Improved breathing – My main reason for turning to breathing exercises was to find a solution for shortness of breath. Deep breathing helps to expand the lungs and slow down the breath; therefore, I have better control over my breathing. I experience shortness of breath less frequently as a result of breathing exercises.
Ease in speaking – Have you ever had that experience when you are out of breath, and you cannot speak normally? That’s what it was like for me on a daily basis and still is on some days. Maybe it is a sign that I should talk less (haha). Now that I am learning to manage my breathing through exercises and by keeping calm through meditation, I am able to have normal conversations with ease.
Increased energy – You have probably heard or experienced that most of us do shallow breathing. As a result, not enough oxygen reaches our vital organs. Through deep breathing, I have experienced that I have more energy and I feel less tired throughout the day.
Calm nervousness – Deep breathing exercises helped me to stay calm in stressful situations. I no longer struggle to catch up with my breath while having a conversation or delivering presentations. I am not naturally a public speaker, however, shortness of breath made me avoid public speaking altogether. Deep breathing helps overcome the fear of public speaking to some extent.
Clear Skin – If nothing else motivates you to follow a routine of deep breathing, having clear skin will. Most of us (ladies) spend a good chunk of our paycheque towards skin care products to have radiant looking skin. I can attest that just like drinking water makes skin glow, so do breathing exercises and best of all, they are free. What more can a woman ask for? Glowing skin without spending a fortune!!
More focused – Since the brain gets more oxygen to function through deep breathing exercises, my focus has improved over time. I used to jump from one task to another, failing to prioritize them. A few deep breaths a day relaxes my mind, and allows me to focus more clearly.
If you have an underlying medical condition, check with your doctor before adding any exercise to your routine, just like I did, to rule out anything that might require medical treatment. I have certainly benefited from a meditation/deep breathing routine. By sitting all day, our blood circulation slows down. The breathing exercises help the internal organs get the oxygen they need to function properly. Try them and enjoy the benefits.
Did you know that hobbies are great for mental and physical health? In our busy lifestyle, we forget to take the time to pursue what we enjoy. Browsing social media is not a hobby. It is in fact a demotivating factor which consumes energy and time (our most valuable resource of all).
Some of us know exactly what we enjoy doing and there are others, like myself, who are confused! If you also fall into this category, then how do you find what you enjoy doing in your spare time? I have found that one approach is to try different hobbies; running, cooking, biking, pottery, drawing, painting, rock climbing, & playing different sports. I have tried wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, swimming, yoga, knitting, textiles, drawing, photography, reading and now writing. All of them were enjoyable, but I cannot possibly have time for all of them. So I switch between them. I read somewhere that we should have one hobby to keep us physically fit, one to keep mentally fit, one that will make you money, and one that will help you connect with people for social wellbeing. If only I realized this secret earlier, it would have made life a little easier 🙂
In this blog post, I am sharing some benefits of having hobbies, and how they can keep us motivated/productive in our day to day life. Here are some of the benefits I have observed:
Creates work life balance – as we know, all work and no play can lead to many complications in our personal and professional life. For many years, I attended yoga sessions after work, five days a week. This allowed me to disconnect from work, get the blood circulation going and relax the mind. During the covid era we struggled to have this balance because work was accessible from home all the time. We did not know where to draw the line and focus on family and ourselves. Our puppy, Dahlia, helped us disconnect from work as her walk time was 4:30 pm and she made sure we knew it was her time to go outside. Pets can create a schedule for you if you cannot. Have some activity to look forward to after work. Preferably, one that gets blood flowing in the body and that disconnects you from work mentally.
Work life balance
Stress relievers – If we don’t take breaks from repeated tasks, they cause burn out and leave you feeling overwhelmed. Having a hobby or participating in an enjoyable activity greatly reduces this level of stress.
Quality time with family – we cannot take family to work unless it is a family business, and we are self-employed. Even then, our focus is to get things done as there are strict timelines. I am not sure if watching TV together is quality time as a family, but it is debatable. There are so many activities to do together as a family, from playing board games to even eating together (with no phones or other distractions at the table).
Networking – hobbies provide great opportunities to network and meet new people without the pressure of having to network. From my personal experience, nothing is more overwhelming than going to official meetings or events and networking during break times. Everyone stands and starts mingling or talking and there is little me trying to get past the crowd or looking around to see who notices me so I can ‘network’. While it might sound like I am feeling sorry for myself or making an excuse, I often found it challenging to get around and meet people in my wheelchair in tight places for networking purposes. I definitely do not discourage it but if you find it overwhelming, you are not alone. I met more people at the coffee station who offered to help, and maybe that’s why I developed my love for caffeine 🙂. Anyhow, hobbies can connect us with like minded people.
Increase/boost creativity – I have been there so many times when I’m going through many creative hobbies in my mind and thinking “I am not good at this and that” without trying them out. I can give you one perfect example; during my college days I was approached by an art teacher and she asked me to join her class. It was all free by the way, and can you guess what my answer was: “I am not creative and I can’t draw.” This teacher encouraged me and I joined. Initially, I was intimated and a little annoyed too, as I felt I didn’t belong there due to a lack of creativity skills. However, I started to draw and we were not allowed to draw with a pencil on a white piece of paper. Instead, I was given chalk and a black sheet. I was doing a terrible job at it and then she gave me a sculpture of a bird. I drew that so well that I even surprised myself. And the next day, I drew the Taj Mahal and a clock. The project then headed towards textiles. I ended up creating a hat which was inspired by the Taj Mahal monument and had clock hands on it. That was the final outcome, and I truly wish I still had photos of it, but unfortunately, they got lost along the way, as I have relocated so many times. I was graded on it, and received an A (a little boost to my ego there).
Example of my doodling
I picked up so many skills on the way – drawing, cutting, tie dye material, sewing, and stitching. I absolutely enjoyed the class and the experience. It all started because a Fine Arts teacher approached me, and I am always grateful to her as she created space for me to explore my creative side which I didn’t know existed. So try out new things, you never know where you will end up or what you will create.
Increase focus – I pay more attention in meetings if I can doodle. I know it may seem rude and as if I am not paying attention but doodling keeps the mind in the present moment. It is so relaxing. It is a form of meditation for me. I also follow a YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@TamaraMichael and I am very impressed with her patience and creativity. There are some great ideas to practice and it will help you get into it if you would like to explore.
I personally feel it is extremely important to have some activity outside of your professional life which keeps you active, helps you connect with people, and brings joy over all.
I can say without hesitation that the type of food we eat has a profound impact on our mental and physical health. As someone who uses a wheelchair full-time, it is incredibly difficult to keep my body weight in control. The only way to burn calories is through the physical use of my arms. In addition to exercise, diet has a major role to play in our overall health. This is the main reason why I give my health top priority. However, even good intentions do not always keep me going. I understand that nothing works 100 percent of the time and it is okay to indulge in little treats from time to time as they enrich life. As someone who enjoys different delicacies, I make an effort to try new recipes as often as possible. This also provides us with more reasons to find a balance, as we do not want to miss out on some of our favorite dishes.
On January 1st of every year, we set very high expectations of ourselves to pursue a healthy lifestyle. These expectations can be hard to keep up with and we often give up by the end of the month, if not earlier.
In this article, I will be sharing tips on how to achieve healthy eating habits.
Keep it simple – healthy meals do not have to be complicated. Giving up everything like sweets, carbs etc. all at once is difficult. I started by focusing on reducing or eliminating sugar and fried food from my diet. Fried food is an occasional treat and that too with family and friends at get-togethers. While I do enjoy samosas or pakoras from time to time, I rarely go and buy them to eat at home. Nowadays, I look at them as a treat to enjoy at get-togethers. I gave up drinking sugar in my tea to support my mother who is diabetic. Now I cannot drink sugar in my tea or coffee. In fact, I cannot drink any sweet drink, as they taste way too sweet for my liking.
This simple habit helped with weight control. After eliminating sugar from my beverages, I focused on reducing carbohydrates. Like many of us, I cannot deny the fact that I do enjoy parathas (with potatoes, or other ingredients). My mom makes yummy parathas with kale, spinach and other healthy ingredients. Yes, I do have help with food preparation. Most of the Indian food I eat is made by my mother and I am very grateful for that. From her garden to the plate, it is made with so much love. It certainly makes it easier to stick with healthy meals. However, you can still stick to healthy eating habits even if you have no one cooking for you. For example, I prepare an omelet with peppers, kale, spinach and mushrooms. If I am not in the mood to make an omelet, then I boil eggs. Another breakfast option I enjoy is toast with nut butter, a little marmalade (not too sweet), and some chia seeds on top. These are some examples of the way I add variety to food for a good balance.
Preparation – Preparation is the key and helps us to stay on top of our commitments and not get overwhelmed with a busy schedule. This can be achieved by creating a weekly schedule of meals which can be prepared on one particular day of the week. For example, on Sundays, I prepare basic ingredients for the week by chopping onions, ginger, & garlic as performing these tasks is time consuming and can add a demotivating factor to make fresh meals throughout the week. I also keep frozen vegetables, kale, and spinach in the freezer to save time. You can also prepare a simple dish with whole wheat pasta or rice using all these same ingredients.
Meal planning – this is similar to what I mentioned above in that ‘Preparation is the key’. Meal planning and preparation go hand in hand. Once I have planned meals for the week, then grocery shopping is a breeze and not a dreaded task. I save time and money by following the shopping list I create when planning my menu for the week. After purchasing the ingredients, I wash and cut them, put them in glass jars, and place them in the refrigerator. This saves time, frustration and takes away excuses on why I couldn’t stick to healthy meals throughout the week.
Invest in small kitchen appliances – Invest in what works for you. This means that some people prefer the slow cooker, while others prefer the Instant Pot. I have an air fryer toaster oven, and use it for everything from toasting to baking cakes. I had an Instant Pot and a slow cooker, but lost both in an apartment fire. We are hoping to buy them again once we move back home. I will share this journey in another blog post. Speaking of small kitchen appliances at the moment, the Instant Pot is, in my experience, very efficient for weeknight dinners because you only have to add all the ingredients at once and wash one item. A pile of dishes can be a contributing factor to ordering out and not preparing meals at home. You can also look up Instant Pot recipes and plan your meals that way. Try all your appliances to see what works best for you, and return anything that doesn’t suit your cooking style (I recommend Costco here, as they have a great return policy).
Observe your feelings– How do you feel about cooking and eating healthy at home? I feel full, light, fresh and overall healthy. A nutritious diet improves overall energy levels. This alone will motivate you to continue a healthy lifestyle.
Treat yourself – I like exploring different cafes and restaurants in my local area. That’s what weekends are for (and occasionally weekdays too.) Planning to treat yourself makes it easier to stick to a healthy eating plan for the rest of the week. When I find myself in a situation where it feels rude to say no to eating out, or when I miss a work-related event or celebration, I take it as a reward and then compensate by eating less at dinner time. Food connects us all, so you don’t have to be rigid about your nutrition plan.
I believe a little bit of planning and organization can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. I do not follow any diet plans because they do not work for me, and I end up eating more than I normally would because of the craving. Find the balance that works for you. Try a spoonful of everything instead of running away and giving in to cravings later. For me, eating healthy is a lifestyle and it’s okay to enjoy the foods you love, especially when you’re with family and friends. We should enjoy the little pleasures of life. We have to enjoy the little pleasures in life. We are not here to work and pay the bills only 😌. I hope the above mentioned tips help you to find motivation to cook and eat healthy meals at home.
If you know the benefits of journaling then figuring out how to start one is easier. Honestly speaking, I do not journal everyday or even every week. I turn to writing when I am frustrated about a situation in my life. It might be to do with accessibility as getting around in a wheelchair isn’t always easy in a world that isn’t necessarily designed for wheels. In this post, I will share some tips and ideas on how journaling helps me overcome my mental stress and stay focused. Perhaps it will help you too.
Better Stress Management – Journaling for me is like having a friend I can talk to. It is a good place to unload all the stress that builds up over time. I may not get the answers to my questions or the advice I might be seeking, but writing down how I feel certainly helps put things in perspective. When I take the time to think and write, I find that my racing thoughts slow down and I feel calmer. It doesn’t just have to be writing that helps manage stress. For example, you could draw or paint to express yourself which can also benefit you.
Mindful Living – I find that being aware of my thoughts and emotions helps me to live a rather fulfilling life. Imagine how much we miss out on life’s little pleasures because our thoughts are always wandering. Whether I am eating, traveling, spending time with the family or playing with my dog, if my mind is not present then I cannot fully appreciate the experience. I would miss all those wonderful opportunities to connect with myself and others and experience the joy of everyday life. Like so many others, I have been in situations where I was either worrying too much about the future or regretting the past and was unable to enjoy the present moment. I believe that through journaling, I am paying more attention to my feelings, thoughts and surroundings. If my mind is not present, then I will not have much to write about an event/experience.
I have been in situations where I wanted to write about the day but I felt that not much has happened and there was not much to write about. As I started reading more books on self help and mindfulness, I realized how I was not paying attention to the little moments in my life. Now I have started romanticizing my life where I am more aware of my actions, thoughts and emotions and appreciate life that much more. So those little things from waking up in the morning, having the first cup of tea, driving to work, listening to a favorite song on the way, they all add up to a wonderful day. Why not capture everything in my journal? For me, that’s mindful living.
Positive Mindset – Writing down positive affirmations in my phone notepad is something I try do to as often as I can. I write down how I want my life to be. For example, I want to be healthy so I write “I am healthy”. I want my subconscious mind to think I am healthy. We consume so much negativity throughout the day, so this mindful living approach has helped me eliminate the negative thoughts. Why do we always talk and think about what we do NOT want? How about we think about what we DO want? Journaling is a perfect opportunity to shift the mindset and start a positive conversation with myself. I have found that I write positive affirmations more often when I am going through a rough day or a phase in my life. This instantly helps shift the mindset and things start looking brighter. I started writing a journal with positive affirmations, and I write them at night and re-read them first thing in the morning.
Better Relationship with Myself – Journaling not only captures feelings and day to day events, it also helps me to grow emotionally. Through writing I find ways to express myself better, as it is a journey of self awareness. It started off with writing about day to day events and affirmations and grew to help me understand myself better as to what my triggers are and how to manage them. Sometimes writing on a piece of paper helps me better understand my situations and feelings.
Capturing Memories – Before marriage, my husband, Sunny and I used to write an online diary sharing our experiences. Now we look back and relive those moments. You can capture beautiful moments through writing a daily journal. Just as photos are a great way to capture memories, so are words.
Life can be a roller coaster ride, and we want to develop all the tools we can to keep our balance. Journaling is one of the tools that can help you get through some of the tough times and help you capture some beautiful moments by making you more mindful. It certainly is a path to self discovery.
I cannot give enough credit to my exercise routine as part of my overall well being. I am a full time wheelchair user, and that is how I get around. I sit more than 12 hours a day which can and does take a toll on the body, including weight gain. So I can’t stress enough the importance of exercising to keep my muscles working and to avoid weight gain. Some sort of daily activity helps keep me in shape, both mentally and physically. However, I cannot deny the fact that there are days and even weeks when I struggle to keep up with the routine.
Here is what helps me get back to moving muscles again:
A short exercise routine – I know I am likely to exercise for 30 minutes a day versus 2 hours a day. A short workout routine helps me stick to the schedule even on the days when exercise is the last thing on my mind (or to do list).
Exploring – sticking to the same set of exercises can get boring, much like anything else we do over and over. To avoid this, it is good to alternate between different forms of exercises like yoga, walking, weights, cardio etc. In a wheelchair, my options are limited, but there are still enough exercises to switch and try different things.
Staying consistent – a break from workouts can be discouraging. I know after a few days off, starting the exercise routine can be challenging but very rewarding. The sluggish feeling goes away after some form of movement. That’s why I keep my exercise routine short and sweet so I stick to it and keep it consistent. Doing this really does pay off in the long term.
Easily accessible workout area – I do all my exercises at home. Several years ago, I had a yoga studio next to my workplace, and it was so convenient to finish work and go for yoga. I was able to do yoga for 5 days a week. Missing a day would bother me. However, the studio eventually closed down. I miss it! Now my exercise routine is at home. I know I will not make it to the gym after work for 5 days a week. If you can, that’s great. But if you are someone like me, you will be better off having some sort of exercise routine at home. You don’t need to invest in expensive equipment, and can look at Youtube videos for simple and effective exercises. Just spare 30 minutes a day for yourself and keep it consistent.
Ask a friend – I personally prefer to do my own exercises because I have to adapt to most of them and I don’t want to slow down my friend. However, for you it might work to ask a friend to join so that you both can benefit from motivating each other.
Observe feelings – exercising on a regular basis makes me feel lighter, stronger, and fitter (and a sore muscle, every once in a while). It also improves my posture, and my breathing pattern, therefore increasing my oxygen intake which helps me focus. You can observe your feelings both before and after your exercise routine. How do you feel after you have exercised for a few days in a row? Your answer could very well be a motivating factor to continue this routine.
I strongly believe health is wealth. As much as it sounds like a cliché, but it is a fact if you think about it. Without health, it is difficult to enjoy anything in life. So preserve it however you can. We can dedicate 30 minutes to our valuable health. If I can do it, trust me, anyone can. As an added incentive, I completed this post while sitting in Tim Hortons and enjoying a coffee and a jalapeno bagel! How ironic, right? Whatever motivates you 🙂
We have all experienced the feeling of being overwhelmed. Whether it is work related or in our personal life, we know this feeling all too well. In our daily lives, we often try to accomplish so much in such little time. It is important to understand that you can truly only focus on one task at a time, even if you believe you can multitask. Multitasking can be more time consuming. Over time, I have developed some tips and techniques that have helped me in completing everyday tasks without feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I have been using the following six ways to manage this overwhelming feeling and I hope you find them useful.
6 ways to remain focused on the task at hand:
1. Prioritize your tasks – assess what needs to be done first and calculate the time required to finish the task at hand. We cannot do everything at once, no matter how much we would like to. That’s why we work our way down the list, from top to bottom.
2. Set daily goals – make a to-do list and stick to it. Without a to-do list, I would feel lost and waste time figuring out what needs to be done. There are endless small tasks, and therefore I make a list as I go along. There is so much satisfaction when we can tick off the tasks which have been completed. Once this is done, you can go ahead and create a to-do list for the next day so you can get to it right away and feel a sense of accomplishment. This technique helps me to stay focused and get things done.
3. Eliminate distractions – this is where focus really plays an important role. I can’t help checking social media on my phone, responding to text messages and doing everything unrelated to what I need to focus on. It is a constant struggle to eliminate such distractions. To avoid this, make a point of checking your social media twice a day; morning and evenings. Respond to important text messages and emails only. I had to change my habit of responding immediately to all text messages. I have to make a conscious decision not to have the urge to respond to every text message I receive right away.
4. Take breaks – give yourself the freedom to relax and unwind during tasks. When we are busy, taking a break is the last thing on our mind. However, a relaxed mind makes better decisions and works more effectively. Taking a ten minute break after every hour will relax the mind and allow you to work more efficiently.
5. Have a strict schedule – figure out what time of the day you are most productive. I know I work better in the mornings. I make a point of tackling the most difficult tasks in the morning when I am efficient and can accomplish more. What time of the day works best for you? Some of us are night owls and can work better at night. Even at work, I prioritize my tasks that are complex, and I work on them in the mornings. Having a strict schedule that works for you helps you to prioritize and focus.
6. Deep breathing – deep breathing has helped me to stay calm and catch up with my breath. I experience this out of breath feeling quite often, which makes it hard to even talk. Incorporating deep breathing exercises into my daily routine helps with the out of breath challenge, helps me stay calm, and definitely allows me to focus more clearly. As a bonus, your skin will thank you for it, as overtime it starts to glow because as blood circulation improves, more oxygen goes to all parts of the body.
These six ways listed above have helped me over time, and they have become almost a daily habit. However, like anything else, they might work for some, and might not work for others. Give it a try and see how it goes. Best of luck!
Join me next time, where the topic will be how to motivate yourself to exercise (on a regular basis, and not just once a month).
In my previous post I shared 6 ways that I find my daily motivation. The tips I provided were not what most people would perceive how daily motivation is found. Whenever there is a setback or a new challenge, we need time to process and acknowledge our feelings. I often find that this crucial step is overlooked. This step is accomplished by allowing ourselves to relax, which allows us to overcome the initial shock.
In this post, I am sharing tips on how to move on from that initial shock and adapt an approach to help us stay motivated and to lead a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
Six Ways to Maintain Motivation:
1. Take one thing at a time – everything seems overwhelming in the beginning. I have learned (and am still learning) to prioritize and focus on one thing at a time. This helps to tackle all tasks, have more control and be more productive. I feel more motivated to work towards the tasks at hand, when working on them one at a time.
2. Exercise – just thirty minutes a day does wonders to the mind and body. I added deep breathing to my daily routine and started off with ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening. I found myself avoiding it so I reduced it to five minutes, twice a day. As consistency is the key to positive results and to stay motivated I adjusted the length of the breathing exercises. This helped when I sensed I was getting demotivated.
3. Journaling – writing down your thoughts in a diary helps clear the mind. I write positive affirmations in my phone notepad to shift my mindset to a more positive one. I won’t deny the fact that I love collecting notebooks, diaries, & calendars.
4. Eating Healthy – occasionally it is good to indulge in our favorite food. However, unhealthy eating habits can lead to feeling lethargic. The body needs nutritional food to function properly. I avoid eating out as much as I can by preparing simple snacks and meals at home. The key is to keep it simple and use whole foods to cook. Health is everything, and it is our real wealth. With healthy eating habits, the body and mind feels energetic. Therefore, we are ready to tackle challenges that might come our way.
5. Hobbies – all work and no play leads to burn out and there will be no motivation left to do anything else. I enjoy listening to audio books, watching TV, and of course, playing with my dog, Dahlia. It is gives me a break from my regular work or other tasks that require mental focus.
6. Meditation – a relaxed mind can think better. Deep breathing helps calm the mind. Spare yourself five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening. Sit with eyes closed and acknowledge your breathing pattern. Take a few deep breaths to relax the mind. You will feel an immediate impact of slowing down your breathing. I know that’s the last thing we think of when our thoughts are racing in our mind. However, if we train ourselves to immediately think of slowing down our breathing, we will have better control of our stress level.
