It’s All About Lifestyle—24 Healthy Habits, Hobbies & Scientific Facts

Let’s talk about healthy lifestyles.

On the one hand, a healthy lifestyle isn’t something that can exist on its own, without any effort put into it. It requires at least some level of dedication as well as a clear set of goals. But on the other hand, the path to a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be overly complicated.

If you want your healthy lifestyle to be enjoyable and not feel like daily torture, you need to find the sweet spot where you can reach your goals without pushing yourself beyond your limits.

The infographic you’re about to see is going to help make the transition to a healthier lifestyle smoother and more enjoyable. It includes a description of habits you might want to develop on your way to a healthier lifestyle. Also, it lists a couple of hobbies that you can pick up to stay fit. Apart from that, you’ll find a selection of facts showing the positive influence of being healthy on your cognitive performance.

 

5 Easy Ways to De-Stress

Day to day life certainly can take its toll on your mental health. All too often, you’ve been told that it’s “not a big deal” and that you should just “deal with it” regarding the levels of stress that accumulate from work, managing family and finances, and even small stressful interactions that can throw your day off. However, letting stress build up and control your mood is simply no way to live. Check out our list of five easy ways to decrease mental strain and lead a more stress free lifestyle. 

Regular Exercise

When thinking about finding ways to de-stress, exercise might be the last thing that comes to your mind. After all, what could be relaxing about something that isn’t only strenuous, but takes a great deal of motivation to achieve? You’d be surprised. Exercise, particularly aerobic, releases several endorphins in the brain to enhance mood, determination, and optimism. However, it need not be strenuous. Simply taking a daily walk can help to chemically balance your brain as well as give you an hour window to think clearly and decompress, greatly reducing stress. 

Proper Environment

This one may sound trivial, but the truth is that the ambient environment in which you accomplish tasks is absolutely paramount to managing the levels of stress you experience. Extroverts, for example, tend to enjoy well lit areas while more reserved types tend to thrive better in dimly lit rooms. If you find yourself overwhelmed by your to do list, be sure that you are in an environment in which you thrive. A de-stressor in itself might be to simply modify your lighting and environment using pleasing ornamentation, (or lack thereof), and properly adjusting to your perfect lighting using lamps or jewelry candles. 

Organize Your Goals

This one may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to become overwhelmed when there are several seemingly insurmountable tasks just sitting on your plate. A good way to overcome this tricky predicament is to simple break up your goals into organizable chunks. Using a paper or digital planner, set realistic milestones for yourself, and you’ll find the stress melting away before you know it. Or, simply organizing your desk or office space can work wonders for your mental health.

Find Time to Relax

No matter how busy you feel you are or how little time you feel you have, you’ll doom yourself quickly if you don’t take adequate time to just relax. A good way to do this is to take an hour or so at the end of each day to decompress by designating a specific activity. While watching a movie or working on a hobby are great ways to do this, many people find great solace in a simple bath. You can even enrich this time with a book or some delighting bath bombs, giving yourself a real treat to anticipate. 

Take the First Step

This is the most important way to ease your stress. A mountain climber wouldn’t ever make it if they were only thinking about the summit, and you’ll never overcome your stress if your mind is only on absolute completion. Focus all of your energy on one step at a time, and you’ll find yourself more relaxed as you achieve your goals. 

Everyone has different methods for how to best decompress from their busy life. Find what works best for you and take the time you need to take care of yourself. Leave a comment on what you do to de-stress, or if any of these tips worked out for you!

Baby Games: Simple Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter

Baby games simply make babies giggle, have fun, and keep them busy. With so many games out there, they can be a learning tool too. There are also some special baby games you can try that can contribute a lot to your growing baby whilst improving their numbering and math skills as well.

Besides, you will get the opportunity to spend quality time with baby while playing as well as teaching them.

Here are some simple but effective ways to make your baby smarter through baby games. Take a look at the following:

Shape & Size:

The first thing you can do to teach your baby about the concept of various shapes and sizes is…..playing with the objects of different shapes and sizes! Yes, you can simply sit next to your baby, put a set of gradual sized blocks or even some nesting cups and teach them to arrange in order. The eye-catching colors of these objects will also help heighten senses for your baby too.

Also, don’t forget to direct your baby saying “Yes,” “No,” “Top,” “Bottom,” “Above,” “Below,” “In front,” “Behind” etc. while organizing the blocks. You can also sing baby songs and make some moves as well to entertain & encourage baby.

Mix N’ Match:

This is another effective way to teach your baby the concept of basic shape and size. Also, your baby will develop the idea of sorting things from similar objects and patterns. Besides, your baby will also develop the concept of reasoning while playing such games at the same time.

You can also try various puzzle games that come in a great variety of things like animals, parts of human body, flowers, fruits, birds, etc.

You can also design Mix ‘N Match objects yourself following the guidelines from various parenting portals. Many parenting sites out there that guide new parents to do things associated with the kids.

Clap N’ Count:

It can definitely be a good game to teach your baby about the numbers and counting. Also, your baby will be developing its senses hearing you singing, watching your moves, and feeling your touches. Thus, clap n’ count can be an interesting game for both baby and mom.

Also, you won’t need to spend any money at all in buying items to teach your baby numbers and counting if you are smart. Simply, take your walking baby upstairs, counting every step it makes, and clap with joy, which will also likely encourage them to move to the next step as well.

Apart from these basic baby games, you can also introduce your baby to some baby play gears and play some advanced games as they grow up. However, these little tricky things can contribute a lot towards the initial development of your baby.

If you would like to share your thoughts on baby games, then feel free to leave a comment below.

Move Up the Career Ladder By Picking the Right Clothes

Of course,  you know by now that you shouldn’t go to work with your clothes stained or wrinkled. That’s not the way to go if you want to impress your boss, clients, or co-workers. What you should know is that what you choose to wear is going to affect your professional life in one way or another.

There have been plenty of researchers that state that the clothes you wear to work have an impact on how people perceive you. Not only that, in the workplace, the type of clothes you wear can also affect your career path and how quickly you can move up in your career. Clothing can affect how others perceive you and also how you perceive yourself. Consequently, how you see yourself in your workplace can also have an effect on how you perform your job.

Now, if you haven’t been paying much attention to the clothes you wear to work, it’s about time that you did. Here, we’ll share with you some of the things you should consider when it comes to making choices for your office attire. Remember, if you do this correctly, it can help you by creating an impact on your career.

Want to Get Promoted? Dress the Part!

It’s likely you don’t want to stay in your current position for the next ten years. You’ve likely dreamt about being promoted and getting that pay raise and getting the perks. However, the question to ask here is how do you get from here to there? How do you make that dream a reality?

Believe it or not, dressing the part can actually help you get the promotion you’ve always wanted. A survey conducted by the OfficeTeam shows that around 80% of the executives they’ve interviewed said that the clothing of the employee at work could affect his or her chances of getting a promotion. Imagine, if you wear sweatpants, torn jeans, or sandals with socks, it would appear as if you’re not respecting the company rules when it comes to dressing and that would be a turnoff.

However, if you put in the effort every day to look presentable to your colleagues, your superiors, and your clients, they will appreciate that, and they will be able to see that you truly value your job and your part in the company.

Wear Something that Can Bring Out Your Personality

A study from the Harvard Business School states that if you deviate a bit from the standard dress code, you will actually look confident and competent. It shows that you have control and autonomy. However, there is a fine line between bringing out a bit of your personality and deviating too much, and you don’t want to stand out like an eyesore. What you want is for people to see that you can confidently carry your personality through your choice of clothes at work.

You can start by putting a bit of color into your attire. It’s just to break away from the usual black, gray, or navy shades of the corporate world. You can begin with your socks or your shoes. For men, it can be your tie or pocket square. Sometimes, the corporate attire can be downright boring. It is up to you to pick out a detail that says “This is me!”

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

The fact that you are already reading this article is already a step that you are trying to know more about how you can expand your wardrobe without going overboard. That’s great already! What you can do is read as much as you can and watch YouTube “HOW TO”s as well. There so many guides and resources all over the Internet. It’s up to you to go through them and apply what you’ve learned. In the end, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Takeaway

These are just some of the things that you have to keep in mind when you are thinking about choosing the right clothes that can help you move up the career ladder. You don’t have to fake it ‘til you make it. By dressing the part, you are already taking the step to be better at what you are doing. You are putting in the effort to improve your image. In doing so, you will also improve your performance at work because you don’t want to be known as the person who dresses well but performs badly. And that’s not faking things. That’s working hard and working sincerely. Now, time to try your hand and mixing and matching those outfits! Also, feel free to comment below concerning your work clothing experiences.

How To Sleep Your Way to Good Health

Do you often work till the wee hours of the night, and after you get home find that though you’re mentally exhausted, you’re still finding it difficult to sleep? 

SleepingThe importance of sleep is frequently overlooked, with many of us getting less than the optimal 8 hours of quality sleep every night. This is worrying, as a lack of sleep is extremely harmful to the body. Sleep deprivation hinders the ability of the mind to relax and therefore leaves it constantly in a fight or flight state, which affects the general health of the body.

Why is Sleep Important?

As a student, I thought I thrived on less sleep. I’d spend many nights burning the proverbial midnight oil to finish assignments on time, surviving on a sinful amount of energy drinks. Sure, I finished my work and also did well on it. But on the health front, I was losing. I felt lethargic in the day and when that last can of energy drink was finished, I crashed into bed, only to wake up feeling even more exhausted.

Getting adequate sleep each day is essential to the human body because our system needs rest, much like how our electronic appliances need a recharge. Chronic sleep loss can put us at risk for many health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. A lack of sleep impairs cognitive processes including alertness, concentration and reasoning – skills that we use in our day-to-day lives.

So how do we get a good night’s sleep? Here are some effective tips:

1.  Stick to A Schedule

Alarm ClockCreate a sleep schedule for yourself. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday. Creating a consistent schedule will help regulate your body clock, which will help you fall asleep and stay asleep regularly.

Where possible, make it a habit of going to bed early and then rising early to start your day. Try to get at least eight hours of adequate sleep every night; it has been linked to being productive at work.

2.  Get A Relaxing Ritual Going

A relaxing ritual before bedtime will help you fall asleep easier and get sufficient rest. Relaxing allows the body and mind to accept sleep better; relaxation enables the production of melatonin naturally – a neurochemical essential for deep and restful sleep.

Start the relaxation ritual by dimming the lights, diffusing calming essential oils and turning off your electronic devices. A meditation practice before sleep will also aid in relaxation by reducing stress and calming the mind. Meditation will also help you focus on the present and enable you to let go of any pains and problems.

3.  Exercise Regularly

A consistent exercise schedule is a good way to get better sleep at night as it reduces stress with the release of endorphins and tires you out. Studies show that an exercise regime as little as 10 minutes a day will dramatically improve the quality of your sleep. Regular exercise will also reduce the risk of developing sleep disorders including restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea.

Walking and jogging are great exercise choices, but if you’re looking for more dynamic workouts, cycling or martial arts may be suitable for you. For a practice that creates more relaxation, consider giving yoga nidra a try!

4.  Lead A Healthier Lifestyle

Like it or not, the food you consume plays an equally important role in the quality of sleep that you get at the end of each day. Eating acidic and spicy foods may cause heartburn, which will disrupt sleep. High-fat foods like burgers and fries also affect sleep cycles as they are considered heavy meals, which will result in the digestive system going into overdrive.

Try to minimize your intake of junk foods as they are difficult to digest and can wreak havoc in your body, causing sleep disruptions. Instead, opt for healthier meals with more vegetables and good fats.

Want to share your sleep experiences? Feel free to comment below.