4 Holistic Wellness Habits For Higher Productivity

 Performing at our best (whatever that means to you) can feel very fulfilling. Yet, at times, it can also feel exhausting and quite a target to reach, especially when we are juggling multiple projects. I am an advocate of striving for consistent productivity but in a way that does not deplete us of our energy, on the contrary – in a way that helps us attain that sweet sense of accomplishment and sustain our well-being. Productivity, to me, is more about the outcome of the effort than the effort itself and what I have discovered is that the more I look after my mental, emotional and physical well-being throughout the day, the easier it becomes to achieve the objectives I set for myself. Today, I am going to share four habits that are helping me to remain on top of my to-do list and have steady levels of energy. 

Gratitude exercises 

The way you start your morning sets your mood for the day. Do you feel productive when you are grumpy? I thoughts so. I usually wake up in no mood so, as soon as I open my eyes, I do a few things to put myself in the right frame of mind and emotional state, and one of them is practising gratitude. I simply think of all the reasons why I should be grateful on that day and connect with the feeling of thankfulness. I then have a glass of plain water, followed by half a glass of water with lemon and a teaspoon of Moringa powder. Moringa is delivered from the dry leaf of the Moringa tree. The powder is high in plant protein, iron, fibre, calcium and vitamins A, E & K.  It helps reduce tiredness and stress, strengthens your immune system, and contributes to having healthy-looking skin (you can get organic Moringa powder here; use code CONSCIOUSLIFESTYLE15 for a 15% discount). 

Single-tasking 

Multitasking, in my opinion, does not make us more productive; exactly the opposite – it negatively affects our ability to focus. According to research, our brains lack the cognitive and neuron building blocks to effectively perform multiple tasks at the same time; when we multitask we simply switch from one task to the next, thinking we are completing two or more tasks at the same time but the way our brains have evolved to function does not support effective multitasking.

Although I still do multitask more often than I would like to admit, I try to consciously focus on one task at a time and give my full attention to it. Since I have adopted this way of working, I have noticed that my focus is sharper, and I am able to complete tasks in less time and to a satisfactory standard.

5-minutes of stretching every hour 

Stretching feels good because it helps us release endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that are produced in the pituitary gland (located in the brain) during activities such as exercise, eating, sex, and massage. They act as neurotransmitters and help relieve pain and stress. You do not need to be an expert at knowing how to do stretching exercises to experience an endorphin release from stretching. All you need to do is free stretch your body in a way that pleases you and feels comfortable. On days when I spend a lot of hours in front of a screen (most of my week), I make it a point to bend forward and stretch my body a few minutes every hour, hour and a half. I feel the boost of endorphins immediately!

Not worrying about or trying to control things that are outside of my control

We waste a lot of mental and emotional energy trying to control things that are not up to us to control. We overanalyse other people’s words and behaviour although, by doing so, we aren’t really changing anything. We worry about issues we may not be able to directly resolve because they are completely out of our control, and that impacts our energy levels. Negatively.

Every time I catch myself overthinking or worrying unnecessarily, I ask myself whether it is up to me to resolve the situation or whether I was pleased with how I handled the bit that was up to me to control. If the answer is No, I think of what I can do differently next time and what I can improve on.

The takeaway

The better we feel, the better we perform. Not only do our emotions impact our performance and productivity but they are a clear indicator of our vibration and the energy we emanate into the Universe. Implementing these habits can give you a daily boost of endorphins, support you in looking after your well-being, improve your productivity, and help you sustain a higher vibration.