It’s mid-winter, which means the new year summer motivation has long worn off, the kids are back at school and many of us are firmly back into survival mode as we juggle work, family and everything in between.
With this mindset, wellness can start to feel like just another thing on our to-do list, whether it’s waking up early to meditate, ensuring our fridge is stocked with healthy food or making time for that evening yoga class.
But here’s the truth: implementing a healthy lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean a radical life overhaul. What actually moves the needle on your mental, physical and emotional health is implementing small habits and then sticking to them consistently. Here are six small changes you can make right now that will help support your physical body as well as boost your mood:
Start your day phone-free
Most of us roll over and check our phones before our feet even hit the ground. But giving yourself even 15 minutes of screen-free time in the morning when you wake up can set a completely different tone for the day. Use that time to stretch, breathe deeply, go for a walk, sip your coffee in silence or simply stare out the window.
Whatever you choose to do, this short buffer between sleep and stimulation will help to calm your nervous system and allow you be more intentional about how you approach the day.
Build in moments of movement
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of fitting a hectic exercise regime into your already busy life? Incorporating daily movement can be as simple as walking around the block between meetings, taking the stairs instead of the lift, doing squats while the kettle boils or trying some yoga stretches in your home office.
While you may think this isn’t doing much, research shows that incidental movement — the unplanned, low-intensity movement that you do throughout the day — adds up over time by boosting circulation, regulating your blood sugar and helping your body release cortisol.
Breathe on purpose
Think about your breathing when you’re stressed: you take quick, shallow breaths, which increase anxiety and tension. In contrast, deep and slow breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which in turn activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes relaxation. This has the knock-on effect of reducing your heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones.
To counteract this, stop a few times a day and take five slow breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. You’ll be giving yourself a nervous system reset that takes less than a minute — and even the busiest of us can fit that in.
Prioritise check-ups even when nothing seems 'wrong'
Many of us only pay attention to our health only when something goes wrong. But the real power of wellness lies in preventive care — whether that means going for an annual check-up, scheduling a mammogram or booking a dental check-up. On the mental health side, this can also mean checking in with your therapist or counsellor, not because you’re in crisis, but because you’re being proactive.
If you belong to a medical aid, you could access some of these wellness check-ups as part of your plan’s benefits. Fedhealth, for example, offers a screening benefit for preventive tests and wellness screenings, such as prostate check-ups, mammograms and blood pressure screenings. Taking advantage of these benefits is also a good way to catch any issues early on before they become more serious.
Cook one simple, nourishing meal a day
We all know what eating healthily entails, but in our time-starved lives, it can be difficult to find the time (or energy) to create nutritious meals regularly. But even if you manage to do this even once a day, it can have huge benefits. The meal doesn’t have to be fancy either: think a veggie-packed omelette, lentil soup or grilled chicken with whatever else is in the fridge.
Making one homemade meal each day using predominantly whole foods can help your body get the fuel it needs so you have more energy and feel healthier, while boosting your immune system at the same time.
Make space for slices of joy
A hot shower with your favourite music on in the background. A 10-minute video call with a dear friend who lives far away. Watering your plants. Dancing in your kitchen. These little moments won’t change the state of the world ... but they’ll help shift your mental state to one that’s more positive. When you feel better emotionally, you’ll be more resilient, more present and better able to handle the curveballs that life inevitably throws.
The key principle behind making small changes is to build wellness before a crisis hits. This can also be challenging as you may not see results immediately, which can make it more tempting to ignore the check-ups and nourishing meals until something really goes wrong. But cultivating wellbeing is like brushing your teeth: you don’t do it because you have toothache now — you do it so you won’t have cavities later on.
The same goes for sleep, rest, boundaries and good nutrition. Getting into good habits now is an investment in your future self that’s happier, healthier and more balanced than ever.
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