How to Get a Grip On Habits to Move Ahead
By Sandy Schroeder
Believe it or not, even though we all believe we are in charge of our lives, when it comes right down to it, our habits drive the show. If you don't believe it, take a close look at your daily routine and label all of the habits that you see.
Most of us get up at a certain time, eat specific breakfast items, scan our emails or calls right away, and do dozens of other things as habits. Throughout the day, our habits pull us along. Essentially, we are all a little lazy, and habits let us glide along without thinking, but they also get a grip on us, locking us into lifestyles that may or may not be healthy. To move ahead you really need to weed out the bad ones.
Travis Bradberry, cofounder of TalentSmart, an agency that serves 75 percent of the Fortune 500 companies, issued a heads-up warning about the power of habits recently.
Bradberry says, "You are the sum of your habits." That means you can't afford to cling to bad ones and you need to work on the self-control to make good ones happen. See if these bad habits fit.
Exercising intermittently - You need to be out there every day with at least 30 minutes of activity to keep your brain and body focused.
Indulging in a questionable diet - In our society it is all too easy to eat on the run and rack up overloads of bad fats, sodium and sugar.
Sliding by on sleep - Getting less than seven hours of sleep each night robs your brain and body of the time to refuel and restore everything for the next day's work.
Saying yes when you mean no - Stress, anxiety and pressure simply multiply when you try to do too much and push yourself to keep it all glued together.
Multi-tasking interactions - How often do you check your phone while you are talking in-person with someone? That sends a really negative message to the person you're with, and practically guarantees you will have missed much of what the other person was trying to say.
Living 24/7 with electronics - Tablets and phones emit blue light that keeps us awake instead of letting us drift off at night. Shut everything down, including the TV, at least two hours before night, or simply move them out of the bedroom altogether.
Hopping on and off online - It takes at least 15 minutes to develop a smooth work flow. Each time you hop out of a project to cruise the internet you are losing valuable concentration and performance time.
Dealing with gossip and toxic people - Once you let them in, negative people soak up tons of time and simply muddy the waters in one way or another. Learn to recognize valuable people who are curious, honest, informed and motivated. Follow their lead.
If these bad habits are happening, do something about changing them and keep right on going to call the best shots. Enjoy the difference.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Schaumburg, Ill.