Let’s face it: New Years Resolutions are usually easier said than done, but they are not impossible as long as you have specific goals in mind. For those of us who live with a nagging feeling that we are underperforming in our lives or careers but can’t quite put our finger on why pinpointing a particular cause of our unease can be difficult.
Maybe you are the type of person who is perfectly content with life but is always ready and eager to improve. It doesn’t matter whether you know why you have to change or are just always looking to get better: these three, actionable ways to change your life will work for you.
These tips are not quick fixes, and so you won’t see results overnight. However, if you are looking to see sustainable, long term changes in your life and the way you live it, this is the list for you. If you are ready for a new you in 2020, read on.
Seek out Feedback
Whether it is in your career, in your personal life, or even in your role as a parent, you should begin prioritizing the acquisition of feedback. Regardless of whether it is from your children at home or your superiors at work, taking the initiative to ask for feedback is a worthwhile undertaking. It can seriously realign your whole perspective.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it is not enough to just wait around and wait for someone to bring you feedback. You need to solicit it! By taking the impetus upon yourself to open lines of communication, you are showing those around you that you are committed to improving.
And when you are getting the feedback in question, take special care to be an active and attentive listener without judgment. Don’t ask someone to provide feedback and then get grumpy if they say something you would instead not have heard.
Get Better Sleep
Sometimes it seems like there are never enough hours in the day to get everything you want done. However, you need to make time for sleep. It affects everything you do, to how well you perform at work to how empathetic you are with your partner and children.
When you don’t get enough sleep, everything else in your life inevitably suffers. And then the cycle repeats itself: as you get less productive due to a lack of sleep, you begin spending more time awake to get it done, and over and over again until you are sleep deprived.
Stop the cycle before it begins! If you are a sound sleeper, then be grateful and continue whatever it is you are doing right. If you aren’t, then you need to take the steps necessary to a stable, restful night of sleep each night.
If your problem sleeping stems from how many times a night you wake up, try tracking your sleep to see if something is disturbing you in the middle of the night. If your problem is the quality of sleep you do get, maybe you need a new type of mattress. Memory foam mattresses like Muse Sleep mattresses can make a world of difference in the lives of people used to sleeping on spring mattresses.
Find a Better Balance through Meditation
Let’s face it: it can be easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of a new career move or a new addition to your budding family, to the point that you are neglecting the wellbeing of one or the other. There are peaks and valleys in the journey of life, but the goal is not to let yourself become so swept up in them that everything else falls by the wayside.
Some people relax too little; others relax too much. When you are too focused on any one thing, no matter what that thing is, you will suffer in the long run. In every aspect of life, you should seek a healthy balance between all things. Remember: everything in moderation.
This is a concept that can be difficult to master. Workaholics especially will struggle with the idea of putting down their work emails and just unwinding on the couch for a bit. Likewise, people clawing themselves out of the ol’ winter rut might be reluctant to get off the sofa again come springtime.
Meditation can help you find a happy medium. If you have a hard time focusing or are struggling with feelings of sadness, try practicing mindfulness through meditation. It has been associated with decreased depression among practicing adults as well as increased productivity. All it takes is carving twenty or so minutes out of your day to hunker down and close your eyes—it really is that simple.
However, you need to note in some instances; it can be challenging to cure depression. This can result from experiencing depression for a more extended period, and no matter what treatment you use, it may prove futile. Fortunately, there are better methods such as incorporating a tms depression treatment.
This is a type of brain stimulation therapy that is more effective in curing high levels of depression. If you do not consider the various methods of healing depression, it can be detrimental in the long run. Especially if you want to make a significant change in your life.
Depression and other mental issues serve as significant setbacks in achieving your full potential in life. For instance, if you lack the right mental state, you may lack appetite. This can have adverse effects on your immune system. If you are weak physically, you may not perform work or any other physical activity diligently, limiting you from achieving your goals.
Always ensure you are in the right mental state if you want to make any changes in your life.