During the winter months, when it’s dark outside and the days are shorter, our bodies create more melatonin meaning we feel more tired and ready for sleep, according to the NHS. As spring approaches and the days and hours of sunlight get longer, melatonin production decreases again. This results in more energy and, for some, a desire to get rid of the mess from the previous winter. Guy Gentile, founder of DayTraderPro offers some tips to help you spring clean your life this year.
Just like your home, sometimes your life needs a bit of a refresher. Take some time this spring season to Spring Clean your life and you will be glad you did. Don’t know where to start? Here are some tips to give you a headstart.
Try Something New
It’s all too easy to fall into a mundane routine. From work to the gym, home for dinner, shower and then bed, sometimes routine is nice, but it can make you feel stagnant. Rather than disrupting the production schedule you have created, try to add new activities to spice it up. Instead of going to the gym, take up a yoga class once a week or go for a nice outdoor walk as the weather improves. Another way to change up your daily routine and bring some light into your life could be by trying a new restaurant for dinner or opening a book before bed instead of watching Netflix.
Routine is good to establish structure in your life, but when it becomes too much and you start to feel like you’re going through the motions, it’s time to make a change. Catch this feeling early on and it can help increase neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to form new connections and pathways and change how its circuits are wired, which is key to productivity. Increased neuroplasticity can lead to higher cognitive abilities and even better learning functions.
Unplug and Detox
Disconnecting in a hyperconnected world can be difficult. Start small and set limits on how long you want to spend on your phone for the day. Reward yourself when you don’t exceed these limits during the day. Delete unnecessary apps on your phone that lead to distraction and negatively consume your time. If you are logging in to an app and feel unproductive, try taking a break by deleting it for a set amount of time.
The average time spent on smartphones a day is two hours and 51 minutes, according to recent statistics. Google phones and iPhones now offer features in their settings to decrease screen time by setting app usage time limits and downtime periods that make it easy to schedule a time when you’ll only get notifications from phone calls and permitted apps. Instead of wasting your day on your phone, get some fresh air and go on a walk or finish that assignment that has been on the back burner for a while now.
Declutter
A study, published in Current Psychology, found a substantial link between procrastination and clutter problems. When your surroundings are in cluttered chaos, it limits your ability to focus on the task at hand. Your physical environment directly impacts your mental state. Take a day to declutter your home and workspace. Finally unpack those last few boxes or get rid of the clothes that have been hiding in the back of your closet for years, unworn.
No matter what you do, make your living situation more minimal so you’re not overwhelmed by the chaos when you come home. By taking the time to declutter your surroundings you don’t have to constantly worry about the mess you have stowed away and can better focus on the task at hand.
Create a Morning Routine
Mornings become easier if you are prepared for them and find enjoyment in a daily routine. For some, this may mean waking up hours before you have to be ready for the day, for others, it may just mean making your bed in the morning. Simply making your bed can declutter your bedroom and create more productive habits throughout the day. It is a small, quick task to integrate into your morning routine. According to a recent survey, 71 percent of bed makers say they are happy.
Wake up each morning and have a plan for what you need to accomplish before you start your day. If you’re not an early riser, set up the coffee pot before you go to bed so it’s easy to caffeinate when you wake up. Having a few tasks in the morning is a great way to get a jump-start on your day and make you feel more productive instead of rolling out of bed and mindlessly heading to work.
It’s easy to fall into a slump, but sometimes all it takes is reevaluating a few small things in your life and making changes to them. Whether you try yoga or make your bed in the morning, it’s important to monitor your mental health and be aware of how your actions and surroundings are affecting you. Start this Spring with a routine refresher to create some excitement in your life.
To learn more about Guy Gentile and DayTraderPro visit https://daytraderpro.com/home.
