How was 2018 for you?

Did you flow into the end of the year in a blissful bubble of balance? Or, like so many of us, did you limp to the finish line, craving that sanctuary of time between Christmas and New Year when 90% of the world seems to just stop?

You know? It doesn’t need to be like that. Nope, we can actually make some small changes in our day that will make big impact on our stress levels. 

1. Start the day with purpose.

Do you turn and reach for your phone the minute your eyes peak open? Don’t worry, we all do it! Check emails, check weather, check social media – yep, now we can start the day.

What if it didn’t need to be that way? What if instead of reaching for your phone, you paused and took just three, deep, purposeful breaths. This simple act can help you start the day calmer and more relaxed, rather than already hyped and ready to go.

If you want to take it one step further, think about something you are grateful for.

2. Be present and in the moment.

Think about your day. What is the common theme when you are breastfeeding, playing with the kids, waiting in line – you get the picture. Our phones of course! Every spare second we get, we are scrolling, checking, tapping away at our phones. Our phones seem to be the one thing that is always present in our day. We actually feel naked without them!

Now, there is no way we would suggest that you go cold turkey and put away the phone. No, it’s all about baby steps here. What if we suggested just a few moments without your phone. Just 5 minutes here and there.

For instance, try one feed without your phone in hand.

Drink one coffee without checking your social media.

Leave your phone in the bottom of your bag at the supermarket.

At first it will be so tough, but, like us, you might end up enjoying that time.

3. Just Be.

This one seems super basic but can be the hardest of all. Do you think you could spend a whole day without multitasking? Without rushing from one place to the next? To truly enjoy and be grateful for your day and the people in it? I mean, how important is it to watch tv, talk to your significant other and search on our phones all at the same time? 

We challenge you to try this practice in these first few weeks of the year. This quieter time where there are longer, lazier days, before school returns and work gets frantic again.

So, don’t delay. Make that cuppa or pour that cold drink, take it outside, just sit and appreciate the world around you.