Our daily routines may keep us active, but how active are you really, and is your mind active enough? There are many habits that we get into that keep us from having a strong body and mind. But, there are also habits we can get into that will help to make the body and mind stronger than ever. Here are some of those habits that you need to get into.
1. Exercise between Workouts
You don’t have to wait for a workout to get some much-needed exercise. For instance, if you are at work, you can stand up and do some stretching exercises, or go for a walk, run, bike ride on your lunch break, and take one-minute exercise breaks.
2. Eat Brain Food
We all know about eating healthy food to keep our bodies healthy. Are you eating the right foods for your brain as well? Try to include eggs, milk, juice, and fish (particularly salmon and halibut) to your diet.
3. Increase Your Goals
You have likely been told to set daily goals. But, how difficult are these goals? You need to challenge yourself, so make sure that your goals are harder and harder all the time. This is going to build you up to where you want to be.
4. Improve Your Memory
Playing little memory games is a great way to have sharper recall at any time. Try associating things that you normally wouldn’t think of being associated with one another, and they will stick in your mind even more. There is a scientific term for this, which is synesthesia.
5. Watch Inspirational Videos
There are loads of great inspirational videos online. Try looking for the more obscure videos on topics that you don’t see in all of the other videos. You will find a great selection of inspirational videos at Uscreen and YouTube, as well as videos on health, diet, exercise, and more.
6. Turn Jealousy into a Good Thing
Everyone has jealous moments, but this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you are jealous that someone is more successful than you are, use that person as a role model. Use your jealousy to start being more like they are, and pay attention to how they handle many situations, their habits, etc.
7. Track Your Walking Miles
Do you realize that the biggest part of your day is spent sitting down? This is not only going to cause stiff muscles, it can actually lead to health problems because you aren’t getting enough exercise. It is a good idea to try and take at least 3,000 steps per day (you can calculate your walk count with pedometer). Each day, strive to make the count a little bit higher.
8. Move Around every 15 Minutes
You should never sit still for long periods of time. Whenever possible, try to get up and move around every 15 to 20 minutes, even if it is just to stretch your arms and legs. Walk to the coffee shop at break time instead of driving. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
9. Go Out of Your Way
If you normally walk to work, take a different route that is a bit longer. Park far away from stores (unless you plan on buying a lot of stuff and don’t want to lug it all back to the car). Walk to the next train or bus stop. Every extra step you take is going to add up.
10. Grow Your Vocabulary
Start reading more, and increase your vocabulary by leaps and bounds. Look for books and movies that are going to challenge your mind, and if there are words you are unsure of, look them up and keep on learning.
Featured photo credit: lauren rushing via flickr.com
