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Stay Active!

In the past few posts, I have given a lot of attention to mental health and the importance of taking care of your mind. There is one other thing that is just as important as your mental health, and that is your PHYSICAL wellbeing. Too many people ignore or put off their physical well being, meaning working out and staying fit. “I will wait until New Years and then I will start my workout routine!”. Yeah right…..

At the CPG company I work at, we see a spike in demand on salad dressing around the month of January, which is the time that people make their new years resolutions and buy and consume for salads. That’s great, but do majority of people keep this resolution…no!

Instead of trying to work out or making a resolution, you must make it part of who you are. You need to go ahead and make it part of your lifestyle. Instead of “I am going to work out 5 days per week”…make that statement like this…”I am an athlete that works out 5 days per week”. Embed it into your mind and lifestyle.

“Yeah that’s great and all, but I don’t have time”. All that I hear is an excuse. People have time, they just choose not to utilize to their best of their ability. Don’t believe me, go ahead and check that time tracking app on your phone. How many hours do you spend on your phone on social media or other apps? It’s simple, take 20 minutes of that time out of your day and work out. Everyone has enough time, you just have to make it yourself and commit to enbeding it in your everyday lifestyle.

Challenge: Do some sort of physical activity for 20 minutes per day 5/7 days of this next week.

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Wake up Early!

A few years ago, I read a book called “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod. Little did I know at the time, but this quick and easy read would help me improve my quality of life by a mile! Before reading this book, I would roll out of bed at 7:15am, shower, get dressed and head to work. At the time, I didn’t realize how much of an opportunity I was losing by not waking up earlier.

After I read the book, I had a new view on the importance of utilizing your mornings to the best of your ability. For the past couple of years I have been waking up at 5:30am, enjoying a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper and thinking in silence. Usually one of our cats will join in reading the paper with me!

This time has become so important for me as it enables me to jumpstart my brain by reading and start to think as I digest information. I also enjoy the silence of the morning, before my son and wife wake up. It allows me to sit in silence and just think….which a lot of us lack the time to do these days!

It also instills a sense of confidence and accomplishment as I begin my day. I have found that I have more confidence in making decisions during the day. It also gives me a sense of accomplishment, as I have already woken up early and read, before I even really start the day.

In the book “The Miracle Morning”, the author talks about 6 steps that make up the entire “Miracle Morning” routine. These 6 steps include the following: 1)Silence 2)Affirmations 3)Visualizations 4)Exercise 5)Reading 6)Scribing. For the first year of implementing the “Miracle Morning”, I followed these 6 steps EXACTLY. Now I only do Reading and Silence. I am ok with only doing 2/6 ongoing, because I have found what works for ME! I have learned throughout the years that I exercise better at night, so I save that one for the night! If you decide to read the book, I encourage you to try the plan exactly at first, and then through time you learn what works better for you!

Challenge: For one week straight, wake up 1 hour earlier and do at least one out of the following: Read, Write, or Exercise.

Bonus Challenge: Read “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod and start implementing the 6 steps ASAP!

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Disconnect from your devices

Last post, I wrote about the importance of taking vacation away from your 9-5. This past Friday, I took a vacation day from my work. I didn’t go on an expensive vacation or have a unique experience, in fact I spent $0 during that day. Instead, I went to a local park and walked a few miles in a natural path through the woods.

It was a great experience. It was quiet and great scenery. The best thing about it is that I left my phone in my car. I didn’t have headphones in listening to a podcast or music, it was just me alone with my thoughts, surrounded by a running creak, tall trees and a natural dirt path.

The walk reminded me of my childhood, before we had devices attached to us all day. As a child, I would escape in the woods behind my house for hours….jumping over creeks, visiting the local lakes, and using my imagination to play with friends. It was a great moment of nostalgia, as well as a great time to just think without having any distractions.

This was so important to get away and just walk around in silence with my thoughts. It was a great time to reflect on what I am doing and how I can improve in certain areas in my life. Think about it…you are on your devices ALL DAY EVERY DAY. Take time to put them down for a few hours!

Challenge: Go on a walk or run without any headphones or electronics. Take this time to walk and just think. Trust me…you will feel great afterward.

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Use your Vacation days!

Today I decided to take a vacation day from my 9-5 job. I am not going anywhere, in fact I am just staying at home and relaxing….and that is 100% ok!

Too many people don’t use their vacation days they are given at work. They let their vacation days stack up. As a result, they are always working and never take time for themselves. Using your vacation days is so important for your mental health and quality of life!

I hear a lot of the same excuses….”I have so much work…I don’t have time to take off”….”If I take off, then I will have MORE work when I come back”. Guess what….work will ALWAYS be there. No matter if you are working or on vacation. The work will never stop coming…that is why the company hired you.

If you are in a job where you have strict deadlines and can’t take any vacation because you are always working to hit those deadlines….then it’s time to find another job. Once you are gone, no one remembers or even cares about the work you did. No job is worth you missing time with your family and risking your mental health!

Challenge: Right now, go ahead and find a day within the next month that you can take off for vacation.

Power of a piece of paper and a pen!

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This week has been VERY busy for my wife and I. Kids activities, church activities, work, housework, etc. How do I ensure I am doing everything that I need to do? It’s simple…..I use a piece of paper and a pen.

Every Sunday night, I do the simple 5 minute task of writing out everything I need to accomplish the next week on a piece of paper. I physically write it down...no typing it on your phone or computer…I will explain why in a little.

This simple act keeps my week organized and ensures everything gets done. I don’t need a fancy pre-printed sheet of paper, just a plain piece of notebook paper! When I have a really busy day, I write down what time I need to get these things done! So why do I think its important that you physically write these things down on a piece of paper and avoid writing it down on a digital device?

The answer to that is simple. There is a special sense of accomplishment a person gets when they can physically put a line through a completed task! When I complete a task, I put a big line through it and immediately feel accomplished as I move to my next task. If you are feeling like you are not getting things done in a timely manner or need a better way to get organized, then give it a try!

Challenge: This Sunday night, go ahead and write everything you need to do for the week on a piece of paper using a pen! As the week progresses and you get things done, cross them off your list. At the end of the week, check your list and see how much you got done!

Jon

Focusing on what you can control

There is so much noise in the world….24 hour news cycle, virial videos, Tik Tok challenges, etc, People want everything right now. The best car, the most money, the expensive clothes and house. People flock to social media to see what OTHERS are doing. But what if we paused for a moment, ignored what others are doing, and just focused on ourselves?

I deleted my Facebook back in 2011. This simple act was one of the best things I have ever done. I don’t have any social media besides Linkedin and Twitter. I use Linkedin for career development and Twitter for news, financial teachings and advice. No Tik Tok, Snapshot, Instagram, Facebook, etc. I don’t know what the latest “challenge” or meme is….and I am PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT! “But Jon….how do you know what is going on in the world?“

I don’t watch television network news and get my news from the Wall Street Journal Newspaper, which I read every morning…..yes I still get a newspaper delivered every morning to my house….there is just something about holding a paper and reading through it with a cup of coffee! I also follow a few select accounts on Twitter for local news.

I have been lucky to stay off any of the newer social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, etc. A simple Google search will show you that the average person spends TWO HOURS AND TWENTY SEVEN MINUTES ON SOCIAL MEDIA PER DAY!!!! This means on average, people spend about 15% of their day scrolling social media….and for what? What VALUE are you getting out of it?

Now imagine this, you took that extra two hours and did something productive….Picked up a new hobby, journaled your thoughts, worked out, read. That is where the TRUE VALUE is gained. By doing this, you will ignore unnecessary noise and focus on what you can control.

Challenge: Give up social media for at least 1 month and replace that time by trying something new (hobby, reading, journaling).