September is being hailed as the ‘new January’, with 56 per cent of UK adults agreeing that the end of the summer is the perfect time to make changes to their personal life. With the school holidays over, and many of us back at work, we’re all embracing the ‘back to school’ mentality.
Bradley Simmonds / Photo Credit: Tom Joy
Whether you’re dusting off your trainers to get back to the gym, swapping a midweek beverage for a fruit smoothie or planning more nights in than nights out – we’re all trying to find a routine that works best for us and doesn’t compromise our social lives too much.
Health, wellbeing and fitness influencer Bradley Simmonds, comments: “Autumn is the ideal time to get back into good habits, and many of us want to start the new ‘school’ year with a productive routine. But it doesn’t have to be complicated; simple changes to your diet, a personalised exercise plan and positive mind-set can work wonders for your overall wellbeing making you more productive, and able to take on life’s daily challenges.”
Here, Bradley recommends five simple tricks to keep you on your ‘A-game’ throughout the autumn months, and to help give you the tools to feel good inside and out.
1) Food swaps
We’re all guilty of reaching for quick, sugary fixes when we’re peckish on-the-go, but these convenient snacks will often only provide short term bursts of energy and lead to a sugar crash later in the day. To keep you feeling good, opt for a nutrient dense snack like a handful of almonds (about 23).
Almonds are high in magnesium, an essential nutrient that contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, which can often hit during the afternoon after lunch. Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition – a study on the “post-lunch cognitive crash,” when memory and attention start to flag – found that eating a high-fat lunch with almonds resulted in significantly smaller declines in memory scores compared to a high-carb lunch without almonds. The researchers conclude that eating almonds may be an effective way to reduce the effect of lunch on memory decline.
2) Digital detox
It’s easy to spend hours just mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed or browsing the web on your tablet, but what cost does this have on your productivity? The digital world offers myriad distractions, and can often lead us to procrastinate and overthink.
Try to limit yourself to short windows to check your phone, delete apps to avoid distraction and spend a few hours every week offline. Don’t be tempted to peruse social media at lunch or on your commute; instead opt for an activity that takes you away from your smartphone.
Taking the time to take a break from the digital world will increase your productivity and improve your mood as you feel more connected with the people around you, and more present in the here and now.
3) Sleep
This may seem like a given, but when we’re busy, our sleep pattern is often the first to suffer. A good night’s sleep is just as important for our health as eating healthily and exercising. It improves our concentration, productivity and performance, as well as improving our mood so we feel more motivated.
Most adults need between seven and nine hours’ sleep per night to function at their best, so it’s important to take the time every evening to unwind before bedtime to ensure a restful night’s sleep. This means trying not to look at screens after 9pm if you can!
4) Meditate
Meditation is a great tool to help you concentrate as it can declutter your mind, sharpen your focus and make you more productive. It also has plenty of relaxing effects and can help to ease stress to improve your overall wellbeing.
Taking some time out to do a short meditation session will refresh you and re-energise you to keep you on top of your game for the day ahead.
5) Exercise
We all know that exercise improves our health, but it’s just as good for our mind as it is for our body. Building regular exercise into your weekly routine is an easy way to feel more productive at work. It helps to refresh your mind and keep you focused, and with the release of mood-boosting endorphins, it makes you feel good too.
It’s often too easy say we’re ‘too busy’ to exercise, but you don’t need to be a slave to the treadmill to feel the benefits. A simple walk at lunch, stretches at your desk or building exercise into your commute are all easy ways to add exercise to your daily routine to help you perform at your best.
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