You might think that being better means doing more… making your biceps bigger, your bank account bigger, etc. But in fact, to create your version 2.0, these things are not needed at all. Here are 10 small yet surprisingly effective life hacks that will collectively lead you to a better, happier and more successful you. And they are not difficult at all, really.
Be more attentive
Mindfulness (you can also call it concentration) is a form of meditation in which you focus on an external manifestation - usually your breath. You can (and should!) practice this every morning. All you have to do is sit quietly for 10 minutes and listen to a guided meditation app like Headspace. You can also be focused in other settings. For example, you can focus on eating instead of staring at the TV - so you eat less in volume and better digest what you eat. If you train in the gym, focusing on the work of the muscles, they will grow better (ask Arnie!). Yes, even while walking, try to be more attentive, and not immersed in your thoughts. So at least you won't bump into other pedestrians.
Read more
At the start of his meteoric career, Warren Buffett, an American investor and the third richest person on the planet (estimated at about $70 billion), read between 600 and 1,000 pages a day. Books! Not web pages. Today he has reduced his reading to 500 pages, which takes up to 80 percent of his working time. Like all of Buffett's other investments, reading pays dividends for him - in the form of knowledge, inspiration, or conversation starter at a business dinner. Trade social networks for educational and developmental literature, for autobiographies of successful people like Buffett. If you don't have time to read, buy audiobooks or download podcasts.
Get outside more often
Do you still remember what sunlight is? It provides us with vitamin D, which is extremely important for our entire body - from the formation of the necessary levels of testosterone and fat loss to cardiovascular health and cancer prevention. The University of Illinois found that office workers who sit by a window sleep better, exercise longer, and generally have a better quality of life than those who sit by the wall. If you can't go outside more often, bring the world around you into your home: surround yourself with plants - this will increase productivity and relieve stress. Even just looking at pictures of nature - on the screen of a computer or smartphone - can help in this matter. A five-minute walk in the nearest park will definitely make you think positive.
Practice Yoga
Whether you're a lifter, a runner, or just a casual slacker, you can definitely benefit from yoga. First, you will gain flexibility. But yoga also teaches you to focus on your breath - this reduces stress and increases the benefits of your regular workouts. Yes, yoga itself can be a strength training. In addition, the ability to balance will protect your ankles when you play football, for example, and will save you from senile fractures in the future. According to research conducted at the University of Texas, yoga helps us to recover and prevent illness by stimulating the production of lymphocytes, known as the main fighters against colds.
Put your phone away
The simplest smartphone is the family's worst enemy. Your phone is blocking communication, even if you do not use it very actively. Studies at the University of Essex have shown that even if he just lies on the table during a meal, he sharply reduces the level of empathy. Time to send the phone to the bench. Turn off as many notifications as possible. Make it a rule at home to spend evenings without a phone. Charge your phone overnight in another room rather than taking it to bed with you because the light from the screen keeps you awake. And don't use it as an alarm clock. Instead of scrolling through Instagram in bed, use this time for pleasant thoughts or meditation. Or sleep. Or you know what else.
Sleep well
Only narrow-minded people can be proud of the lack of sleep. It is in the realm of sleep that your mind and body are restored. And a vitamin Z deficiency can seriously damage your memory and immune system, as well as your physical condition. Sports manager, head of British Cycling, Sir David Brailsford, recommended that his wards take their own pillows with them to the hotels where they stayed during the competition. And NASA even found the optimal amount of sleep needed to improve attention is 26 minutes. The main secret to quality sleep is to go to bed and get up at the same time. Yes, even on weekends. If you do everything right, you will not even want to behave differently.
Get started first
This concept is from former pro volleyball player Gabby Rhys and from Tim Ferris' new book "The Tools of the Titans" (if you haven't read it yet, start reading now!). The next time you find yourself in a strange situation with a stranger, when you feel like looking away or looking at your phone, just make eye contact and smile. When the salesperson in the store asks how you are doing, answer him sincerely and ask the same in return. Such a simple act can make a person's day. And if not, at least you won't be rude.
Be grateful
You know how it is with panic-inducing news headlines. They highlight only the negative, and no matter how much they concern you personally, but they poison your quiet life. Try this exercise: Before you go to bed, think of three things you are grateful for. It doesn't have to be obvious things like family or friends.