Wellness

  • Reset Your Routine

    reset

    By Bhumika Ramesh

    reset

    Resets in life are important – they help you to pause before moving forward and aid in evaluating your future paths and steps. Doing so requires consistency, hard work and a refreshed mindset. Reset as a word was derived from the world of technology – such as rebooting a computer or starting afresh on a new set of codes. Applying this concept to the breaks we create in our life can help us turn over a new leaf or just produce an efficient habit. Let’s take a look at the various ways a reset can help and why it might be the next thing you need:

    Evaluate and get rid of the things that are holding you back

    Change is the one impermanent concept. Growing and making it through different phases in life requires you to assess and remove things that aren’t required. They might create a load of worries as well. A tip from one of Marie Kondo’s videos (the queen of organization) – be grateful for the things you had. They served you well and doing so can leave you feeling light. Uncluttered surroundings are the best background for a new start.

    Zero-based Thinking

    Emotions from past events and objects can hold you back from progress. A zero-based thinking strategy you can apply to help you release it healthily can start with questioning. Ask yourself  – if you could start over 20 years ago with your present knowledge, what are the things you would still make a place for? Question the purpose of things that do not find a place in your answer. Once you hone this method, apply it to every sphere – work, relationships, habits or routines

    Envision the future

    Focusing on the next phase after the reset helps you get your goals in place. Creating a vision board is an excellent idea to put down all your ideas in one place and focus. Put down anything you want to achieve – don’t be afraid to be bold or ambitious. It is your life and you are the driver of the vehicle. From personal goals to elevate your everyday living to investment plans – your vision board reflects your mindset. 

    Resetting the body

    Biological processes need to be in shape to make use of your complete potential. Setting up an exercise routine is a great way to start. Intensive workouts aren’t necessary. A bit of light yoga, with your favourite sport, is good enough. In addition, nutrition is essential. Pack in cheat days, along with your balanced diet. And lastly, but the most important – sleep. We all take it for granted most of the time, but sleep is essential for your brain to repair itself as well as your body. Giving yourself that 6-8 hours gets you ready to face the day. 

    In the end, the choice of resetting lies in your hands. The element of resetting cropped up when individuals felt listless and annoyed with the way their life was looking at the present moment. Changing that requires perseverance. These tips aid you if you do plan to take the step forward.

    To find out if you need a reset, click here.

    To reinvent your evening routine, read this.

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  • 5 beauty hacks for the girl boss

    beauty hacks

    By Vaishnavi Kumar

    beauty hacks

    It is hard to be a woman. 

    You must think like a man, act like a lady, look like a young girl, and work like a horse. 

    Beauty hacks that deliver a punch is what we all need. Women are always juggling their personal and professional lives. In between their daily hustles, there is usually no time to take care of their beauty. Taking care of your beauty is one of the best forms of self-care as it gives you a sense of confidence and happiness. There is a strong relationship between self-care and mental health. Accumulated stress seems to disappear as you start caring for yourself and your beauty. It helps to increase one’s self-esteem, self-love and aids in the flow of positive energy within your soul. 

    Here are 5 beauty hacks that make your self-care time much more effective:

    Liquid lipstick hack:

    Many women struggle to apply liquid lipstick perfectly. The difficult part is the lining of the lips. If you have run out of your lipstick liner, use this simple and quick hack – use a toothpick. Apply some liquid lipstick on the toothpick and outline your lips with it. This is a very effective way as toothpicks have a thin and sharp edge. After this step, fill in your lips with the liquid lipstick brush. This way you won’t have to struggle for a long time with the lipstick and get perfect lips in no time. 

    French manicure hack:

    No time to rush to the parlour, but need to get your nails done? Here’s a quick hack to get the easiest and classiest french manicure in no time. Use an eyelash curler. Yes! You heard it right. Place the eyelash curler vertically on your nails in such a way that the extended part of your nails are out so that the nail lacquer does not affect the inner part of the nails. 

    Ponytail hack :

    Tie a quick and voluminous ponytail in no time. Brush your hair into two parts. Follow by tying two pieces of hair in such a way that both of them are independent of each other. Now you need to pull the ponytail that is below, however before that, you need to split the top one into two parts with your fingers and simply pass the other piece of hair through it. This is a very simple and quick hack to get a perfect pony. 

    Makeup hack :

    Use multi-tasking products instead of a dozen different makeup products. A great example is the BB cream which can be used in place of a moisturizer, foundation or a primer. Using an all in one makeup product saves your time and gives you the same look. Use lip cheek tints. It can be used as a lipstick, eyeshadow or blush. 

    Perfume hack :

    Everybody loves to smell good and smelling good is one quality everyone wants to attain. Want to keep the perfume fragrance longer? Most often the fragrance of even the best perfumes seems to fade away after a while.

    Here’s a hack to prevent this. Apply the perfume immediately after showering. The steam from the shower opens the pores of our body and spraying the perfume helps the fragrance last longer.  

    These are simple beauty hacks that according to us will help busy girls take care of their beauty even in their busy schedules.

    Let us know in the comments below what your favourite beauty hacks are.

    For some kickass boss babe tips see this post here about Jessica Alba

    See our Blog post here on making self care a priority

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  • Sustainable habits to build in 2022

    sustainable habits

    By Vaishnavi Kumar

    It’s 2022 and we are into yet another year of unpredictable times. What can and will hold us in good stead is habits that are sustainable, that renew and replenish us. Now more than ever we need the regularity of habits to keep us grounded and anchored in.

    Habits are automatic and rigid patterns of behavior. They are usually formed in specific situations and are acquired through repetition. Habits are very difficult to change and some of them remain with us throughout our lives. This is why it is very important to develop habits that are sustainable.

    Do you want to build healthy habits but are not sure how to get started? Here are our recommendations for 8 sustainable habits which you should build this year:

    1. Journaling– Journaling your thoughts and emotions is a very healthy habit which everybody should develop. Sometimes nobody in this world, not even you yourself are in a position to understand what’s happening. That is when a journal comes to your rescue. Penning down things makes everything simpler and you realize things aren’t that bad. 

    1. Daily meditation– Meditating daily helps to clear the clutter in your mind and to function better in your personal as well as professional lives. Many researchers have proven that daily meditation boosts productivity. Develop this habit and you now are ready to multitask and manage your daily hassles. 
    1. Stretching– Stretching is best for improving flexibility, posture and to prevent aches and pains. It helps in enhancing your well-being and practicing it daily is one of the best habits one should develop. Stretching is yet another way to relieve stress and calm your mind. 
    1. Reading– Reading is a lifelong habit. Take some time out and indulge in reading every day. It not only improves your memory and concentration but also your imagination and creativity. Reading has innumerable benefits and no drawbacks. It also helps to relax your mind and calm your soul. 
    1. Mini-vacations– Take as many mini vacations as possible. It helps you balance your personal and professional lives. You have more quality in your experiences, you get to switch off often, more time with your loved ones. It also helps you reset and refresh. Taking small breaks often may be more beneficial in the long run Vs 1 or 2 longer breaks. You are filled with positive energy which will help you function at your best. 

    1. Hydrating regularly– Hydrating yourself regularly is a must. It helps in proper digestion, regulates body temperature, boots skin health, and provides energy. Get yourself a bottle, set your daily hydration goal, and make sure you follow and fulfill the goal every day. 

    1. Healthy eating– Eating is essential for our survival but eating healthy is critical for long term health. Healthy eating is a habit that will help you in unimaginable ways, from keeping your body fit to boosting your mental health. Eat more veggies and fruits and greens, work with a nutritionist, eat local, cut down on sugar and salt intake. Small steps lead to long term change.

    1. Work on your bad habits – Building a habit of working on your bad habits is a habit. Instead of just blaming them to be part of your nature, is a sustainable habit one must develop. Habits are often difficult to change but not impossible. Work on it and try to be a better version of yourself. 

    These are some of the sustainable habits which we feel everybody should build. These little habits will help you grow stronger and better! 

    Read our post on Self care here

    For more on sustainable habits in 2022 see this post by Forbes

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  • 7 Quick ways to pull yourself together fast

    pulling yourself together

    By Vaishnavi Kumar

    Cancel your pity party! Pull yourself together and take total ownership of everything in your life. 

    If you are a person who suffers from sudden mood swings and finds it very difficult to take your mind off things then you are at the right place. Sometimes you may not understand what is bothering you. It may be someone else’s behaviour with you that is affecting you or it may something you have said or done accidentally. Here are some simple steps that may help you release stress and regain your equilibrium.

    1. Disconnect for a few minutes – When you don’t feel yourself or feel like crap disconnect from the world for a few minutes. Walk away from the situation that is bothering you until you are calm enough to deal with it. Stepping away is a great tool to get perspective.

    1. Breathe – This might seem pointless to many people, but breathing is the best way to pull yourself together fast. Taking deep long breaths count to 10, repeat again if you don’t feel calm.

    1. Affirmations – When negative thoughts hit you like a tsunami, say affirmations that will help calm down. Use positive affirmations like “Things are going to be ok” “I’ve got this” in no time “I can do it”, say this a few times and see if it make a difference. 

    1. Meditate – Find a quiet place, put on your earphones, play a soothing guided meditation track close your eyes, and just relax. It goes a long way helping to reduce stress and feel calm.

    5. Write – Write, Journal, Give gratitude. Identify any five things you are proud about. Jot down any five things that have made your life beautiful. This might seem silly to some people but go ahead and give it a try.

    1. Grab a quick bite – Take a break and eat your favourite comfort food. Its is proven to reduce stress and make you feel better. Well do avoid sugary snacks if you can help it.

    1. Laugh – Watch something funny or be around someone who can make you laugh. Even if you don’t feel like laughing, do it deliberately. This immediately reduces stress and you will experience a sense of peace and joy. 

    These were some ways that we feel might help you pull yourself together quickly. All you need is to take those couple of minutes from your schedule, so you don’t ruin your entire day. Uplift your mood quickly, release all the stress and have a great day!

    Let us know in the comments below what you do to pull yourself together. 

    To see how to get back on track after burnout from over work see this post here

    See this post from Huff Post on dealing with setbacks.

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  • Self Care tips to try today

    self care tips

    By Vaishnavi Kumar

    “Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.”

    Cecilia Tran

    Taking a break no matter how small is essential for the proper functioning and well being of every individual.

    Today we are sharing our favourite 5 self care tips that you can start doing right away.

    1.Head and Face massagers: These are one of the best and easiest ways to release stress and instantly feel good. Massage therapies are meant to improve people’s well being. 5 minutes with a hand held Head massager can help boost your well being and reduce stress instantly. This is especially helpful if you get frequent headaches and migraines. It also improves circulation and boosts happiness.

    Face massagers contribute to the same and reduce signs of ageing as well. Carrying a hand held massager doesn’t require a lot of effort but the benefits are worth enjoying, you can carry this in your purse easily or stack it in your desk draw.

    2. Health supplements: As a busy professional,what suffers is being able to eat on time. To make sure you’re staying on top of your health and fitness adding medically recommended health supplements are a good idea. It ensures that our body gets the required nutrients so that we are fit and fine to face any challenge and pressures in personal as well as professional life. It also improves cognitive abilities and helps you concentrate better. Keeping nutritional deficiencies at bay and managing your energy is a good self care practice.

    3. Acupressure tools: Acupressure tools are also one of the best ways to relieve any kinds of stress, tension, anxiety and relax your mind and body. It also works as a medium to reduce aches and pains which you might face due to the long hours of work. Acupressure tools have varying sizes, shapes and forms and you get one that works for you. Handheld ones are easy to adapt to. Acupressure as a treatment for almost all health problems and works as an effective way of self care. It may also be a good idea to work with an acupressure practitioner to help you get started.

    4. Journal: Journaling your thoughts is one of our most effective self care tips. Penning down your thoughts won’t take you much time but the relief you’ll experience after this will be your real victory. Sometimes we don’t feel like sharing our thoughts even with our closest people and that’s when Journaling comes to our rescue. Releasing our emotions and thoughts by writing will help you clear all the clutter in your mind and help you focus more on work. 

    5. Hydration and Quick bites: Keeping some healthy snacks like protein bars, nuts and fruit ready at your desk is always a must. If you feel sudden weakness or you want to uplift your mood, or miss a mail, having something ready on hand helps. Drink lots of water, eat, take a deep breath will all help you when you don’t have a moment in your day for yourself. This will even help you focus better. 

    For more tips on Self care on our Blog see this post here

    We also like this post from Kourtney Kardashian’s website for self care tips.

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  • How to make Self care a priority?

    By Vaishnavi Kumar

    “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

    – Buddha

    Self care is extremely important in today’s life, where every second person suffers from burnout, physical as well as mental health issues. But the question that bothers most people is, how to take out time for self care when we are unable to finish the things already on our to-do list?

    Self care is something that everyone should prioritise, irrespective of their daily routine. This will help in fulfilling work and other commitments more efficiently, as you will be in a better physical and mental state. People often don’t realise how important the “me-time” is and the role it plays in our lives. 

    There are a lot of ways you can practice self care. You can engage in reading a book, hit the gym, meditate, run, dress up, dance, sing, journal your thoughts or call up a friend. Basically, self care is anything that makes you feel good and helps you reset. This boosts your mood as well as health and gives you more energy and motivation to complete your commitments. 

    Here are our 4 tips :

    1. Set up a schedule – Scheduling your daily routine is the solution to almost all our time and energy problems. Waking up a little early, avoiding procrastination, and realizing that our well-being is equally important can help us make time even for self care. When you set up a schedule, you will notice that there is a lot of time which you don’t even know you’re wasting.

    1. Identify your priorities – Know your priorities and make sure to add self care to this list. When you have a lot on your plate knowing what is important helps you stay on top of things. Figure out what your Top 3 – 5 priorities are in your life.

    1. Break it up – Practicing self care for one hour straight when you are incredibly busy seems impossible and impractical. So, it is advisable to indulge in your favourite activities in small bits of time. Even if you find a few minutes of free time, use it to check in with yourself. And ask yourself how you are feeling? You may think what difference will 5 minutes make? But try it once and you will see how relaxing and therapeutic it is.

    1. Take it as a challenge – If you are a person who loves challenges then this is the best approach for you. Challenges appeal to most people. When all the approaches seem to be a failure you can resort to this method. Give yourself a challenge! Say you will take out at least half hour for yourself, may it be in one stretch or in intervals. The satisfaction you’ll experience after doing this is unimaginable!!! 

    These are some simple hacks which may help you incorporate self care in your daily routine.

    Struggling with burnout? Read this article for our tips on dealing with Burnout.

    Also we love this post from Deepak Chopra’s website, read it here.

    Practise self care and be the best version of you!

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  • What’s a good evening routine?

    evening routines

    And why its important

    Most of us have a set morning routine. Brush. Shower. Yoga. Join meetings. These rows of actions enable our mind frame to be much more relaxed and start the day on a positive note.

    However, by evening we seem to run out of energy and turn to activities such as binge-watching your favourite show or order some takeout. Rejuvenation after work is necessary but the unhealthy tasks we do in the evening can have a long-term effect on our work and even our sleep.

    In this article, let’s go over a few habits that can definitely make your evening routine a soothing period and get you prepped for the night!

    • Note down your goals and tasks for the next day.

    Doing so allows you to have a clear perspective of your priorities for the next day. It saves you from the morning rush where you scramble to see what the day entails. Make sure the most challenging task is completed first – so that your first bout of energy is allotted to that. This also frees you from worrying about tomorrow when you head out to sleep.

    • Reflect on the day’s achievements and accomplishments.

    Spending a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect can allow you to celebrate the day’s achievements and keep the drive going. You can also do this by keeping a gratitude journal. It’s beneficial to you, preserves your passion and provides encouragement for the upcoming days.

    • Create a time limit for the amount of hours spent on screens.

    Blue lights emitted from screens can dramatically impact the quality of sleep. Cut down on scrolling through social media or watching television. Pick a more recreational activity such as reading books or listening to podcasts – they engage your time much more productively.

    • Practise a bit of light stretching or yoga

    Sitting in front of screens the whole day takes a toll on your body. Light stretching and yoga in the evening not only relieves you of stress, but it also activates your parasympathetic system – which calms down your body and makes it easier to wind down.

    Having an evening routine is equally as important as having a morning routine. It’s an extremely important string of habits to have – it makes your evening much more productive and relaxing. Here’s to hoping for the creation of several more evening routines!

    Also read this article on 5 ways to relax when you are stressed

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  • Bullet Journaling

    bullet journaling

    By Bhumika Ramesh

    Being organized is never easy. We see a ton of resources everywhere – showing us how to organize with planners, diaries and journals. If you feel these methods are a little too hectic, bullet journaling might be the fit for you!

    Well, what is a bullet journal?

    Also known as Bujo, these journals were created as a system to organize by Ryder Carroll – a  product designer based in New York. In his words, it is something that can help you to ‘track the past, organize the present and plan for the future.” 

    It is a sort of notebook used for everything under the sun – writing, drawing, planning, to-do lists, calendars, and notes.

    It’s an extremely flexible way of noting down anything. With no specific prompts or templates, bullet journaling is all about you. It’s a terrific way of customising your tasks at work, school or just your day-to-day life.

    To get started, reflect on the purpose you would be using it for. People use it for various goals – for taking down tasks, planning their days or using it as a tracker for goals. Figure out your challenges and go forward. 

    Gather a simple plain notebook or a dot grid notebook with a few pens. If you’re feeling creative, colours can be added too!

    As you continue to customise your bullet journal, include collections. Every page you use in the journal is given a topic and these topics are called collections.

    The four collections mentioned below are basic collections that are usually present in most bullet journals.

    Index: This section is present at the front of your notebook and functions as a table of contents.

    Future log: This section acts as a long-term planner. You can note down yearly goals, tasks, birthdays, and travel plans.

    Monthly log: This section acts as a spread of how your month would look like – with tasks and monthly appointments. You can also add other sections regarding finance, eating habits, fitness etc.

    Daily log: This section is your daily to-do list. 

    Making use of a tracking system such as symbols that indicate the status of your tasks is extremely beneficial. It is known as rapid logging.

    For example, drawing a circle next to a task and filling it in when it is completed. These, as usual, can be customisable. Do add page numbers if you’re feeling a little meticulous.

    Using a bullet journal can help reduce stress levels and improve your mental health. It acts as an outlet for your creative juices to flow after a busy day.

    Here’s to happy journaling ahead!

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  • 10 Journal prompts to start your work day right

    journaling

    By Bhumika Ramesh

    Having a work-from-home schedule can get hectic and exhausting. The line between devices and the world gets blurry at times. Doing a bit of Journaling in those small pockets of time you get rejuvenates the mind – it gets those cogs working! Journaling is an excellent medium to let those thoughts out.

    The prompts in this article will help you think deeper about what the questions would be asking. Introspection of oneself before starting a day provides a clear goal.

    1. What can I do today to make my goal(s) easier?
    2. What makes me feel empowered?
    3. How will today be different from yesterday?
    4. What can you do to improve your talents?
    5. Write someone a letter with whom you have an unresolved issue.
    6. What is one daring thing you would like to do?
    7. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?
    8. Picture yourself 10 years from now. What would you like to have achieved and experienced?
    9. What new habit would you like to create this week?
    10. Pen down a poem or a note on how you’re currently feeling.

    Taking that one step back and looking at the big picture can bring big changes to your routine. You’re going to be constantly honing your analytical and creative processes while Journaling, not to mention setting aside goals for the future.

    Hoping these prompts help you have a thought-provoking day!

    Want more Journaling prompts? We have created this list of 30 Journaling Prompts for you. Click this link to have it delivered to your inbox.

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  • 5 ways to relax when you are stressed

    5 ways to relax

    By Bhumika Ramesh

    That hustle culture does more harm than you know! Well, life without stress is just a utopian ideal, but we all know stress is just inevitable – especially while facing the pressures of today’s world. Therefore, knowledge of handling stress is crucial to have on hand, especially when chronic stress can unleash damage on your mental and physical health. 

    Simple relaxing tasks and techniques can do wonders to the levels of stress. Let’s go over a few of them!

    • Guided imagery

    One of the best ways known to calm the mind down. It is a sort of psychotherapy by which one evokes and creates mental images that stimulate the senses. This practice helps your mind find its focus. These mental images are unique to every person – you can re-visit a nostalgic memory or create a whole new fantasy! Guided imagery releases tension and physically relaxes the body too. 

    • Take out that trash and tidy up

    Dismantling clutter – whether it be in your bedroom or the kitchen, gives the mind a sense of relief and a short term task to focus on. It also gives a sense of gratification after seeing everything spic and span. Cleaning also provides a slight amount of exercise, which also provides endorphins and you finish those tasks on a positive note!

    • Listen to those tunes and break out a move

    Music has a vigorous effect on the mind and our emotions. Slow and fast tempo beats can definitely impact your mind in different ways – the former calms and soothes whereas the latter improves concentration and focus. Dancing to music can make you feel like you’re floating on a cloud with all the serotonin and can leave you feeling recharged and ready to tackle new tasks! 

    • Aromatherapy

    Often known as essential oil therapy, it makes use of aromatic oils such as lavender, chamomile, clove and others to calm and improve the mind, body and spirit. There are various ways of using these oils: diffusers, oil droplets, bath salts, lotions among many. It stimulates the olfactory system which in turn (via the limbic system) create a subtle soothing effect. 

    • Write down your thoughts or start Journaling

    Penning down feelings, emotions and thoughts gets them off your mind. Writing down what you go through acts as an outlet for your mind. Journaling consists of much more detailed writing but it definitely serves as a great stress management and self-exploration tool. Going through words on paper help you view them from a different perspective – great for problem-solving! Keeping a gratitude journal is also a terrific alternative.

    Stress is definitely a hurdle we all face, and while focusing on tasks is good, relaxation is equally as important. Relief can be found. Hoping these tips help you to rewind after a dreary day!

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