We can’t say it enough: maintaining mental and physical wellness alike are both integral not only to your success as a legal professional but also to your happiness in every other part of life!
So, what steps can you take to up your wellness today, and are there resources available that won’t break the bank? Below are five quick activities and free wellness tools that can improve your well-being immediately.
#1. Never forget to pick up breakfast, snacks, and lunch at the grocery store using AnyList
Hunger: it’s a sensation that doesn’t often lead to positive outcomes. In fact, more often than not, hungry is just one step away from “hangry” (hungry + angry = not a pretty combination!). You can avoid hunger by taking a few minutes each week to ensure simple breakfast, snack, and lunch items are on your grocery list. Free apps like AnyList, when enables creating lists by store, recipe, or product category, make doing so far easier and less tedious than writing the same lists by hand.
#2. Track your eating habits with MyFitnessPal, then make healthy changes
Speaking of eating, what and how much we eat can significantly impact how we feel in the short- and long-term. Not sure what you’ve consumed in a day? Try using an app like MyFitnessPal to document your habits for at least four days, then evaluate your choices and adjust any behaviors you might want to do away with to feel better. For example, after looking at a week of data, you may decide you need to consume fewer calories, more vegetables, and fewer sweets.
#3. Squeeze in some thorough exercise during your lunch break with 7 minute workout
Regularly working out doesn’t need to take up loads of time. With the free 7 minute workout app from Johnson and Johnson, you could get a comprehensive high-intensity interval training routine of body-weight exercises going in just seven minutes a day! The app also allows for customization so you can pick your favorite exercises instead of choosing to follow their existing regimens. And, if you’re up for a challenge, the app also features different levels of difficulty, including multiple rounds of exercises. Typically, even the most difficult ones only require about 20 minutes a day to complete!
#4. Journal for 15 minutes during a coffee break
If you can find a notepad you like, you can start journaling, stat. Writing down your thoughts, especially any sources of anxiety and frustration, can significantly improve the way you feel. And that’s not all – journaling can also make processing stress-inducing events easier, helping you determine constructive next steps along the way. You may also want to consider methods of journaling outside of the standard “diary.” The “bullet journal,” for instance, has become widely popular in the recent past. Create one for personal use, work, or both – whichever suits you best.
#5. Fall asleep more easily using Relax Melodies
Sleep is essential to well-being, in part because being well-rested allows us to function more energetically the next day. But getting to sleep isn’t always easy. Apps like Relax Melodies can immediately help you destress and get to sleep more quickly by playing soothing sounds. Not only are there dozens of choices – you can also layer sounds on top of each other (e.g. rain and flute sounds). The free version of the app also features one guided meditation; the paid version unlocks more.
What are your favorite tools that help with maintaining mental, emotional, and physical wellness? Please let us know in the comments!
