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Do you find yourself wondering where all your time in the day has gone? Do you feel like you haven’t been as productive as you’d hoped? New studies in mindfulness by psychologists are finding that while we are constantly multi-tasking, we are becoming less and less efficient. Our brains are not focusing wholly on the task in front of us, so we are prone to error, lapses in attention and also training our brain to constantly be on the lookout for the next ‘thing’ to do, or the next distraction. This can have disastrous results on our levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), energy levels and focus on important things, like family and friend relationships. So, for today, try to do one thing at a time. And do it well. Spend 20 minutes ‘doing your emails’, rather than working on something, checking emails, checking social media and cooking your lunch all at the same time. Be present in your moment and train yourself to appreciate and complete your task to the best of your ability.

Watching kids go about their days is inspiring. No matter where they are or how mundane a task, they seek to make it fun and turn everything into a game. They are ready to smile at a moment’s notice. It can help us to reflect on how much fun we have in our own lives. Do we any child enthusiasm in our daily activities? How often do you laugh and participate in activities where you are having a REALLY good time? Is there space in your life for more of this?

As we grow up, we are infused with ways to look at the world – a stable job is the way to ensure income, you should be married and settled by age X, these behaviours are ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. The people who are willing to question even their most deeply-held beliefs and the traditional ways of doing things are usually those who find success. They find new ways of growing, of managing their time, of understanding and helping other people and improving their lives. To view life as an unending journey of learning and development, rather than sticking to a “this is who I am, like it or leave it” mentality, brings untold opportunities for development, new connections and a more effective way of interacting with the world.

We often reach points where, in order to progress, we must take a leap of faith. These can be scary and even serve as boundaries that stop us in our tracks. But, you can make these ‘leaps’ much less intimidating by cushioning and preparing yourself in every way possible. This may mean setting up habits and systems for yourself in advance, because you know that they will be invaluable once you take that step. It means ensuring that you have the right support around you in your relationships and business. It means you have contingency plans in case things go sideways and you need to regroup. Taking a leap of faith is not a foolish thing to do if you have done all in your power to increase the likelihood of success. Of course, there will always be elements of the unknown – that is the beauty of these leaps that differentiate you from who you previously were. It is what helps you to grow and the only way to end your ceaseless wondering about ‘what if?’. It is still a jump, of course – but a calculated and cushioned one that doesn’t create needless casualties

So, you’re in the ‘boring’ part of getting your goals achieved – the day-in, day-out grinding away part. These aren’t Instagram-worthy moments. They aren’t things you feel you should be shouting to the world. They’re just the everyday, small steps you are taking. Slowly plodding along, getting there. It’s easy to lose focus. To tell yourself that today’s small step just doesn’t matter all that much. It’s easy to take a break when you don’t actually need one just because you’re bored or that feeling of inspiration has worn off. Don’t. It’s these countless, unseen, unremarkable hours of dedication, perseverance and trust in the process that will build you as a person. It will make the journey bearable in its monotony. Just gear up and do it, or you will most likely find yourself sliding back down to where you began, cursing yourself for breaking your habits. Be patient and trust in your little, boring steps!

If someone were to watch a fast-forward movie of your typical day, what would they see? Constant rushing from the minute you wake up from chore-to-chore-to-chore? Someone slugging along in life, dreading everything that was coming next – from getting out of bed, to hauling yourself onto the train, to groaning at the thought of that next meeting? Or would they see someone who chooses their own pace – mindfully enjoying the tasks they perform, getting things done – but with a happy and serene attitude? If you feel that you fall into one of the two first categories, it may be useful to take some time to do something your really love. Or to do nothing at all. It will help you to reawaken your sense of vitality and you will say to yourself, “I need to do this more”. And you do need to do it more. Sitting with yourself and dealing with why you are constantly rushing or never looking forward to anything is an important step in mindfulness and taking subsequent action to improve your life.

In our hope to get things done, achieve a new status or reach a personal goal, we can find ourselves choosing the first thing that comes along because we are in such a rush that we don’t want to spend time researching. However, if something is going to be in your life for a considerable amount of time – a gym membership, a study course, a job, an investment, a bank loan, a relationship, etc. – it should be something of high quality that suits you and your needs. That means that it deserves consideration and research so that you don’t waste emotional energy and time later on trying to unpick it from your life. Read reviews, ask around, read the fine print and do trials before you commit. This is your life and your steps should be forward, not backwards.

Success if often seen as synonymous with money. The problem with this approach is that money is relative to your aspirations. If you can live a life that you love, doing things that bring you joy and having the financial, emotional and physical freedom to do things that bring you a sense of accomplishment, purpose and satisfaction. This is success. It is more easily attainable than many make it out to be. If you can simplify your life, expenses and work commitments, you may be able to find financial comfort and success much more readily. Your financial goals should be framed around providing an adequate amount to live ‘good’ days. There are endless possibilities out there to use the talents that you enjoy for the good of others and to be rewarded for them. That is why we are each made uniquely. If you are stuck doing things that don’t bring value to your soul, seek a way of working outside the box with your rules, ideas and innovation to bring wealth in all forms into your life.

With the rise of internet stars and lifestyle celebrities, more and more people look to gurus or ‘influencers’ and their programs to give life guidance and inspiration. It’s great that so much information is available and can be so easily shared to improve many lives. As you know by now, however, a huge responsibility comes with the privilege of leading other people. Many programs claim to ‘transform your life’ and some can and will do it if you are in a healthy space and have a good system of support. However, these claims hold no guarantees. If you are struggling with depression or other serious health issues, jumping onto fads, idols and gurus may not be the best step for you. It is ALWAYS best to seek the help of QUALIFIED health professionals, such as psychologists, nutritionists, holistic doctors, etc. Whilst many YouTube stars, coaches and celebrities may be of great inspiration – often our problems need to be treated at the source, instead of by constant ‘fixes’ and distractions. So, while we are always about improvements and seeking a more healthy lifestyle – if you find yourself always looking for answers in people/programs other than yourself, it may be time to contact a professional and get some science-backed and qualified guidance and advice.

Most of us are seeking some kind of progress in life – hopefully. Our yearning to improve is a natural instinct that propels us forward to the next thing. However, the risk of burnout accompanies these desires. So, if you are someone who is pushing a season of intense change, there are some things to consider. Progress is passionate bursts often leaves us emotionally, intellectually and physically drained or burned. The likelihood of you having another ‘burst’ soon after is very low due to this – so productivity fails. On the flip side, if you keep treating yourself to ‘extended rests’ you lose momentum and find yourself having to start from scratch again. Both of these outcomes are equal impediments to your medium and long term progress. How do we avoid this? Making daily habits that don’t require us to give EVERYTHING, EVERY DAY.  We also must incorporate daily and weekly times for recovery and relaxation. Nothing sucks passion out of a project more quickly than having a constant sense of overwhelm and exhaustion. This could be as simple as reading a few pages of a book that you enjoy each day, taking a beach walk, calling a friend or getting a weekly massage. Find ways to take care of yourself, with a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each day as a priority.