7 Positive Habits to Increase Happiness and Productivity

7 Positive Habits to Increase Happiness and Productivity.

1. Recite positive affirmations throughout the day.

Once in the morning, then again in the afternoon and right before bed. Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes. Self-affirmation and self-love work to mitigate the effects of stress and improve positive thoughts. (Here’s a quick list of PA’s you can use – also you can wear your feelings – Foundations by CoachTKnee)

It’s so easy to harbor guilt and shame for our f’up’s, we might even find it easier to forgive others for their mistakes than we do ourselves, but here’s the key avoiding self-sabotage. Acceptance and self-love. When we practice these things, we can improve our thoughts and self-worth. PA’s are a great way to manifest the change we want.

2. Keep a Journal.

Write down your thoughts and feelings on paper. This habit will help you to release emotions and identify some other negative habits or thoughts.

Humans are naturally great at self-sabotage. Journaling experiences and writing down something you are grateful helps cultivate happiness and gratitude. When we are more in tune (harmony) with your own thoughts and behaviors, you can be motivated to evoke change where it’s needed. Gratitude cultivates happiness. When you feel like you have enough, you rarely want more. Happiness and gratitude will give you that feeling – but believing you are enough is the real victory.

3. Balance Responsibilities.

Finding balance in daily routine and responsibilities can be hard, but not unachievable.

Take some time on a Sunday afternoon or evening when you have free time and plan your week. Your meals, your errands, your responsibilities to work and family. Take a moment and observe how much time you are spending on such things. Can you delegate anything to anyone? Did you reserve time for yourself for physical exercise or mental health care? Meditation, Yoga, a hot bath> Self-care is an extremely important item to factor into your daily routine.

4. Stay Active.

When you exercise or increase your heart rate by being active you release a chemical in the brain called endorphins. Kind of like dorsal fins, but not all actually (I was trying to be "finny" there…. Hope you were paying attention) haha; laugh.

Have you ever heard the saying “A body in Motion, stays in Motion”? I believe it was a tagline for a prescription medication used to treat arthritis or something like that. Well, they’re not wrong. Our bodies quit supporting our muscles with energy, when they are not used causing what is called atrophy. This means shrinkage of the muscle. When your not metabolizing your food, your fat cells start to expand, as does your waistline.

Calories in, calories out. If you don’t burn what you eat correctly, the contents will be gets stored as a reserve. It’s always been interesting to me how intuitive our minds are, yet our bodies really don’t give a shit about us. Seriously though, your body doesn’t care about you, but your brain knows what’s up! What we put in there is what our bodies will react to so, I encourage you to stay active and gill that brain with good food, good energy, and positive thoughts.

5. Make Healthy Food Choices.

What we put in our bodies is just as significant as what we put in our minds.

Make meaningful choices to eat healthy whole foods instead of sugary or processed foods. Your body and mind will thank you. Making healthy choices isn’t always easy when other factors influence what you choose to prepare or consume. Some questions are to cut coupons, check the newspaper or mailbox for weekly ads that will help you save on groceries. There are lots of free low carb, low fat, Keto, Paleo, Pescatarian and Vegetarian/Vegan recipes online.

6. Do Something Good for Others. Give Back, Perform Random Acts of Kindness.

Some individuals give back to their communities by volunteering annually at special events and some people give to random strangers. Whether its paying for the person’s order behind you in a drive-thru or serving at homeless shelter, what you do routinely will develop into habits and behaviors.

Blessing someone else will increase your productivity and gratitude. When you give freely of your time, love, and resources your cup is filled in a way that you can’t ever fill yourself. Helping others, paying it forward, contributing to something for the greater good makes will help you feel worthy, valued, appreciated and that, is empowering.

7. Surround Yourself with Positive People.

There are many theories, but even more studies that prove that the people we surround ourselves with have a considerable influence on our habits and behaviors. Misery loves company and so the hard truth is you cannot have a life of positivity while spending your time with people who are constantly negative and irritated. When your tribe doesn’t see the glass as half empty, neither will you.

It’s even more difficult to have a meaningful relationship with others who just want to complain about everything, they will eventually drag you down. When you surround yourself with positive people, they not only support you, but the help you recognize the behaviors that may be leading to your unhappiness and lack of motivation.

Written by Taira Knee a/k/a CoachTKnee

2021. 09. 29