5 Steps for a Wellbeing Reset

The summer holidays can be a fantastic opportunity to recharge, but by the end of it many of us will be ready for a welcome return to routine!

September has always been like a second New Year when it comes to getting back on the wagon.

Get back down to the gym, reestablish running routes, tidy up the diet and cut back on the booze… all the usual strategies to push back against expanding waist lines and rising numbers on the scales.

We rip off the plaster and go all in, but the enthusiasm and motivation for our new and virtuous way of life wears thin after a few weeks (days?!) and we gradually start to seek the comforts that will get us through the long hard winter.

But what if there was another approach? One that was not only more sustainable but has the added bonus of boosting your performance at work, in your relationships and most importantly inside your own head?

Instead of seeing September as a time to give things up and cut back, look at it as an opportunity to reset some good habits.

Progress, not perfection calls for more modest changes, but ones that will build momentum and reduce rather than add to the overwhelm.

Food and fitness will always be central to our physical wellbeing, but rather than being merely tools to help you lose weight, get fit and tone up, they have the potential to dramatically boost your energy levels, mood and engagement.

Here are 5 simple steps for an effective September reset.

1) Start with what you know

If you already know that planning your meals, booking onto 3 classes a week at the gym and getting to bed by 1030 makes a big difference to how you feel and perform, then start there with your reset.

We often look for the new magic bullet, the short cut or the next shiny object.?

By all means try new approaches, but by starting with some of the things that you already know work you can cut down on the new things you have to learn.

2) Apply the Principle of +1

With some ‘problem areas’ such as diet it can be tempting to go all in and make big changes. This feels like you’re really taking action so it’s tempting to do, but also difficult to maintain.

Imagine a continuum of how-you’re-doing with 1 being off the wagon and 10 being perfect. If you’re currently at a 3 then think about what would represent a gain of +1… what’s going to move you from a 3 to a 4?

This could be something as small as going for a 10 minute walk in your lunch break, switching a mid-morning biscuit for a piece of fruit, or going to bed 15 minutes earlier.

None of these by themselves are going to produce a radical transformation, but combined and sustained, added to and improved over time you’ll have yourself an effective set of new habits.

It’s usually when we try and go from 3 to 10 that we run into trouble so don’t fall into the all or nothing trap.

3) Write down your commitments

We know that we should write down our goals, but this doesn’t just apply to end point or ‘performance’ goals.

When you write down your ‘process’ goals (your +1s) it helps make it ultra clear what you need to do. As you write them down think about how they’re going to work in reality.?

Where you will be, exactly what you will be doing, when you’re going to do it.

Doing this with things you already know how to do is easier, but think it through with new things as well.

4) Be clear on why

Losing the lockdown layer probably isn’t going to be a motivating enough reason to stick to these changes which, let’s face it, are going to take a little bit of effort.

Go deeper than this and make the connection between your habits and your performance.

Less junk and processed food in your diet could help balance your energy levels across the day, avoiding the afternoon slump and improving your concentration.

Getting to bed a bit earlier may make it easier to manage the stress and demands of your life.

Getting outside for 30 minutes of walking each day could help boost your mood and make it easier to support others around you.

And if you really want to go deep, how about respecting yourself enough to believe that you’re worth taking care of.

5) Inspect what you expect

Write down the specific and measurable behaviours you feel confident and competent to commit to and then tick them off each day.

By regularly checking in with your progress you remind yourself of the things you know help you feel at your best. Instead of drifting away from them you reconnect to them.

Guess what? You’re probably going to miss a few ticks along the way and that’s ok. Don’t let it derail you - forgive yourself fast and get back on track at the next logical point.

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George Anderson is a wellbeing and performance expert. If you would like to find out more about how he can work with individuals and teams on physical and mental wellbeing, resilience, mindset, stress or energy management, get in touch via email [email protected] or send a message here on LinkedIn.