Take A Break To Refresh Your Mind

It's so easy to think that we don't have time to take a break from heavy business and personal demands. However, that's why most companies give 15 minute breaks and lunch breaks during the day. They know the mind and body need to be refreshed and emboldened. In fact, we need to take a break every hour!

Nothing refreshes the mind and body from the routine of business like a brisk walk or run, even just around a few blocks. The goal each day is generally 10,000 steps a day, not just for physical fitness but to unclog your mind as well. This can include taking the stairs instead of the elevator at every opportunity. Parking further away at the shopping mall. Better still, take a week off to tour the Grand Canyon.

If you are a fan of Fitbit or the Apple Watch fitness app, you know that you also benefit from standing up every hour. The "sitting disease" can be just as serious as smoking!

The other exercise is deep breathing. We generally breathe at a very shallow level, so every hour of the day, concentrate on deep breathing with a deep breath in for the count of seven, hold for five and breathe out for seven. You can even psychologically breathe in happiness, thankfulness, forgiveness, and breathe out anger, bitterness, confusion and other negative feelings.

The other day, when I was swimming laps, I looked at my Apple Watch midway and it said, "I see you are working out" and noted I was swimming. Amazing. It's good to have something that encourages us to make the effort every day and record the level of success. I find that I am enough of a competitor to compete with myself to reach my goals in these three areas.

The Apple Watch also records your heart rate and how many steps you take each day. Does technology like this inspire you to look after yourself to a greater degree? It does for me!