Tip : RECOVERY

Book a 15-minute daily timeslot in your calendar at 10 AM or 3 PM. Walk out of the office environment, turn off your device and go for a Mindful Walk. It is an excellent way to clear your mind and restore your focus.

INSPIRATION

Mindful.org by Mark Bertin
A Daily Mindful Walking Practice 

Tip : RECOVERY

Go to bed before 11 PM and sleep for 7-8 hours. Arrange a 1-hour wind-down from 10 PM, where you can enjoy a cup of calming tea, do gentle yoga poses, have a conversation with your loved ones or read in a book that calms your mind. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and blue lights (computer, laptop, tv or phone) during this time.

INSPIRATION

Ted Talk by Matt Walker
Sleep is your Superpower  

Tip : NUTRITION

Challenge yourself to include vegetables in at least 2 meals daily for a week. See how that makes you feel. Often you will have more energy, better digestion and fewer cravings for sugar. Vegetables are essential for excellent health and help you physically and mentally to perform better.

INSPIRATION

Thekitchn.com by Faith Durand
10 easy ways to eat more vegetables every day

Tip : NUTRITION

Eat a healthy snack at 10 AM and 3 PM to keep your blood sugar in the performance zone. Could be a piece of fruit + 10 almonds, a raw-food protein bar, vegetable sticks with hummus or a delicious homemade smoothie.

INSPIRATION

Healthline.com by Maria Zamarripa
Healthy snack recipes 

Tip : MOVEMENT

For the coming 2 weeks, book 2 x 30 minutes workout in your calendar per week. We’ll suggest that you ask a family member, a friend or a colleague to join you – this will increase your willpower and commitment. Choose a workout that you enjoy/have fun doing. Get your pulse up and break a sweat – this will increase your physical capacity and overall well-being.

INSPIRATION

Aaptiv.com by Carina Wolff
6 Habits that help you commit to a workout routine

Tip : MOVEMENT

We are habitual creatures when it comes to working out. We often repeat the same class in the gym, run the same route, or stimulate the same muscle groups when doing strengths training. For the coming 2 weeks sign up for 2 new workouts to challenge your brain to try something new. Invite a friend or a colleague to join, and make sure to have a lot of fun with it.

INSPIRATION

Theactivetimes.com by Holly Van Hare
16 Trendy Workout you should consider trying

Tip : EMOTIONS

When you are experiencing difficult emotions like anxiety, fear, guilt, or self-criticisms – then practice RAIN from Tara Brach. An easy-to-remember method for practising mindfulness and compassion. 

Use the following four steps. 

1: Recognize what is happening 
2: Allow the experience to be there, just as it is 
3: Investigate with interest and care 
4: Nurture with self-compassion 

INSPIRATION

Tarabrach.com by Tara Brach
The RAIN (article) or The RAIN (meditation) 

Tip : EMOTIONS

How is your colleague at work feeling? Sad, stressed or frustrated, or happy, light and motivated? In the next 3 days, choose 1 meeting daily where you sense and feel into what emotional state your colleague is in when you start a meeting. Immediately write down the words, and when the meeting is over, share with your colleague what you wrote down, and if this is matching the emotional state of your colleague at that moment. This is one of the best ways to improve your skills in sensing/ feeling into other peoples emotions.

INSPIRATION

Medium.com by Natalie Frank
Feeling what others feel: What is intuitive empathy?

Tip : RELATIONSHIP

Be fully present and interested when you are in a conversation with your loved ones or a dear colleague. This will take the quality of your relationship to the next level. In the next 3 conversations you have at home or with a colleague at work, try to listen with genuine interest while practising the following 5 tips.

1. Be present with eye contact and breathe slowly.
2. Don’t interrupt – let them finish what they want to express
3. Listen 80% of the time and only speak 20%.
4. Slow down your speed of voice and ask curious and relevant questions.
5. Allow for silence and pauses in the conversation.

INSPIRATION

Fleximums.com by Dr. Esslin L Terrighena
Active Listening – making others feel heard

Tip : RELATIONSHIP

For the next 3 days, commit yourself to have a conversation with 1 person every day that you don’t know. It can be a colleague at work that you are curious to get to know. It can a friend of a friend that you would like to know better. It can be a person you meet in the supermarket that you don’t know but that seems to be a really nice person. Here 4 steps on how to get started.

1. Smile from your heart.
2. Start a conversation by sharing something about yourself – something you like or are passionate about.
3. Give people compliments – I like your shirt or what a beautiful smile you have.
4. Put yourself out there – invite a new colleague to join you for lunch or invite a friend of a friend to join your birthday party.

INSPIRATION

Entrepreneur.com by Deep Patel
10 Ways to connect with absolutely anyone you meet

Tip : VULNERABILITY

In the coming week, share one personal flaw or secret with a colleague you trust and a close friend. This will show that you are not perfect thus allow them to also open up, and share some of their flaws. The secret of sharing is “the more you share, the more other people also share – and you will get to know each other on a deeper level”.

INSPIRATION

Heysigmund.com by Karen Young
Vulnerability: The key to close relationships

Tip : VULNERABILITY

If you’re open to criticism, you’re able to receive negative feedback about yourself and your work without reacting overly emotionally. Challenge yourself by asking 2 colleagues and 2 friends to give you feedback on how you can further improve the relationship with them. Ask them to be honest and to identify at least one area where you can further strengthen the relationship. Notice when you receive the feedback. Are you able to stay open, or do you immediately get triggered and want to shut down?

INSPIRATION

Forbes.com by Ashley Stahl
4 tips for handling criticism at work

Tip : MEDITATION

If it is difficult for you to meditate or be mindful every day, we recommend that you find a daily 15-minute timeslot, and book it in your calendar for the next 3 days. It can be the first 15 minutes when you wake up in the morning when you need a break at 3 PM at work, or just before you go to bed. Listen to the following guided meditation from Tarika Lovegarden: Unplug from your busy mind meditation

INSPIRATION

Positivepsychology.com by Joaquin Selva
Gratitude Meditation 

Tip : MEDITATION

During the next 3 days, write down whenever you have a hard time controlling your negative self-talk. Do you tell yourself that you are not good enough? Do you punish yourself for not having accomplished enough during your workday? Do you feel bad because you are not spending enough time you’re your loved ones? Try to notice patterns in your negative self-talk, and snap out of it by following those 3 steps.

1. Find a quiet and comfortable space to sit down.
2. Take 5 deep breaths – breathe in to the count of 4 and out to the count of 6.
3. Reflect in your notebook: What value do others see in you? What are things people have said to you that meant something? And, what do you honour about someone you love and admire?

INSPIRATION

Huffpost.com by Jancee Dunn
Negative Self-talk: 9 ways to silence your inner critic

Tip : MINDSET

For the coming week, book 3 x 10 minutes meetings with 3 different colleagues at work and ask each one of them to give you honest feedback on how they perceive you when you are collaborating with them on a specific work project. What are some of your greatest qualities you have shown, and in which areas can you further improve? Listen, be fully present and do not interrupt when you receive the feedback. Appreciate the feedback by saying thanks to your colleagues and for the coming weeks, try to notice if you are getting closer or further away from your 3 colleagues. Often we will create a closer bond to the people we give or receive honest feedback from, which will have a positive effect on how we connect and perform as a team.

INSPIRATION

Thebalancecareers.com by Susan M Heathfield
How to receive feedback with grace and dignity 

Tip : MINDSET

When was the last time you did something for the first time? In your notebook: List the last 3 things you tried for the very first time, and how you felt every time you succeeded. Then, list 5 new things that you want to try. E.g. “I want to be more grateful” – ok spend 10 minutes daily reflecting on that! “I’ve never understood quantum computing” – start to read about it. “I haven’t got to know that new colleague of mine” – go talk to her/him. Notice what it does to your energy and motivation when you allocate time to try new things and learn new skills that you are super excited about.

INSPIRATION

Huffpost.com by Larry Alton
A look at the incredible benefits of trying new things

Tip : EFFICIENCY

Write down a to-do list with the most important tasks that you ought to do the following day. Prioritize the tasks and “swallow the frog” by executing the most important task as the first thing in the following morning. When you have completed the task in the morning, notice how good you feel, and how much more energy and willpower you have for the rest of the day.

INSPIRATION

Youtube.com by Eisenhower: The Eisenhower Matrix
How to manage your tasks 

Tip : VULNERABILITY

If you’re open to criticism, you’re able to receive negative feedback about yourself and your work without reacting overly emotionally. Challenge yourself by asking 2 colleagues and 2 friends to give you feedback on how you can further improve the relationship with them. Ask them to be honest and to identify at least one area where you can further strengthen the relationship. Notice when you receive the feedback. Are you able to stay open, or do you immediately get triggered and want to shut down?

INSPIRATION

Forbes.com by Ashley Stahl
4 tips for handling criticism at work

Tip : PRESENCE

For the next 3 days, when you come home from work, turn off your devices and spend the first 20 minutes being fully present with your loved ones or yourself. Play a fun game with your kids. Go for a walk with your partner. Have a chat with your neighbour. Run for 20 minutes. Water the flowers in the garden. Every time thoughts about work come in, take a few deep breaths and come back to the current moment and the activity you are involved in right now. After 3 days, notice how much better you’ve become at switching off from work.

INSPIRATION

Ted Talk by Nigel Marsh
How to make work-life balance work 

Tip : PRESENCE

If it is difficult for you to turn off your devices – here is a digital detox challenge for you. From Friday at 5 PM to Monday morning at 8 PM, turn off all your devices including phones, computers, tablets and TV. Inspire your loved ones to do the same. Spend your time experiencing the freshness of nature, meditation, exercise, reading, playing games, cooking delicious food etc. When you turn on your mobile Monday at 8 AM, notice how different and fulfilling your weekend has been.

INSPIRATION

Ted Talk by Adam Alter
Why your screens make us less happy

Tip : GENEROSITY

Being generous has a significant effect on how others perceive you, but more importantly, it will increase your ability to connect through love and genuine emotions. In your notebook, write down 2 simple acts of kindness that you want to carry out each day. E.g. tell a colleague how much you enjoy working with them, greet people with an open heart when you pass them on the street, tell your partner how much you appreciate spending time with them or call friends that you haven’t connected with for a very long time.

INSPIRATION

Psychologytoday.com by Meg Selig
16 Easy random acts of kindness to practice today 

Tip : GENEROSITY

In your notebook: write down what makes you truly happy. E.g. Spending quality time with my family, going for a run, cooking delicious food, catching up with a close friend, taking 1 day out to just be with myself. For the coming week, choose one thing to do, book it in your calendar, and make sure to allocate enough time for it. Notice how you feel when you have accomplished it, and how much more love and connection you feel towards yourself.

INSPIRATION

Positivityblog.com by Henrik Edberg
The top 10 ways to be kind to yourself starting today

Tip : PURPOSE

In your notebook: Write down 3 goals in your professional life that you would like to achieve. Choose a timeframe – could be 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years. For each of the 3 goals, outline what steps are needed to get you from where you are right now, to where you need to be, to accomplish your goals. Exactly what decisions do you need to make to move forward – write them all down, and then start to execute on each decision.

INSPIRATION

Tim Ferris Blog
Podcast with Debbie Millman – how to design a life

Tip : PURPOSE

Book a 30-minute conversation with a colleague, your best friend and your partner. Share with them what you believe your purpose and greatest gifts are, and how you plan to integrate more of both into your life. Ask them for feedback. Do they agree with you? Do they see that your gift and your purpose is the same – or different from what you see? What do they think it takes to give your gift and live your purpose more fully? What actions can you consider to be more clear about your purpose in life? Write down the 3 most important pieces of feedback that you get, and start to allocate 1 hour every week to integrate more of your purpose into your life.

INSPIRATION

Mindvalley by Cheyenne Diaz
Vision board – a powerful tool to manifest your life’s desires