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These are the Things you Should Take Care of Before 2020

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Not to alarm you, but 2020 is less than 100 days away.

Where are you on your resolutions list? Savings plan? Business endeavors?

Regardless of what you had in mind for 2019, with one quarter left, there’s still plenty of time to get things done. This is a great time to wrap things up and start new tasks. And there are several things that need to be done by the end of the year.

Here are some things that we should all have in order before starting a new decade:

  1. Spend your FSA If you have a flexible spending account at work, now is the time to spend the money. These funds typically expire at the end of December.
  2. Get your health in order Make sure you get in your yearly checkups with your primary care doctor, optometrist, and dentist
  3. Clean your space Don’t limit your closet purging and mass cleanings to the spring time. Now is the perfect time to declutter and optimize your space.
  4. Check in on your credit We are all entitled to a free credit report every year. If you haven’t gotten yours yet this year, its time to get that taken care of.
  5. Sort out your donations If you haven’t made your donations to your favorite charity yet, you’ll want to do that soon. You only have a few months left to donate and still be able to claim them when filing your 2019 taxes.
  6. Get your taxes ready Speaking of filing taxes, take this opportunity to start prepping for the tax season. Make your future self’s life a little easier by organizing your receipts and financial documents now.
  7. Dust off that goals list Remember the things you wanted to get done this year? Well if you haven’t already, now is the time to do them.

If you want to make the most of 2020, make sure you close up any loose ends these last few months of 2019. Completing these tasks will ensure that you start off this next decade calmly and confidently.

Try These 5 Things for the Perfect Morning Routine

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How you start off your day sets the mood for the entire day. If you feel rushed and anxious in the morning, that energy will carry on throughout the rest of the day. Similarly, a calm and collected morning can help you get through the inevitable ebbs and flows of your day.

Try doing these 5 things to help keep your cool for whatever the day has in store for you.

1. Wake up early enough to get everything done We all have our checklist of things to do in the morning. If you need to make lunches, or get kids ready, be sure you allow ample time for that in your morning. Getting out of bed at the last possible second will only make you feel rushed. Making time to get it all done will help you properly pace out your day.

2. Add physical activity to your morning Not everyone is a morning person, and that is ok. Adding in a bit of light cardio in the morning is a great day to get the blood flowing and energize tired muscles. You will feel more alert after a quick jog or morning swim.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast A light and balanced breakfast will help fuel you for the day as well as improve your memory and concentration.

4. Meditate Among the various other benefits of meditation, morning meditating helps set the tone for calm for your entire day and allows you time to focus.

5. Get a full night’s rest A morning routine is easier to start and maintain when you have had a good night’s rest. You will have the focus and energy necessary to avoid hitting that snooze button.

A morning routine helps you start your day with structure and gives you direction. You’ll find that by setting the stage for better prioritizing, more effective time-management, and greater productivity, you’ll be able to navigate through your day with a bit more calmness.

5 Tips for Achieving a Good Night’s Rest

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We all know that a good night’s sleep is important. Not only do we feel better when we are well-rested, but we function better too. In fact, sufficient sleep plays a vital role in our mental, physical, and emotional health- not to mention our general safety and performance in our everyday lives.

So if sleep is so important, why are we constantly neglecting it? According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions, more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.

Its recommended that adults aged 18-60 sleep at least 7 hours each night. Are you falling short? Here are 5 tips to help get you back on track:

  1. Get adequate sunshine exposure throughout the day Your body actually wants to help you with your sleep schedule. The body has a natural clock known as the circadian rhythm that helps you stay awake and tells your body when its time to sleep. Getting natural sunshine (or bright light) during the day helps keep your circadian rhythm healthy. This can improve your energy throughout the day and help you sleep better and longer at night.
  2. Limit light exposure at night For the same reasons sunlight exposure during the day is important, limiting the exposure to light at night matters. This includes the blue light that is emitted from electronic devices. Try powering down 2 hours before bed to help improve your sleep quality.
  3. Try to maintain a normal sleep schedule That circadian rhythm we discussed earlier thrives on consistency. Taking unexpected naps throughout the day or waking/going to bed at random hours is not doing your body any favors. Consistency with your sleep and waking times can help improve your long-term sleep quality.
  4. Avoid caffeine late in the day Though a healthy intake of caffeine during the day can enhance focus and energy, its effect can make it difficult to unwind at night. Caffeine can stimulate your nervous system, which makes it difficult for your body to unwind the way it typically would at night.
  5. Exercise during the day Exercise has numerous health benefits, and improving your sleep quality is another bonus. Sleeping can help reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and reduce anxious thoughts that may keep you awake. However, try to avoid exercising too closely to bedtime as exercise tends to increase your alertness, which would be counterproductive to falling asleep.

Ultimately,  poor sleep patterns can lead to obesity, lack of productivity, mental issues, and all sorts of other problems. Focusing on getting a good night’s sleep should be made a top priority for achieving optimal well-being.

What’s the Deal With Friday the 13th Anyway?

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You may or may not have noticed that tomorrow is Friday the 13th.  Many believe Friday the 13th is one of the unluckiest days on the calendar. There’s so much myth and superstition surrounding this day, that we thought it might be fun to dig into it a bit more.

Here are some facts and some lore about this wildly feared day:

  • In France on Friday, October 13 1307, multitudes of Knights Templar were captured and tortured.
  • According to University of Delaware professor, Thomas Fernsler, the fear of the number 13 comes from it following 12. Twelve viewed as a safer number, as there were 12 apostles and we have 12 months and 12 zodiac signs.
  • Supporting the fear of the number 13, many buildings and hotels skip having a 13th floor entirely.
  • The number 13 also has witchcraft connections and is declared the number of witches you need to form a coven.
  • French King Philip IV would torture victims on Friday the 13th.
  • Likewise, in Britain, many public hangings took place on this day.
  • In Geoffrey Chaucer’s, Canterbury Tales, he referenced the unlucky day, warning that starting a journey or a project on a Friday is bad luck.

Whether there is any truth to the superstitions that surround Friday the 13th will forever remain unclear, but that will not stop millions of people across the world from worrying about the unlucky day.

5 Foods to Eat to Help Stay Energized

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We all hit that point during the day where we start to feel like our energy tank is running on empty. This lack of energy can start to affect our productivity as well as our fulfillment and joy of our daily activities.

The fact is, while it is important to eat regularly, it is equally important to eat the right foods.

Your body often tells you exactly what it needs. When you are feeling your energy running low, try eating these 5 foods:

1. Bananas Bananas just might be one of the best foods out there for a quick energy boost. They are a great source of potassium, carbohydrates, and vitamin B6. All of these can help boost your energy levels.

2. Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes are a healthy option for carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A and manganese. They also digest slowly, so you keep a steady supply of energy after eating them.

3. Beans Beans are a great source of fiber, carbohydrates, and protein. Much like sweet potatoes, they digest slowly helping you keep a steady flow of energy.

4. Green Tea Green tea has a ton of health benefits with its high levels of antioxidants. It has caffeine to help five you a boost of energy, but L-theanine to help combat the negative effects (like anxiety and the jitters) that caffeine often brings.

5. Nuts Nuts are a great snack  full of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts can provide a slow release of energy keeping you going for hours.

There are a ton of great, healthy foods to help boost your energy throughout the day. If you feel yourself dragging between mealtimes, try incorporating one of the foods into your day.

How Successful People Make the Most of Their Weekend

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With the weekend fast approaching, its time to take a look at how we will spend our time. Though many of us look forward to it all week, are we truly taking the time to make the most out of our weekend?

To help move you in the right direction, below is a list of ways in which highly successful people spend their weekend

  • They unplug you aren’t doing yourself any favors by staying connected to your device 24/7. The weekend is a great time to unplug. If you manage a team, this is a perfect opportunity to empower your team to make decisions without you. If you are a part of a team, now is the time to establish healthy boundaries.
  • They volunteer There is nothing more rewarding than making a difference in the world around you.  Helping those in need helps you keep things in perspective and studies show that people who volunteer in their local communities feel more personal growth and well-being.
  • They explore hobbies Pursuing your hobbies is important for your overall well-being. Whether it’s a sport or an art, cultivating your hobbies can help you unwind, create and foster friendships, and improve your overall happiness in life.
  • They spend time with family and friends Sometimes our weeks are so busy and routine-infused that we don’t have time to have quality, unstructured time with our loved ones. The weekend is the perfect time to reconnect with family and friends. This could be sharing a meal or going on an outing, or having a long phone conversation with a faraway friend.
  • They stay active There are many physical and emotional benefits that come along with an active lifestyle. Though a long week makes it tempting to lay on the couch all weekend, you’ll feel better and more fulfilled if you incorporate physical activity into your plans.

 

 

On Saturday, fight the urge to binge-watch the next show on your Netflix queue, and head outside. You never know what creative or personal breakthrough may happen through constructive use of your downtime.

 

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