Give Your Health & Wellness Routine an Upgrade
“How you gon’ upgrade me? What’s higher than number one?”
Aren’t we all a little Jay Z when it comes to upgrades? After all, we’ve gotten this far juuuust fine. Besides, “upgrades” usually involve parting with our hard-earned cash. But, if we’re being real, there are certain things we could next-level that might move us to greater “wellness” and effectiveness. Fortunately, you came to The Verse, where pragmatism rules and upgrades don’t break the bank.
Do bedtime better.
You already know what we’re going to say. Sleep matters. A whole bunch. Need reasons why? Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep (or listen to him here) is a wake-up call. So we’re working on it, beginning by dispensing of the illusion we can somehow add hours to our day. The biggest game-changer is to give sleep the same waking-hours focus that we devote to other pursuits, setting goals and creating the conditions to reach them. While we’re at it, let’s put screens to bed early, too. Here are some of Walker’s tips. Our guess is that you know many of them; try a few—and commit to them—and see if bedtime gets better.
Clean up your act.
We don’t need to buy into any crackpot theories to appreciate that toxic chemicals are bad and we don’t need them in our homes—especially with cleaner alternatives so widely available. Whether it’s what you put on your face and body or the things you clean and cook with, we all can be a bit cleaner, even alongside our COVID germ-consciousness. No need to replace everything en masse; try making a list of things that you would like to clean up and research their cleaner alternatives. Then as you run out of things or are ready for your upgrade, you can slowly replace your items. As for your new wares, we like this site devoted to clean beauty and skincare, these better for you (and the environment) cleaners and these non-toxic, non-stick pots.
Talk it out.
Ain’t no shame in the therapy game; when else do you get an hour that’s all about you? Whether you’ve tried therapy in the past or have thought about trying it, there are more ways than ever to find and connect with the right fit. Sites like Better Help and Talkspace make dipping your toe in the waters even easier. We loved this article with lots of sensible “shopping” tips. With stress and anxiety at a societal high, our guess is that you won’t be alone in looking for a therapist, so you might want to start your search now.
Make peace.
Is there a relationship in your life that provokes a cringe when you think of it? From lapsed or fractured friendships, to a dysfunctional family feud or butting heads with a co-worker, we all have at least one—and no one needs their associated stress. With IRL encounters at a minimum, maybe you’ve been able to avoid these fraught relationships, but it’s always a good time to give peace a chance. What could that look like? With personal relationships, it may be as simple as making the first move, being honest and accountable for your role in the breakdown, and stating the things you enjoy about the person and why you think it’s worth patching things up. They may not reciprocate or respond, but you can rest easier knowing you tried. With a co-worker, try to remember we never know what personal battles one is fighting. Try to strategize a different approach that could make your interactions more successful. If you’re still coming up short, make peace with the fact that you’re not a great match—it happens—and limit their impact on your work. It’s a double insult to let an intractable conflict detract from your own goals as you stew about it.
