5 Steps to Being More Productive and Less Stressed

essential oils Apr 29, 2018

The new year is only just behind us and many of us have already left our New Year’s resolutions behind. Have you?

If so, that’s totally okay. It doesn’t mean you have to wait until next year to start over.

Why do we give up on our goals in the first place? What is stopping you from achieving your goals?

We live in a world where instant gratification consumes us. We can find instant answers through Google and Siri. And if it takes longer than a minute, we’re already complaining that “it’s taking so long!”

Goals take time, which is something most us of seem not to have much of these days. However, we all have 24 hours in day. So, how do we optimize the time we have?

The key is to step back and slow down. What specific practices will help you accomplish your goals and how can you conquer the constant distractions?

Turn it OFF and Time Block

Phone, email, and social media are wonderful tools when they’re used correctly. However, they can become a huge distraction, time suck, and a major source of stress and anxiety.

I encourage you to become aware of how you spend your little bits of free time during the day. Many of us naturally gravitate to social media without even thinking about it.

Instead, turn off your phone, shut down your email, and turn off your notifications. Grab your favorite essential oil for focus and get to work.

I highly recommend time blocking. This is a fantastic practice of blocking time on your calendar for certain activities and projects. I recommend 30 minute – 1 our time blocks. Block time for email, errands, exercise, down-time, lunch, and specific projects. This helps you focus on the task at hand.

For example, I scheduled time on my calendar to write this blog post. I’ve put my phone on silent and shut down my email, so I can focus and not be distracted.

Master Your Sleep

Sleep is a non-negotiable. Recommended sleep time for ages 18-64 is 7 to 9 hours. Are you getting that much sleep each night?

Productively drastically decreases when you’re sleep deprived. Sleep is the optimal time for your body to heal, restore, and recover. Creating healthy sleep habits will improve the quality of your sleep which will increase your productivity.

If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep, try diffusing calming essential oils in your bedroom or applying them to the bottom of your feet before bed. My top sleep oils include Serenity, Peace, vetiver, and lavender.

Other recommendations for mastering your sleep include:

Blacken your room
Quit using electronics in bed
Make a firm bedtime and stick to it
Get up at the same time every day (even weekends)
Learn 5 ways to decrease stress
Improve your insulin sensitivity via diet
Exercise daily
Decrease blue light 3 hours before bed
If you snore loudly, see a doctor

Meditate

Meditation can be beneficial to slowing down, achieving goals, and conquering distractions. Set aside a few minutes each day and really focus on your breathing.

Find a quiet space and diffuse your favorite grounding essential oil blend.

Studies have shown that those who incorporate meditation into their daily routine have significantly lower levels of stress.

Daily meditation trains your mind to better focus on important things, keeping you on track for whatever you plan to accomplish.

Try it out

Start by taking deep belly breaths. Breathe in for a count of 4 and breathe out for a count of 4. Focus completely on your breathing for 2 minutes. Concentrate on each breath going in and out. Immediately after, take all of your focus and place it on what you need to accomplish most.

Write it Down

Do you have a goal in mind or important tasks you want to accomplish? Write it down! Those who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them.

Those who not only write down their goals but also write down steps to accomplish their goals are even more likely to achieve them.

Getting your thoughts and ideas down on paper is super important.

If you’re serious about change and self-improvement, write it down, review constantly, and get to work.

Move

Did you know that exercise gives you endorphins? Endorphins make you happy and happy people don’t give up on their goals. Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in your brain, which leads to improved mental clarity.

Improving ourselves takes effort, consistency and doing things on purpose. It requires change and intentionality.