Just got a good question. I write, "If you get off track, go back to the fundamentals." I just got asked what they are.
Here's the first things that come to mind -
*Drink lots of water
*Enough high quality sleep
*Not too much sleep
*Eat fruits and vegetables
*Scale back on any intoxicants
*Spend time in nature
*Spend time with people you respect
*Read books you enjoy
*Think/plan on what your goals are
*Some light moving around/exercise (even just a walk)
*Fresh air
*Clean up your environment a little
*Get small, achievable wins
I'm sure I'm missing a few. Please add yours. If you do find yourself stuck in a rut, I'd re-visit this list to see what you're not doing, and add some of this stuff. I think it's pretty much the way. Add your additions in the comments please.
Edit - a couple good ones in the comments:
*Resolve to do something about your major goal every day, even if it’s something little. - from Oscar Del Ben
*Take care of the biggest “ugh field” you might have, like cleaning up your desk or computer - from Rafael Santos.
"What gets measured, gets managed." - Peter Drucker
There is so much power in this quote. If you've never tracked yourself, you don't even know how much power there is in tracking. I couldn't even explain it adequately. You wouldn't believe me. You'd think I was exaggerating. The simple act of paying attention to something will cause you to make connections you never did before, and you'll improve the those areas - almost without any extra effort.
I'm not a believer in "free lunch" and I don't think the universe vibrates things to you just by thinking about them. But the closest thing to a free lunch getting vibrated to you by the universe is writing things down as they happen.
Before I go any further, I need to give you one piece of advice - start small and build up, so you don't overwhelm yourself. This is just being pragmatic. You want to scale up gradually, as I wrote up in "The Evolution of My Time/Habit/Life Tracking." You want to build small wins, lock them so they become automatic, and then expand.
I'd have a hard time convincing you of the power of tracking, so I'll just show you. I fill this out every single day.
Along with exercise and nutrition, sleep is one of the primary determinants of your happiness and wellbeing. If you don't get good sleep, you will not only be tired, but also pessimistic, unmotivated, lazy or even depressed.
Research has shown that self control is a limited resource that is greatly diminished when you're exhausted. If you don't get good sleep, you are less likely to be productive and stick to your good habits (such as exercise). You are also more likely to do things that you know are bad for you (such as eating sweets).
Good REM sleep plays a critical role in the development of long term memories. If you're trying to learn anything at all, you better make sure you get enough high quality sleep.
Proper sleep is also essential for maintaining a robust immune system. If you want to be happy, healthy, smart and productive, you have must make sure you get good sleep.
Do you think that your physical health and emotional wellbeing can be considered in isolation? Think again. They both come from the same body, and they both require that you sleep well.
