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Another gloomy morning … The alarm clock did not work. While you were taking a shower on the run, breakfast was burnt. Children don’t think about going to school. The car won’t start. In the meantime, you missed an important call … What if the day did not work out from the very beginning? Business coach Sean Ekor is sure that 20 minutes is enough to fix everything.
The author of books about motivation, Sean Ekor, believes that there is a close connection between the feeling of happiness and success in life, and happiness in this chain comes first. He offers a morning technique that will help you tune in to the positive and get the so-called happiness benefit — emotional protection from stress and everyday problems.
The brain “saturated” with joyful emotions copes better with intellectual challenges, tones the body and contributes to an increase in professional productivity by 31%.
So, 5 steps for a successful and happy day.
1. Two minutes for positive memories
The brain is easily deceived — it does not distinguish between a real impression and a fantasy. Find two minutes of free time, take a pen. Describe in detail the most pleasant experience of the last 24 hours and relive it.
2. Two minutes for a “kind letter”
Write a few warm words to your loved one, parents, friend or colleague, wish them good morning or give them a compliment. 2 in 1 effect: You feel like a good person and strengthen your relationships with others. After all, good things always come back.
Do not start your morning by reading letters and messages on social networks. This is the time for awareness and planning.
3. Two minutes of gratitude
For at least three weeks in a row, every day, write down three new things for which you are grateful in life. This will set you up in an optimistic mood and help distract you from gloomy thoughts about failures.
Think of all the good things you have. With a little practice, you will learn to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. An optimistic view of the world will make you happier. And the subjective feeling of happiness, as we know, is a vitamin for objective accomplishments.
4. 10-15 minutes for morning exercises
By exercising or jogging through the park from the metro to the office, you kill two birds with one stone. Vigorous exercise, even if you give it 10 minutes a day, will fill the brain with endorphins. This hormone of happiness reduces stress levels and improves thinking ability. In addition, by devoting some time to your own body, you focus on your needs and stimulate self-esteem.
5. Two minutes to meditate
Finally, sit for a couple of minutes and meditate, put your thoughts in order, listening to your breathing. Meditation promotes concentration and makes the world around you brighter.
And one more tip for a good day at work: don’t start it by reading emails and social media posts. Morning is a time of awareness and planning. You should think about your current goals and objectives, and not spread yourself over dozens of topics given by other people.
About the author: Sean Ekor is a motivational speaker, business coach, positive psychologist, and author of The Happiness Advantage (2010) and Before Happiness (2013).