By Loz Antonenko, Healthy Habit Coach at Loz Life
Life’s a bit of a rollercoaster at the moment. One minute you are enjoying the ride. Next, you’re doing a loop-de-loop of stress and chaos. Overwhelm is your norm and your best intentions for self-care get left in the basket with your bag as you hop on the rollercoaster every morning and fall into a heap at night.
There are a few simple habits to smooth our those sharp twists and turns in your daily life. Handbrake habits are everyday things that we often miss, which are important in maintaining our emotional well-being. They’re like the handbrake in your car, simple but essential to have a handle on things. There’s five fundamental habits that can transform your life and make sure you have fuel to handle the emotional roller coaster that comes from being a human in this modern age of information overload and too many things to juggle at one time. Emotional resilience is fueled by these habits and they are not too hard to implement into your life without making too many changes.
Eating: Fueling Your Body and Mind
“You are what you eat”? The food you consume directly impacts your energy levels, mood, and overall health. So, if you’re living on a diet of toast and instant noodles, it’s time for a change. It may require a little extra effort, but try adding real food into your day. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. This doesn’t mean depriving yourself of treats you like; just make sure the majority of your meal is made up of nutritious food. Instead of sitting at your computer wolfing down food between meetings, stop for just 10 minutes to eat mindfully. Watch what you eat, chew slowly, and enjoy the flavours. After a week, see how it affects your body. Indulge in your food without doing anything else. If your body is well-nourished with proper foods, you will have energy and a clear mind, ready to face whatever comes your way.
Breathe: Your Brain’s Reset Button
Breathing might seem like a no-brainer—we do it all the time. It’s automatic. We need air to live. But many of us don’t breathe deeply enough. Practise mindful breathing can be a game changer in your stress levels and emotional health. Every hour stop to take a few dep breaths – inhale deeply through your nose, letting your belly expand, then exhale slowly through your mouth. By taking a few minutes every day to concentrate on deep breathing, you stimulate your vagas nerve—our body’s superhighway for sending signals from the brain to various organs, helping control things like heart rate, digestion, and stress levels. One of the simplest and most effective ways to tap into the power of the vagus nerve is through breathing. It’s a quick way to calm your mind. The best part if you can do at your desk, right now. Deep mindful breaths work as a kind of reset button in helping you remain calm and centred no matter what sort of chaos life throws your way.
Rest: The Ultimate Recharge
When we get a good night’s sleep, it allows our body to restore itself. If you are burning the candle at both ends, scrimping on sleep, it’s no wonder you feel like you are running on empty. Placing a high value on good sleep hygiene to optimise your rest is important. Start by promising yourself to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Turn your bedroom a restful place—comfy bedding, blackout curtains, and no electronic gadgets. Before going to sleep, put down your phone (TikTok will be there tomorrow) and get into the groove with a relaxing pre-sleep routine, like reading a book or taking a warm bath. Quality sleep boosts your mood, sharpens your focus, and improves your overall health. It’s like hitting the refresh button on your brain every night.
Exercise: Move Your Body
Exercise doesn’t have to mean slogging it out at the gym. Find ways to move that you enjoy, and make it a regular part of your day. If the word ‘exercise’ makes you want to walk the other way, replace it with ‘movement’ Move your body. It could be turning on your favourite song and having a boogie around the house, walking up and down the stairs at home, or going outside to walk around the block. Thirty minutes of movement most days of the week is enough to get your heart pumping and your body feeling better. Those aches and pains from sitting at your computer can be alleviated with a few wall stretches or jump on to a yoga app (there are some great ones with 10 minute sessions).
Hydrating: Injection of H2O
So many of us are dehydrated and don’t realise it. Those headaches you get at the end of the day could be that you haven’t had enough water throughout the day. Drink at least 2 litres a day. To keep track of your water intake, buy a big bottle and set a goal to finish it by the time you start your pre-bed routine. Yes, when you up your water, you are making more toilet trips, but your body gets used to the increase and starts using it to keep your brain and body supple. If you don’t like the taste of water, add a splash of lemon, cucumber, or a few berries. Keep a bottle in the car. Take one with you when you go out. Get into the habit of thinking water over other options. Water will give you far more energy than a can of energy drink.
Emotional resilience helps us adapt to stressful situations, overcome challenges, and bounce back from adversity. Finding balance in life can start with simple habits, like the 5 Handbrake Habits. Start small, be consistent, and remember: it’s the little things that add up to big changes.
