Photo Credit: Greyerbaby, Pixabay

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to change a habit, the most opportune time is during a life transition. Getting married, moving, retiring, having a baby, changing jobs, or any other big life change sets you up to more easily change a habit. During the first three months of a transition, your routine will be disrupted, which creates a natural window of opportunity for changes in behavior. Top Salinas chiropractor provides some tips.

Breaking Down Habits
Whether it’s good or bad, a habit follows a three-step process. First, there is a reminder, which triggers the mind to initiate the behavior. Next, there is a routine, which is the behavior itself. Last, there is the reward, which is the benefit you gain from the behavior. For example, a habit to smoke would have a reminder such as riding in the car, the routine is smoking, and the reward is the sensation of having mental well-being.

If you want to break a habit, you typically don’t succeed from quitting cold turkey. Instead, you replace it with another habit that gives you the same reward but is more empowering. Be careful not to pick a new habit that will cause its own set of problems, like substituting food for cigarettes. A better swap would be to start exercising or drinking a seltzer water.

Decluttering
Not being organized or tidy can be a habit – a habit that creates clutter. Clutter in Salinas can negatively affect how you feel about your home, workplace, and yourself. Being surrounded by a mess can make you feel anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Clutter is a big source of stress. You’re overwhelmed with excessive stimuli when surrounded by clutter, and your brain gets the signal that there’s work to be done. Clutter distracts from what your focus should be on, and your mind and body can’t relax.

To start decluttering, complete one room at a time to see your results and help motivate you to continue. Sort through your stuff, and seriously consider each item. If you don’t need it, recycle it or donate it. To keep things tidy and start new and better habits, give frequently used items designated areas. Aim for closed spaces, such as drawers and cabinets. Always put an item in its designated area when you’re done using it.

Cater Chiropractic emphasizes to try to spend 10 minutes several times a day cleaning. Do dishes in the morning, laundry in the evening, and wipe counter tops and sinks before bed. Don’t leave papers lying around. From mail to menus to memos, people often toss them in a “clutter zone” to sort through later. Don’t wait for later. Sort the mail when you get it, and toss or store menus properly.

Cut the Bad Health Habits
While clutter can negatively affect your mental health, some bad habits have a more direct impact on your health and can cause physical and psychological harm. These bad health habits include cigarettes, a drug or alcohol addiction, poor dieting, and lack of exercise. All of these bad habits can negatively affect your heart and a host of other organs.

When you begin exercising in Salinas, start slowly and work your way into more intense workouts. If you have a desk job or drive for work, make a point to get up and move throughout the day. Limit your portion sizes to prevent overeating, and swap water for sodas. Take your coffee black and your tea unsweetened. Avoid foods labeled as “low-fat,” as they’re often higher in calories, and limit salt intake. Less than 10 percent of your diet should come from animals and animal products, and very little of that should be red meat. Load up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

Occasional drinks are acceptable, but men should consume no more than two drinks per day, and women should have no more than one. Of course, if you have issues with alcoholism, do not consume any alcoholic beverages. The cessation of smoking, giving up alcohol, and stopping a drug addiction, like marijuana, may require the assistance of a rehabilitation facility and/or a medical professional.

When you’re preparing for a life transition, consider also preparing for a change in habits. Don’t put it off any longer. Take advantage of your window of opportunity to improve your mental health, physical health, and overall well-being.

Call Cater Chiropractic in Salinas CA today to schedule an appointment.

Author: Jennifer Scott (SpiritFinder.org)