When it comes to self improvement, it is easy to get side tracked – whether you have to keep up with work commitments, are distracted by other responsibilities, or just struggle to find the motivation to work on yourself, self-improvement is a tough thing to tackle.
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With this being said, many people take an approach to self improvement that is too narrow, lacking in structure and failing to consider a more well rounded view of what self improvement is.
While deciding to sign up for the gym or beginning to eat healthier are important in bettering yourself, these are habits that are easily forgotten without a comprehensive approach that considers your physical and mental health, making changes throughout your schedule, and your overall lifestyle.
Consider How Your Physical and Mental Health are Connected
Before you put your self improvement plan in action, understanding how your mental and physical health and wellbeing are connected will mean that you know which approaches are going to make an impact.
Put simply, poor physical health can have a negative impact on your mental health, and poor mental health can have a negative impact on your physical health. In the first case, poor physical health can result in issues regarding self esteem, and can change your overall mood as a result of your energy levels throughout the day (amongst other things). On the other hand, poor mental health will impact your motivation to exercise, can affect your ability to sleep (thus impacting your energy and overall physical health), and things such as stress can cause conditions such as psoriasis as well.
Despite these links, if you are experiencing struggles with mental health, never be afraid to get the support you need through external resources such as support groups, social circles, or counselling services (click here to learn more).
Why a Well Rounded View is Crucial in Self-Improvement
In addition to the link between mental and physical wellbeing, it is important to have an understanding of why self improvement requires a comprehensive approach more broadly.
Essentially, making changes that stick with you will require overall lifestyle changes – not just a weekly gym booking (that is easy to give up on), or a one off burst of productivity. Instead, you need to implement change in all areas of your life – at work, at home, and while you’re being social. This is how change can be genuinely solidified within your life.
In addition to implementing change within various aspects of your life, you need to consider what this change will be. Once again, a broader view of what self improvement means is key – you need to consider your mental health, your physical health, as well as your productivity and the kind of energy you give off socially.
Whilst understanding some of the components that comprise self improvement is important, implementing change that improves upon these things is another task in itself.
How You Can Implement Change
When it comes to implementing change, one of the best approaches to take is to develop a plan that outlines every measure you want to take. In starting this plan, listing your goals and considering more specifically the change you want to see is a good starting point. From here, you can consider the best ways to achieve these goals, and create a plan of action.
The ways in which you implement your plan might include through gym sessions, meal plans, the setting of at-work goals, or rules surrounding how you spend your free time. You might even want to pick up a new hobby or set goals for yourself in social settings. If you can, working towards goals with another person can be a great source of motivation, as you will be able to keep each other on track.
More than anything, implementing this change requires an all in approach – without becoming overwhelmed, truly committing to your goals and signing up for things that will lock you in is key. Furthermore, always reminding yourself of your goals and sharing them with others will hold you accountable. Finally, change will come more easily with a routine – consistency will ensure that you can always find the time for what you need to do, and getting into a rhythm is a great way to turn hard work into a new lifestyle that you enjoy.
