Bringing the best out of yourself

Bringing the best out of yourself Now that the New Year is well and truly in its swing, it’s important not to forget any New Year’s resolutions that you may have made. How are your 2015 resolutions? Too often, by February we can lapse back into bad habits and end up feeling lethargic and depressed. This can have a pretty dramatic knock on effect in terms of our futures and careers, so here’s a quick reminder of the ways that you can be the best version of yourself possible! Food It’s an obsession for many us, and for good reason. On these long cold winter days, food is one of the few things that can keep us going. Whilst a nutritious juice diet might be OK in summer, it simply isn’t going to cut it in the midwinter. So make sure that your main meals are varied and include plenty of fresh vegetables to stop you heading to the biscuit barrel! Check out Kris Carr’s hyper-healthy recipes for some inspiration. Drink After a long, hard day at the office it can be tempting to reach for the wine bottle. And the occasional drink can have good stress-relieving effects for many of us. However, it’s important not to let this slip into becoming a habit. It’s all too easy for what was meant to be one glass to turn into an entire bottle consumed. This can have really damaging effects for your next day’s productivity as nobody is at their best with a hangover! So treat yourself to some freshly squeezed juices and make sure to drink at least two litres of water per day, you’ll feel better I guarantee it! Sleep It’s no surprise that many animals hibernate in winter, as it’s horrible outside! So if you are going into hibernation mode, then remember it’s the quality of sleep that counts most. Entering deep sleep will aid concentration, give you energy and also keep your skin looking fresh. Ways to aid deep sleep include avoiding caffeine four hours before bedtime, keeping those tablets and smartphones out of the bedroom, and maybe even investing in a luxury king size bed! Variety One of the best ways that you can avoid the temptations of fatty foods and alcohol is simply to keep yourself entertained. Often our bad habits are bred out of boredom, so be sure to treat yourself in other ways. If the idea of exercise conjures up images of trudging through puddles in the dark, then think about maybe joining in some team sports that will at least be a bit more fun and sociable. And try and make sure that you always have one thing per week to look forward to. This will mean that you are working to live, not the other way around!