Working Wonder-Woman: Journal of success


A working woman is a wonder in herself, with assorted set of jobs to complete, there are days with cray schedule and one hardly gets time to breathe. Below is a simple but buttoned down A to H routine that helps you feeling great (read: no mood swings), looking great (read: gracefully feminine) and performing great (read: not guilt but a sense of accomplishment)

·       Arise and Awake: Wake up and express in prayer how grateful you are to have slept well and comfortably and to have woken up fresh and energetic. Do your morning routine, brighten that smile, stretch that torso, take your caffeine shot or green tea for those health-witting eves.
TIP: Drink 1-2 cups of water with lemon (you can add honey for the sweet tooth) each morning. This super simple trick keeps you hydrated and provides you with the right nutrients and phytochemicals.
·       Burn the bulge: Doing 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercises will give you that oomph for the day. Working out in the morning reduces the elevated cortisol level and burn the extra body fat. No more science logic bragging, breaking it short the          uh-maa-zz-ing sense of accomplishment after the exercise routine is worth to a great day start, FYI; great mood, glowing skin and metabolism boost are the frosting on the cake.
TIP: Cardio is one vigorous option, for slow but intense one can try Pilates or Yoga.
·       CTM: CTM (cleanse-tone-moisturize) is the chichi expression for ‘taking care of yourself and skin’. For some it may sound cliché but this is a critical routine to follow for that scarlet skin, period. Even though you may be shuffling with work, family and domestic chores, this 1-minute affair is fairly docile. The CTM routine is like an ante for your skin 10 years from now. Even though you may be blessed with beautiful, glowing skin, a teensy-weensy effort today will ensure your skin looks fabulous years later.
TIP: Moisturizers with SPF play dual role and you won’t be afraid to step out for those sunny brunches.



·       Dress to address: The concept of don’t judge a book by its cover is so moth-eaten. Counsellors suggest that individuals are evaluated by their appearance, which is a key body language element factor in first impressions. If well-dressed one can easily gain the non-verbal advantage by ‘looking the part’. Clothing forms a strong visual statement about how you perceive yourself. Comfort is apparently significant, but this is the era of ‘Me, Inc’ and ‘Self-Branding. Even though working from home, it is suggested to dress like you are going to work. Dressing up signals the brain to get in to the work mode and ensures better productivity.
TIP: One can be experimental with appearance, by trying styles and colours and observing how peers and friends react. Based on the line of career and suggestions from friends and family, a conscious decision of how you want to package yourself can be made.
·       Eat right: Eating the right morning meal is a crucial part of getting a stark start to each day, especially if the morning routine includes a work-out. Having a balanced, protein rich breakfast helps in maintaining sugar levels which in turn maintains the energy levels for the day and improves the memory and helps in healthy brain functioning. Oats, Wheat, Corn cereal, fresh fruits, nuts are a healthy option to include. We need various nutrients each day to stay healthy and each of these have their own role to play. Calcium and Vitamin D protect our bones, folic acid helps producing and maintaining new cells, vitamin A is required to preserve a healthy immune system and vision. With a mishmash day, it becomes difficult to keep the check on diet, hence it is recommended to take multivitamins.
TIP: You can check your health score through various apps, or probably consult your physician for supplement. For females, it is generally recommended to take one with iron, calcium, minerals and vitamins.
·       Fix your work station: It is a backbreaking task to find the right work area configuration. An unstable, or in sufficient work area can affect productivity and hamper efficiency. Neck pain, headaches, lower back pain, elbow pain and postural problems are some common concerns due to uncomfortable work settings.  An ideal ergonomic workstation needs to be set up be it office or home.  There may be days when you want to work from the couch in your living room, it is important to ensure that you slay the task and not get trapped into the sofa-spud state.
TIP: Keep the needed equipment handy, in case you are an abstract painter, check with your brushes and paints, check with your canvas, painting knives and your source of inspiration.
·       Get Organized: Check your mailers, social media updates and the TO-DO list for the day. Sort the stockpile, smack the quick reverts and referrals, and delegate tasks. Schedule the big tasks and remove the unimportant stuff. Score extra points by being productive during commute hours.
TIP: Do schedule time for micro-rests through the day. Get up from your desk, flex those muscles or walk around for 5-15 minutes, depending on the frequency of breaks. Don’t skip your mid-day meals, they act as energy boosters through the day.
·       Have a great day:
1.     Work to big through small: I am an advocate of having big goals, but the trick is to combine big vision with small goals. Maintaining consistency in achieving  goals, helps in creating a positive reinforcement hoop which will jolt your motivation, productivity and move you closer towards the big goal.
2.     Give energy to Positive: We give our energy into what we talk and think about. The situations are a mix of good and bad just like a coin with two sides. Focus more on talking about the positive.
3.     Exercise your ‘gratitude muscle’: The secret sauce to success is being grateful. Make a habit to record everything that occurred during the day for which you are or you could be grateful. This will also help you sleep better and make you ready for a fabulous tomorrow, as the emotions in one area of our life will spill over into other areas.

Voila! Say bye-bye to insane days and hectic schedules. Hello balanced personal and work-life. 

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