{"id":1911,"date":"2024-05-27T14:23:38","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T14:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/personaltrainer-stjohnswood.com\/?p=1911"},"modified":"2024-05-27T14:23:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T14:23:38","slug":"how-to-earn-your-sleep-from-a-st-johns-wood-personal-trainer-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/personaltrainer-stjohnswood.com\/?p=1911","title":{"rendered":"How To Earn Your Sleep From A St Johns Wood Personal Trainer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s something you probably don\u2019t hear very often\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When it comes to reaching your goals, sometimes it helps to do LESS.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sure having a sense of urgency can help us reach our goals, but our downtime is where a lot of the magic happens.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a lot like building muscle, right?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We need to exercise and challenge our muscles so we can stimulate growth…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But it’s during our rest days when our muscles repair, recover, and get stronger.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As it turns out, our brain works the same way!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s great to stimulate and challenge ourselves \u2014 but doing less can actually help your brain be more creative and learn new skills.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the thing\u2026\u00a0Downtime does NOT mean:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scrolling through your phone<\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Binge watching TV<\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Or even doing a puzzle or reading!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead, downtime DOES mean:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Vacuuming (exciting, I know)<\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Going for a walk (without music or a podcast)<\/p>\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sitting on the couch and daydreaming<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Or any other mindless activity!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The reason is that mindless activities activate your brain\u2019s \u201cdefault mode network\u201d, which is linked to things like creativity, memories, your sense of \u201cself,\u201d and even ethics.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s why when you get stuck on a problem and finally drop it to do something else, the answer pops into your head!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here are 5 ways to tap into your brain\u2019s \u201cdefault mode\u201d more often:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Schedule a few minutes a day to just BE, even if it\u2019s sitting quietly and letting your mind wander or going for a 5-minute walk.<\/li>\n
  2. Use a mindfulness app like Calm or Tripp and follow a quick, guided meditation.<\/li>\n
  3. Notice your surroundings \u2014 take note of what colors you see, what sounds you hear, how it feels to sit in your chair, etc.<\/li>\n
  4. Create a designated \u201cworry\u201d time to focus on any issues going on so they don\u2019t seep into the rest of your day.<\/li>\n
  5. Know it will get easier the more you practice! We\u2019re more distracted and overstimulated than ever before, and it can take some time to start feeling\u00a0comfortable<\/i>\u00a0with doing less and letting your mind wander.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    It\u2019s all about finding balance\u2026<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Especially if you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Here\u2019s something you probably don\u2019t hear very often\u2026   When it comes to reaching your goals, sometimes it helps to do LESS.   Sure having a sense of urgency can help us reach our goals, but our downtime is where a lot of the magic happens.   It\u2019s a lot like building muscle, right?   […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":404,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n