Summer’s out and school’s in here in Abu Dhabi.
We are heading into a new academic year unlike any that has gone before.
ADEK recently announced that most students aged between four and eleven will return to the classroom whilst older years will learn from home. Either way, readjustment is required for everyone returning to routine.
There are five tips below to ensure you’re ready to get up and go.
Create a designated workspace
Adaptability has become our thing. If you or your child are working from home, set up a suitable space for work to take place. To avoid neck strain from looking at your screen, it would be worthwhile to invest in a laptop stand when nestled at your desk. There are three essential things to remember: Eyeline, core and seat position. Whilst looking at a screen, your eye-line should be straight ahead.
When in a seated position, at various intervals, engage your core, pull your belly button into spine to maintain posture. Keep a straight line from your hip to your knee and your knee to your ankle. Those two straight lines are important for reducing back-pain.
Optimise shut-eye
There are many ways to set yourself up for sleep. Before you head to bed, perform a brain-dump, write down everything you want to do the following day. This will clear your mind and prepare you for the morning. Avoid caffeine late in the day and look out for sneaky sources like sports drinks. Replace it with a sleep-based herbal tea. If you have to eat at night keep it light and leave a two-hour gap between sustenance and sleep.
Ensure your bedroom is a relaxing space and avoid screens for at least thirty minutes before bed. The average person spends thirty-six years in bed, choose a suitable mattress and pillow to enable you to really sink into slumber. Meditation with a side of sleep spray will help to melt the day’s stress away. Instead of waking up not wanting to leave your bed, make it a place you want to go early at night instead.
Savour the morning with SAVERS
In his book The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod outlines a six-step guide called SAVERS to maximise your potential at sunrise. S is for silence (meditation/prayer), A is for affirmations, V is for visualisation, E is for exercise, R is for reading and S is for scribing or writing down what you’re grateful for. You can dedicate one minute or ten minutes to each one, but any effort is better than none.
Boost your commute
If you are travelling to work, there are a few ways to make this a positive part of your day. Create a playlist or download your favourite podcast to boost your morning mood. You could also use this time to hit your monthly reading target by listening to an audiobook. Before you enter your workplace, take a minute to check in with your breath, unclench your jaw and relax your shoulders. Take time to do this throughout the day, inhale calm and exhale whatever gets in your way.
Good food, good mood
Adjusting to a new routine can be tricky enough so make sure you fuel your body with lots of good stuff. Eating a balanced breakfast every day is said to contribute to better memory, energy and increased sense of calm. Baked or overnight oats, chia pudding, banana or egg muffins can be easily prepped ahead of time. These are guaranteed to help you rise and shine.
Plan ahead and prepare a mood boosting breakfast that’ll have you scrambling from your bed (we went there)). You can thank us later when you’re in an eggs-uberant mood (sorry).
