The One Self-Improvement Tip That Matters Most

The One Self-Improvement Tip That Matters Most

Social media can be overwhelming for those seeking personal development. So what is the self-improvement tip that matters most?

For good health, you must sleep 8 hours, take a cold shower, delay and limit your caffeine intake, exercise, spend quality time with your family, and eat dinner early before fasting until breakfast.

Before bed, don’t forget to tidy the house, wash all the dishes, set out your workout clothes for the next morning, body brush, meditate, visualize, journal and read. To give yourself at least 2 hours without blue light before sleeping, make sure to finish working on your side hustle before 10pm. 

Don’t even get me started on the morning routine because that’s not what this article is about…

I’m not bashing the self-improvement industry because I love it and am a self-improvement blogger after-all! Optimizing my routines and my health is something I am passionate about. However, I want to acknowledge that this can seem overwhelming for someone who is trying to make their first steps to a healthier and more productive life.

Forget the noise and all the other things you “should do” in a 24hr period. First, let me explain the most important step you need to take before starting anything else, like cold plunging.

The ultimate self-improvement tip: Get enough sleep!

Despite being a sleep-deprived parent, I will explain why sleep is vital and should be your first healthy habit.

I am used to getting less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep, but some nights are rough! When my daughter is teething, and I haven’t slept well, I crave caffeine, sugar, and quick-to-prepare food. Lack of sleep ripples into the rest of the day and creeps into all areas of your life.

Sleeping well makes it easier to make better decisions throughout your day. You also have more energy and willpower to say no to things like junk food that only add to feelings of sluggishness. A lack of sleep can make it difficult to be creative, focus on your work and think of new ideas.

Sleeping well increases your energy levels, patience, compassion, and reduces stress. We are a better parent, spouse, and family member after a good night’s rest.

Sleep affects your decision-making and interactions, so optimizing it is key to functioning at your best.

Bonus tip: If you can’t prioritize sleep, then prioritize a healthy diet.

If you are like me and cannot get enough sleep due to having young children (or something else), then the next best thing is to get your energy from your food.

I won’t go into detail here because I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist, but eating a healthy diet that is full of nutritionally dense whole foods is going to give you the energy you need to make better decisions and have a more productive day. 

In order to eat healthily, it is essential that you are prepared. I love to flick through my recipe books and Pinterest to get ideas of what to eat for lunch and dinner (I usually have a green smoothie or oats for breakfast). Once I have listed all my meals, it’s time to do some grocery shopping. This way, I know I have all the ingredients I need to make several delicious and nutritious meals to get our family through the week.

I told you I’d make it simple!

Next time you see a LinkedIn carousel of self-improvement tips, remember to start off with getting close to 8 hours of sleep at night, and watch everything else fall into place.