• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workouts
      • Best Whey Protein
    • Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Machines
    • Certifications
      • ISSA Review
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

7 Simple Daily Rules for Health and Happiness

We live in a busy world. Be kind to yourself and perform your best with these daily practices.

Written by Cassie Dionne Last updated on November 21, 2015

Today I want to bring you my best tips for feeling great, both physically and mentally. You might think these simple ideas can’t make a big difference for your health, movement, injury rate, or experience of pain. But let me tell you, they really and truly can. Most people need to read and re-read these, and more importantly, apply them in daily life.

So take a look, and make an effort to implement these guidelines into your daily practices.

Today I want to bring you my best tips for feeling great, both physically and mentally. You might think these simple ideas can’t make a big difference for your health, movement, injury rate, or experience of pain. But let me tell you, they really and truly can. Most people need to read and re-read these, and more importantly, apply them in daily life.

So take a look, and make an effort to implement these guidelines into your daily practices.

1. Laugh Often

I love to laugh, and anyone who knows me can attest to this. You need to laugh every single day. And I mean really laugh.

Laughter relaxes the whole body, triggers the release of endorphins, relieves stress, improves mood, and just makes you feel good. And I don’t think I need to discuss how bad stress is for your body, both physically and mentally.

2. Train With Friends

Working out has countless positive effects on our lives. And as you already know, so does laughing. So meld the two together and work out daily with friends.

Go to a gym that is a community, somewhere you love going and being. Make this a priority in your life and you will feel amazing on a daily basis.

3. Break Your Electronic OCD Loop

Have you found yourself checking the same websites over and over, even though you were just on them? Have you noticed that the second your phone makes a noise you have to grab it and see what’s going on?

Thanks to powerful mobile devices and social media, we live in a super connected world. I am the first to admit that I couldn’t live without my phone. But when you get in this loop, it can be difficult to have good, productive, consistent thought patterns.

This electronic OCD loop can also lead to fatigue, stress, and anxiety. You’ll find you feel “busy” all day, even though you have nothing to show for it. Once you are distracted by something like an email popping up on your phone, it can take up to 4-5 minutes to re-focus on your first task. That’s a lot of time lost if you add up all of the emails you check in a day.

So how can you decrease this stress and become more productive? The answer is simple, but perhaps not easy if you are in the habit of constant checking. Turn off the alerts on your smartphone.

All of your emails, Facebook posts, and messages will be there waiting for you when you are ready to take a break and read them. Preset email and social media breaks into your workday so these distractions don’t interfere with your productive thoughts while you are working.

4. Stop Sitting So Much

We’ve all heard the headlines, and heck, I’ve even written on the topic before – sitting is the new smoking.

Studies show a huge number of negative physical and mental health effects of extended periods of sitting. Something as simple as sitting less can make you feel better both physically and mentally.

I realize this is easier said than done, especially for those of you who are chained to a desk for long hours each day. Consider these simple, positive steps you can take:

  • Use a desk that converts from sitting to standing.
  • Get up for frequent breaks.
  • Stand during meetings.
  • Walk around the office when you talk on the phone.

5. Do Daily Mobility Work

This one is simple. Grab a foam roller, lacrosse ball, or a piece of PVC pipe you have laying around and spend five minutes a day doing some soft tissue work.

If you have problem areas, focus on them. It may feel uncomfortable as you do it, but you usually finish feeling much better than when you started.

6. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is critical recovery time and also protects you from illness. While you sleep, your body secretes hormones essential for muscle mass, bone strength, energy, and a strong immune system. This obviously does not happen if you don’t sleep. Think about that.

“While you sleep, your body secretes hormones essential for muscle mass, bone strength, energy, and a strong immune system.”

So, how much sleep is enough? There is no straight answer or consensus to this question as everyone is different, but it is generally recommended that adults sleep 7-9 hours every night.

7. Walk Tall

Not only does good posture have many positive physical effects, but it is also good for your confidence. In fact, research shows that walking tall improves your confidence, energy, and mood, and can also decrease your sensitivity to pain.

Poor posture, on the other hand, can lead to feelings of stress and helplessness. So walk with your head up high.

Take Time Every Day

If you read through these ideas and feel like there’s nothing revolutionary there, you are right.

But how many of them do you genuinely put into practice on a day-to-day basis? Every one of these points will improve your athletic performance, movement, productivity, and most importantly, your happiness.

References:

1. Biswas, et al. “Sedentary Time and Its Association With Risk for Disease Incidence, Mortality, and Hospitalization in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Annals of Internal Medicine 162 (2015): 123-132.

2. Brinol, Petty and Wagner. “Body posture effects on self-evaluation: A self-validation approach.” European Journal of Social Psychology, 39 (2009): 1053-1064.

3. Carney, Cuddy, and Ya. “Power posing: brief nonverbal displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk tolerance.” Psychological Science, 21 (2010): 1363-1368.

4. Seguin, R. et al. “Sedentary Behavior and Mortality in Older Women.” American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 42 (2014): 122-135.

Photo courtesy of Michael Brian.

About Cassie Dionne

Cassie is the lead physiotherapist at Taylored Training Fitness Studio in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, where her goal is to change the way physiotherapy is done. Tired of hearing athletes complain about going to a therapist who gave old-school, boring (and often ineffective) exercises and put the client on a machine for twenty minutes, Cassie and the team at Taylored Training decided to do something about it.

Cassie believes that physiotherapy should be hands-on, manual, and exercise-based, with clients seeing noticeable improvements each and every session. She works closely with the coaching team, and together they show that the key to successful treatment is the integration of physiotherapy with improved physical fitness, allowing clients to succeed in achieving long-term success.

Cassie received her Masters of Science in Physical Therapy as well as her Bachelor of Physical and Health Education from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. While at school, Cassie was heavily involved with university level athletics, working as a therapist with the varsity teams at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen’s University.

Since that time, Cassie continues to work with both recreational and competitive athletes at the local, university, provincial, national, and international levels. Cassie also has a passion for continued learning and has attended countless conferences, seminars, and courses in topics including functional rehabilitation, soft tissue release, manual therapy, and a variety of other assessment and treatment techniques.

In addition to her work, Cassie has also undergone her own physical transformation, losing over 100lbs. Being passionate about health and fitness, she wanted to make sure she was practicing the life she so strongly believed in. She therefore knows the importance of a good fitness program and qualified coaches to help you reach your goals.

View All Articles

Recommended Articles

Invest in your body with smart training.
Your Body Is Your Business: Be the Boss
Hugh Jackman Deadpool 3 Workouts Spring:Winter 2023
Hugh Jackman Returns to Wolverine Condition in Workouts for “Deadpool 3”
Method Man Incline Dumbbell Presses December 2022
Check Out Rapper Method Man Cruising Through 120-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses for 10 Reps
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Leg Workout
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Crushes 5 “Monster Sets” of a Leg Workout

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

Joe Sullivan (100KG) Records All-Time Raw World Record Squat of 386 Kilograms (850.9 Pounds)

Amanda Lawrence (84KG) Breaks Three IPF Raw World Records at 2023 Sheffield Championships

Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, And Other Men’s Open Stars Will Guest Pose at 2023 Pittsburgh Pro

Shaun Clarida Wants To Break Flex Lewis’ 212 Olympia Title Record

Latest Reviews

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

Best Whey Proteins for Packing on Muscle, Shredding Down, Meal Replacement, and More

Best Pre-Workouts for Building Muscle, Running, Taste, and More

Best Home Gym Machines

Best Home Gym Machines

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2023 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About