More than 40 per cent of our actions every day are not decisions but habits. The fact that habits are so integral to our daily lives means that we spend much of our day performing them. Habits are our brains’ way of increasing efficiency. When we first engage in a new behaviour, our brains work hard to process new information. As we understand how a behaviour or action works, it becomes automatic and our mental energy decreases. This frees up our brainpower to take on some more important challenges.
You can take back control of your life by simply adopting new habits. In Tom’s Daily Goals, I have detailed the seven daily habits that I value and nurture myself, and that can easily be incorporated into your day. Time is one of the best ways to trigger new habits, which is why each of my habits is associated with a certain time of day. This will help you to stick to your new routine on a daily basis. These new habits begin with doing ten minutes of yoga and stretching first thing in the morning to energise and awaken the body, through to setting your own bedtime ritual that starts an hour before your intended bedtime, helping you to relax and unwind in order to get a good night’s sleep. As you start to see the rewards, be it a sense of accomplishment after exercise or a feeling of calm at the end of the day, your brain will start to anticipate these and your habits will become more engrained into your life, until they become second nature. Creating a foundation of good habits will benefit your life from today onwards. This isn’t a temporary fix – it’s a new and far more rewarding way of living that will yield great results. Good luck!
Tom Daley
What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you reach for your phone with bleary eyes, stagger to the shower or press the snooze button? One of the best ways to get blood flowing to the whole of your body (including your brain), improve your posture and get your metabolism moving is by practising some yoga, or simply by doing some stretches. I think what we do immediately after we wake up sets the tone for the rest of the day, so it makes sense to make this time positive, balanced and inspiring.
Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to create a unity between mind and body. Many exercise fads come and go but yoga is one that has stood the test of time; it has been around for more than 5,000 years!
There are more than 100 different types of yoga with different emphases; some are more fast-paced and intense, while others focus more on breathing and relaxation, and the intensity of your workout depends on what form you choose. The benefits of yoga are huge and well documented and there is compelling scientific proof that relaxing the mind can heal the body. It is used to increase flexibility and strength, boost immunity, prevent injury, improve balance and posture, build muscle strength, reduce stress and anxiety and improve our mind/body connection.
I first started doing Vinyasa yoga after the 2016 Olympics. When I rocked up at the first class I wasn’t sure what to expect; I thought yoga would be a lazy man’s workout with no real benefit but that’s not the case; yoga really is for everyone of all ages and fitness abilities and can really push you. Vinyasa, which is sometimes referred to as ‘breath-synchronised movement’, focuses on flow and is a style of yoga that is characterised by stringing one pose to another seamlessly, using breath. You perform it at your own pace, moving in and out of postures on each inhalation or exhalation. Being aware of my breathing while I exercise has made me much more conscious of my body and of being present in the moment. I now feel and understand my body better than ever before.
Practising yoga has also really helped with my flexibility and given me more functional movement. This means training your muscles to perform everyday movements more effectively and safely, so you don’t end up with a bad back, for example. By using various muscles throughout the body at the same time, it also emphasises core stability and balance, which allows me to train better. All of these benefits become more important as we get older because our muscles become tighter and shorter as we age; by practising yoga, I hope to stay strong and supple for longer. I want to be the grey-haired pensioner on the diving board!
Whether you practise some moves that you know well, or you follow a book or online routine, ten minutes of yoga poses will set you up for the day. If doing yoga doesn’t appeal, just stretching out your muscles will ensure you get the blood flowing, relieve tension and calm your mind. If you sit at a computer all day, it is easy to develop bad posture as a result of poor thoracic and lumbar (upper- and lower-back) control and tight pecs (chest muscles). By stretching in the morning and taking regular breaks throughout the day you will improve alignment in your back, correct your posture and increase your flexibility.
I have included three workouts (see here) that incorporate a mixture of Pilates and yoga exercises, including one workout for when you first get up in the morning. The wide-ranging benefits of these types of workouts are huge. They will improve your balance, posture, flexibility and range of motion and will strengthen and tone both major muscle groups and smaller ones. What’s more, the mental focus and controlled breathing help to reduce stress and will improve sleep and regulate your mood. These exercises complement all the habits in this book, from helping you to become more mindful and focused, through to boosting your immunity and aiding restful and deep sleep.
My advice is to keep a yoga mat under your bed, so you can just step out of bed, pull it out and start stretching. I guarantee that ten minutes later, you will feel ready to face the day!
IF YOU DO ONE THING …
Incorporate 10 minutes of yoga or stretching into your morning routine to awaken, energise and refresh your body and offset the effects of sitting in an office chair all day.
6 rules to get you into shape
We’ve all been guilty of starting a new exercise regime and becoming frustrated when we don’t see instant results. As well as eating and exercising well, here are a few habits to help you kick-start any new fitness regime.
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Focus on all-body exercise: Yoga is great because it exercises the whole body, but by including full-body exercises, including moves like burpees, squats and press-ups during your more intense HIIT workouts, you train every major muscle group in your body. Also make sure you switch up your exercise, so if you go to the gym, make a point of using the running machine one day, the cross-trainer the next and then the rowing machine, rather than sticking to one exercise machine. You need to challenge your muscles to see results.
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Stop making excuses: From not having the right equipment, to not having enough time, there will always be an excuse not to train. Once you get started you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to form a new exercise habit. If you try to change your mindset, so exercise is not just about going to the gym and can be incorporated into your day – it can be going out for a brisk walk, playing football with friends or cycling to work – this can help.
3
Learn to be present: You must find exercise that you enjoy and discover what it means to be present. For example, when you practise yoga, concentrate on the feelings in your body and your breathing. Really breathe into the muscle or the posture you are working on and feel what is going on inside your body. Don’t think about it but let your mind actually be in that body part or muscle.
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