Finding ‘me’ time is key to success

We all have thousands of different thoughts a day — words, sentences and even images that pop into our heads all the time.

Often, they’re automatic and we do not even realise we are thinking them. Yet they provide an immensely powerful narrative, constantly playing in our heads and profoundly affecting the way we interpret the world around us.

This becomes our ‘default setting’ for how we view the world — a great ally if our thoughts are accurate, realistic and positive, but another story if our thoughts are negative and self-critical.

learning to swap unhelpful thoughts for positive ones can be very good for your health; not only will your mood benefit, making it easier to see things as they really are, but you will naturally learn to make better lifestyle and food choices.

Tapping into the mindset element of the WW Freestyle programme can benefit everyone, whether or not they also want to lose weight, with many tools and techniques for dealing with stress, low self-image and patterns of negative thinking.

LEARN HOW TO SAY ‘NO’

Most of us struggle to find any time for ourselves. With school runs, work, visiting relatives, housework, catching up with friends and paperwork the list of items on your schedule can sometimes seem endless and overwhelming.

But while some things certainly have to be done, it’s easy to lose sight of what is really important.

learning to say ‘No’ and taking some time for yourself might sound impossible — but it’s vital for your long-term health and happiness, not to mention your weight-loss progress.

Carving out ‘me’ time might mean taking up a hobby such as joining a choir or a book group. You might decide to follow up on a New Year’s resolution to do more exercise by scheduling a gym session or a walk in the countryside with a friend. Or perhaps you’d prefer to take an hour on a sunday morning for a leisurely bath and a leaf through some WW (formerly Weight Watchers) cookbooks, to plan delicious recipes that’ll help you feel in control of your food for the week ahead.

PUT A DATE IN YOUR DIARY

WhaTever you decide to do, try to put it in your diary as a proper appointment (perhaps arranging for your partner, a relative or a friend to babysit).

Planning your ‘me’ time in the same way as you would schedule any other commitment makes you more likely to fit it in.

‘Doing something to help you recharge your batteries and focus on yourself will help you feel more energetic and positive about other aspects of life,’ says Zoe Griffiths, head of programme and public health at WW.

‘This won’t just help you to stick to your healthy eating plan but will also give you a fresh perspective on handling day-to-day tasks.’

NOW FOCUS YOUR MIND

ONe scientifically proven way to recharge your batteries and improve your mental outlook is by putting a few moments aside for mindfulness every day.

This mental training practice is a form of meditation that involves focusing your mind on your experience, such as your emotions and thoughts, in the present moment.

By taking your attention away from the everyday chatter of thoughts buzzing around your head, and on to what your body is doing, you give the mind space to quieten and be still.

scientific studies have shown that regularly practising mindfulness meditation can bring a range of health benefits from lessening anxiety to reducing depression and lowering blood pressure.

a meta analysis on the effects of meditation programmes published in JaMa Internal Medicine in 2014 found ‘moderate evidence’ of a lessening of anxiety in 3,515 participants.

and in 2016, a study published in The Journal Of Neuroscience found meditation could help mitigate pain — using a mechanism separate from the body’s natural painkillers.

although this study involved healthy volunteers in a laboratory, other research, published in 2014 in the journal headache, showed that meditation seemed to reduce the length and severity of migraines in participants.

The secret, say mindfulness practitioners, is to do this little and often.

start with as little as three to five minutes, four or five times a week, and you’ll be surprised at how soon you see a difference.

You should find yourself feeling calmer and more focused on your daily life, says suze Yalof schwartz, chief executive and founder of Unplug Meditation.

she explains: ‘at first it will be a battle between thought and focus. Finding the gap between the two is the sweet spot. It gets easier the more often you do it.’

Beginners will find it easier to start with quicker sessions because the mind tends to wander in other directions.

You can practise meditation or mindfulness at your desk in a quiet moment before a meeting; in the car park before the kids come out of school; or on the sofa at home.

You’ll find ideas for mindfulness exercises when you sign up as a WW member, but why not start by trying the simple one in the panel on the far right?