daily rituals

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Through the course of your life, more and more responsibilities come your way. Whether the stresses of these responsibilities are due to your professional life, personal affairs, financial obligations or daily hassles, losing track of what’s going on around you is easy to do. When life takes a whirlwind pace and you feel things have gotten out of control, it’s time to take the bull by the horns. But how do you do that? When you’re in the thick of things it may seem impossible to regain control, but this is precisely the time to take some initiative and lay out daily routines to help balance out your hectic lifestyle. In addition to providing a daily dose of sanity, there are numerous other advantages in adopting personal rituals. Try one of these and reap the benefits. Read before bed After a long day filled with stressful situations and predicaments, we often replay the day’s stresses in our minds before calling it a night. Separating your moment of rest from your daily activities with a simple relaxing routine can set the right tone for a good night’s sleep. Reading before bed is an excellent method to achieve that separation. The act of picking up some reading material before calling it a night is a great way to step back for a moment and dive into a zone of complete relaxation. Apart from setting the right mood for a good night’s sleep, reading a book has other advantages: It enriches you with a greater vocabulary and a greater knowledge base -- if you can handle the heavier stuff before sleep. You don’t have to read Dickens to help you relax before sleeping though; if you prefer comics, go for it. Morning stretch It can be tough to get a good stretch at the office -- unless your office is a gym. That is precisely why the morning is the best time to do it. The benefits of stretching go far beyond the improvement in your flexibility. Here are just a few reasons you should consider adopting a regular stretching routine: * Stretching decreases the risk of injury. * Stretching reduces muscle tension. * Stretching reduces stress and anxiety. * Stretching improves mental alertness. * Stretching improves circulation. A good stretch per day also helps you mentally tune into yourself by offering the same advantages as meditation. Also, the act of practicing your breathing techniques and focusing on your movement is very similar to yoga. In the end, you’ll feel more focused and ultimately feel better all around.