19 Dec 2023
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By Dr. Ross Walker
As the year winds down, the familiar wave of burnout washes over everyone, and minds naturally drift towards the upcoming Christmas break. Although Christmas should symbolize a period of rest, reflection, and rejuvenation; it often transforms into a season of extreme overindulging.
Rather than consciously proceeding into the traditional Christmas pitfalls, such as weight gain, New Year’s hangovers, and failed resolutions; instead consider a more proactive approach. Seize the opportunity to turn your Christmas break into a fresh start by embracing my 5 Point Power Plan:
- Decision
- Correct your limiting patterns
- Create a new pattern
- Train the habit
- Live the program
Decide what life habits you want to break, and which ones are not working for you. A very good start here is to create a journal or a diary where you write in decreasing order of importance your life goals for the coming year including the list of bad habits that are not serving you well and those you wish to change.
What is stopping you right now from not making these changes? For instance, if you’re trying to quit smoking, although attend the pub with friends every Friday, that routine might undermine your efforts – consider updating such patterns. Another common challenge is comfort eating. Alternatively, embrace recent daylight savings as a chance to swap unnecessary snacks for a refreshing walk. Small adjustments are significant to paving the way to big transformations.
When you quit a bad habit that’s taken up a lot of your time – like overeating, drinking, or smoking – its crucial to fill that void with a better, healthier habit. The greatest example of this I have witnessed in my practice was a patient of mine who was a heavy drinker, consuming excessive amounts of alcohol daily, this led to a severe dilated cardiomyopathy. Upon my advice, he decided to quit alcohol and developed an interest in Egyptology. He redirected the money he used to spend on drinks into a savings account, eventually affording a journey that steered himself to Egypt and normalizing his severe heart condition.
Forming a new habit takes discipline. You must discipline yourself for an entire month for this new habit to be trained and associated to your life. It is also important, to associate rewards to help reinforce your new habit. For instance, during a knee injury I substituted soccer and squash with a less rigorous form of exercise – an exercise bike. Notably, my reward was to simultaneously watch enjoyable TV series whilst exercising to help associate pleasure with my new habit, rather than boredom of 45-minute cycling. I am delighted to say that I have already worn out three exercise bikes through excessive use and engagement with “The West Wing” and am currently on my fourth bike, approaching number five.
Several years ago, I wrote a book “Diets Don’t Work”. The reason diets don’t work is that you go on a diet in the same way as you go on a holiday – both have an endpoint, allowing old habits to resurface (this flaw is not limited to also include 12-week programs). The key is to establish lasting, healthy habits that become permanently ingrained in your life. It’s about adopting a mindset where you no longer rely on monumental decisions but instead committing to the 30-40 small decisions throughout everyday life. Whether it’s opting for the stairs over the escalators or skipping your dessert following dinner on occasion. The way we approach these split-second decisions may contribute significantly to your overall health and happiness.
No reason to wait until the new year for your resolutions. Why not start right now before the (often bad) habits of the Christmas break take control.
As for all things relating to your health speak with your GP or a relevant medical professional. For all your financial health contact PSK on (02) 8365 8300 or visit psk.com.au
General Advice Warning - Any advice included in this article has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on the advice, you should consider whether it’s appropriate to you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs.
