How To Implement Healthy Habits With The 6 Anchor System

In partnership with New Waves

There are many small lifestyle changes you can make today - yes, right now! - that will have a significant impact on your long term physical and mental wellbeing. But with so much info and advice out there it can feel a bit overwhelming and difficult to know where to start. The key is to keep it simple.

The Six Anchor System is a holistic approach to wellbeing that helps you to achieve balance in your life, with room for imperfections and flexibility along the way. Combine this system with a Habit Tracker, which helps you to create, and more importantly stick with healthy habits that start small and build up to increase positive energy in your life.

You can download your Habit Tracker for FREE here and get started with a few healthy habit suggestions from New Waves, based around the Six Anchor System, to create the healthy and balanced lifestyle you want for yourself.

‘When these anchors are looked after we're able to maintain positive energy and stay in good health whatever stormy seas life throws at us.’

Lou, New Waves

1. Food.

When it comes to food and nutrition, it’s all about mindset and balance. It’s more important to ensure you're getting plenty of nutritious, wholesome food in, rather than having a really restrictive diet and worrying about what you should be denying yourself, leading to stress and sometimes even guilt. We don't need to eat a perfect diet to be healthy. Keep your food simple and unprocessed, avoiding complicated rules and restrictions and adopt habits that will help you to make healthier choices that suit you, your body type and your lifestyle. If you need guidance, a Nutrition Coach can help guide you to make informed choices that lead to realistic changes that work for you.

Simple habits for better nutrition.

Include protein, plant or animal based depending on your preference, with every meal.
Try one new, healthy recipe a week.

2. Movement.

Our lifestyles have become much more sedentary in recent years, but our bodies were designed to move and we feel the benefits, both physically and mentally, when we choose to be more active. It’s not about running a marathon - unless you want to - it’s small, regular movements that have the biggest effect on our long term health and wellbeing. There are many ways to build habits into your daily routine to help you move more and feel these benefits.

Simple habits to increase your movement.

Walk to work or to drop off the kids at school.
Take your meeting outside at least once a week with a walking meeting.

3. Sleep.

Sleep doesn’t always come easy and many of us are simply not getting enough of it. We need to give our bodies a chance to repair and recharge, both for our body and our mind. The ripple effects of a consistently poor sleep pattern can have a significant effect on all the other Anchors and can increase your risk of long term health problems. But the good news is that just a few simple changes to your sleep hygiene routine can have a lasting impact. Set yourself up for success with these habits.

Simple habits to improve your sleep.

Switch off from your screens an hour before bed.
Avoid caffeine, in it's many forms, from the afternoon onwards.

4. Relaxation.

Feeling stressed has become such a common part of everyday life for many people, with pressures coming at us from all angles. It’s true that a certain level of stress can be a positive thing but when left to build it can cause us to live in a constant low level stressed state without us even realising it. With stress being a common factor behind many illnesses, it’s important that we learn to manage it and carve out some time each day to relax.

Simple habits to help you relax.

Meditate for 10 minutes each morning.
Do something every day that brings you joy, no matter how small.

5. Connection.

Loneliness affects most of us at some point in our lives, regardless of whether you’re young or old, single or in a relationship. It's true that modern technology helps us to stay more connected in many ways, but at the same time, as a society many of us have never felt so disconnected to others. It’s really important to our wellebing that we stay connected to ourselves first and foremost, by staying true to our values and remebering who we are at our core and what brings us joy, This helps us to form and keep meaningful connections with other like minded people.

Simple habits to help you connect.

Reflect on your thoughts and feelings by journaling regularly.
Reach out for a chat with a friend or family member, or spend quality time together in person if possible.

6. Nature.

Spending time in nature instinctively makes you feel calmer and more connected to the world around you. There are numerous studies that being outdoors can reduce your stress levels, improve your physical health and generally make you feel better, mentally and emotionally. Whether you choose to potter in your garden, hike along the coast or swim in the sea, the simple act of getting outside for some fresh air can leave you with an increased sense of belonging, expanding your perspective about yourself and the world around you.

Simple habits to help you spend time in nature.

Go for a walk every day - short or long, it’s all good, or take your exercise routine outdoors.
Take in a minimum of 20 minutes of natural daylight every morning, observing the natural world around you.

Don’t forget to download your New Waves Habit Tracker for free here.

About New Waves

New Waves founder Lou Critchlow is a qualified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Advisor & Wellness Coach. She helps busy women to make positive changes in their life by adopting sustainable habits, resulting in energy in body and mind. Lou offers Personal Training and 1:1 Wellness Coaching sessions, as well as online programmes. She will work with you to simplify things and find out what’s really holding you back, so you can start living the life you want.

If you're interested in working with Lou, book in for a free no pressure chat here.