Who remembers the battery testers that used to come with every package of batteries? (Full disclosure: we use rechargeables and haven’t put nose-to-the-ground to investigate if these are still maybe a thing??) If you don’t know what we mean, they were a plastic encasement you would hold a battery in, with “+” and “–“ aligned to the matching sides, and watch a colour indicator bar to tell how much charge was left. A lot simpler than A: running out of charge and being unprepared, or B: licking it. (Or getting your friend to – we don’t judge!)

We are going out on a limb here, but we are going to make you the battery in this scenario. While there are some pretty impressive gadgets and devices that can help with this task (i.e. One of our staffers swears by Garmin VivoSmart 4, which literally tells you your “Body Battery Charge”), when’s the last time YOU checked your “charge”?

i.e. – When’s the last time you took a proper moment for yourself, stepped back and observed your habits and day-to-day activities to acknowledge what resonates with who you are now, what is adding value and health to your life, “charging you up”, and what drains you faster than expired rechargeables in a PlayStation remote? 

It’s easy to get so caught up in responsibilities, obligations, distractions, and the general hamster wheel of life that you lose touch with who YOU are, in the middle of all the fray.

Gentlemen, if this sounds familiar – carve out a minute for yourself, and take this re-centering quiz, top to bottom. Track your scores on a scrap of paper, or print this quiz to fill out your scores.

You may need to stretch your imagination to make some of the statements apply to you, depending on your current family, financial or health situation.

Rate your response to the following statements in this 6 part quiz, and tally your points for each section:

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

 0 = No/Never, 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Yes, Always

Well, how’d ya do?

If you got less than 10 in any section -> pick a “TO-DO” from the corresponding TOOL KIT provided below. It’s time to put yourself first, for a minimum of 1 hour a day. If you don’t take some time to start working on your own “charge”, you are going to hit some serious burnout and alllll areas of your life will suffer.

DOCTORS ORDERS*! (*DISCLAIMER: NOT A DOCTOR)

MENTAL WELLNESS TOOL KIT

• ➕ Get learning. Sign up for a class! A monthly subscription to Skillshare, a yearlong learning commitment with a Masterclass, or even just streaming some Ted Talks, or whatever catches your interest… get inspired – daily! (Bonus tip? Streaming a podcast on a walk = 2 birds with one stone!)

• ➕ Get busy. If you don’t do well alone, practice can make perfect (or as least “better”) … find an activity you can do alone that isn’t escaping into the tv or gaming. Try tossing cards into a hat, learning something new (see above), getting into a hobby.
• ➕ Pick up some mental health tricks. Tools exist to help you deal with stress. Acquiring some into the old toolbox is an essential for when stressors get overwhelming. These can include breathing techniques, list making, letter writing (to yourself, or to your stress), talking it out with a friend or therapist, short (2 to 5 mins) intense physical activity to blow off negative energy (running up and down stairs works great!) and definitely scheduling in more breaks and down time. Learning these mechanisms can prevent long term, system wide damage. Here’s another bonus tip: curate your social feeds! Mental health can be greatly affected by social media. For example – did you join a local “rant & rave” group and it dominates your feed with complaining miserable people? UNJOIN IT! Now! Life is too short to get caught up in the issues of strangers… these things are toxins for your mind.
• ➕ Set goals. Not feeling too optimistic about the future? Get clear on some goals, what baby steps you can take to achieve them, and start taking your life into your own hands!
• ➕ Practice sharing your feelings. If you struggle with expressing your feelings, try writing them down first. Sounds silly, but try saying them to yourself in a mirror. Becoming really familiar and clear with yourself can make it easier when it’s time to put it all on the table.

• ➕ Meditate. Start with at least 10 minutes a day. A great free resource for guided meditation to help get you started? “Insight Timer” app… take some time to explore the offerings to find someone who’s voice and message hits the spot for you. *Pro Tip – “meditation” can also be in movement – aim for that sweet connection on a walk or a run… or while stretching!
  
• ➕ Practice gratitude. We know, cheese louise. But, taking time once a day to reflect on something that makes you feel grateful to be alive… i.e. the great morning run, your kids being healthy, the nice convo with the co-worker in the elevator… these little things add up to bring more satisfaction to your every day. Don’t let them pass you by!
• ➕ Take care of yourself. Are you always worrying about others? Having a hard time finding the balance between work, familial obligations and trying to fit time in for you? Sometimes you have to schedule it!! Put it on your calendar and do ANY of the things from this list.
• ➕ What’s the point of it all? Good question. Let’s just go with the assumption that the point is to live your best life, be your best self, and enjoy every step along the way… raising the energetic vibration of the planet! No feat for one person alone, but again, doing the things on this list can help you get to a place where you feel more satisfaction and point-full-ness in every day.

• ➕ Plan your meals. Eat your veg. Eat a rainbow, as they say. Ensuring you eat a variety of fruits and veg DAILY allows your body to function at a higher level of performance. What are we without our health? *Pro Tip – start your day with a smoothie including all the veg, fruit and plant protein you can cram in there… doesn’t mean you can eat crap for the rest of your meals, but at least you have some basics covered! Speaking of…
• ➕ Cut out the crap. Don’t eat, drink or smoke crap! Find your new fave “guilty indulgences” that aren’t so guilty at all, and it makes this much easier. Spend a night googling ideas of foods that are healthy versions of your favourites so you can start adding them into your repertoire.
• ➕ Take a daily walk. It can be 10 minutes! But an hour is better. This is the easiest way to burn some calories, get your blood pumping and appreciate some outdoors – also a good time to clear your head, do some thinking, listen to podcasts, the benefits are plenty! Put on some shoes and head out the door, the rest is easy!
• ➕ Workout weekly. 3x a week is great! Free weights or your own body weight will do. Use an app, there are so many great options out there (we like “Seconds Pro”) to set timers for your favourite moves and hit play on it once a day. It will give you countdown prompts and keep you on track… make sure to include weighted moves for each body part, and setting up different routines for different days ensures you hit all the spots.
• ➕ Drink water. Just choke it back. Your body needs hydration to work, yo!
• ➕ Get sleep. Physically get into bed early – have a shower first to wash off the day, read til you’re tired. The practice of getting into bed early can also give you some peaceful down time before you dose off! Have a hard time sleeping? Increasing your daily physical activity can help, and obviously things like forgoing the afternoon caffeine.
• ➕ TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL DOCTOR. This is so important! Especially for men. Whether you feel in fine form or not, schedule a standing annual physical with your GP, they send you a reminder, you go in, done. In the meantime, pay attention to the things that are bothering you – and we mean things like stomach cramps, not your wife’s pissy cat. Awareness is the first step and helps when you only have a short appt with the Doctor. There are so. many. stats. about men NOT getting screened in time and finding out TOO LATE about cancers or other diseases. Just SCHEDULE A PHYSICAL! Recommended sites to check out:
• Canada: Men’s Health Check: https://menshealthfoundation.ca/mens-health-check/
• USA: Cancer & Men: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/cancerandmen/index.htm

• ➕ Go outside. Fresh air, nature, animals (even if it’s just pigeons)… the scents of seasons changing alone can elevate your mood and energy. You are an animal after all!
• ➕ Clean up. Get a plant, a dehumidifier, a maid, whatever it takes to make the air you breathe healthier for you.
• ➕ Appreciate what you have. You may not be surrounded by things you love, but there must be things you have that you do love! Take a minute to recognize what they are, and place them in a way that you can see them often. And if there are things you really dislike with a passion, even if gifted to you by someone whose feelings you don’t want to hurt, you have our permission to pass them along – now!
• ➕ Make yourself a space. A man cave, a lion’s den – find a spot and make it your own. Get rid of clutter and noise, make it comfortable for YOU. Even if just for the odd hours a day you can claim it as your own – everyone needs a happy place. Noise distractions got you down? Get some noise cancelling earphones or headphones, or a noise machine like a small fountain, or even just white noise from a playlist on your phone.
• ➕ Use toxin-free products. Wellness for you, both physically and mentally, but also for the environment you are in, and the planet as a whole — Live for Tomorrow is very proud to offer some great options here for all your cleaning needs: www.LFTBrands.com

• ➕ Reach out to old buddies. Sometimes life gets in the way of connecting with people you have shared history with – work and family life take up a lot of your time! Staying in touch with friends is an essential part of retaining your identity and stimulating connections. Put it on your schedule.
• ➕ Join a club. This is a little more difficult for men – it seems most clubs are aimed at women – ie. Knitting clubs, cooking clubs, book clubs… but joining a gym, a golf club, or even lawn bowling can do the job. Finding a club that allows connection with peers on intellectual or physical levels is vital for mental well-being. The benefits include meeting new people, enjoying a new pastime and allowing you downtime.
• ➕ Attend events. In the same vein as joining a club, finding events that pique your interest, and attending them regularly, can do wonders for your social AND intellectual wellness. Interested in the arts? Find a local open mic, comedy night, gallery night, spoken word, visiting lectures. Enjoy causal competition? Join a local weekly poker night or pool or dart tournament – there is much to explore in live events even in Covid times, even if they end up being virtual. Becoming a regular can enable you to meet more people, and just maybe. . . friends?
• ➕ Connect with family. (This can be friends you identify as family.) Keeping these connections active results in a support network for trying times – and who better than people you already have strong connections/lifetime memories with, even though you may not always see eye to eye. *Just remember – this is a 2-way street and sometimes you have to bend…
• ➕ Offer to help. It’s hard going it alone. If you see a friend or family members struggle in some area of their life, a kindness from you can take very little time, but lead to a greatly deepened connection and gratitude.
• ➕ Volunteer. It can be once a month or even once or twice a year! Choosing an organization to volunteer with can add a level of richness to your life you didn’t know was missing. An Immigrant society, Big Brothers, animal shelter, environmental clean-up, Kinsmen or Legion – or something in your skillset – music lessons, accounting support, networking, food prep – find something in your area that strikes a chord. Try a variety ‘til you find something that fits.

• ➕ Appreciate your coworkers. If you aren’t feeling appreciated, it might help to compliment your coworkers on their strengths… this can prompt more awareness in general of each other’s habits and grow to mutual respect.
• ➕ Get clear on what you want. If you aren’t getting satisfaction from your job it’s time to take a long hard look at why not, and what you can do about it. Communication? Wage? Once you get clear on your needs, if your workplace doesn’t have an HR department, there are plenty of free resources online to assist you in having conversations with employers.
• ➕ Learn Time Management. If your workload is too overwhelming, it’s time for a break. Step back and look at how you can manage time better, delegate, postpone, or otherwise break down tasks into something more manageable.
• ➕ Life Goal Assessment. Take some time to get clear on what you really want to offer the world. Is your career choice allowing this to happen? Priorities and personalities shift and grow with time. We recommend checking in with yourself annually on this, as there might be a better suited opportunity for you in this one sweet life.

• ➕ Budget! Take a tally of your monthly expenses – everything from rent or mortgage and insurances, to electricity and food costs, and of course, existing debt payments… aka credit card, student loans, etc. Then take a separate tally of “fun money” expenses – i.e. Netflix, nights out, etc. Some people track every penny they spend for an average of 3 months to come up with these totals, but even a rough estimate will do! This process can give you an idea of how much you have to play-with or save-with each month, let’s hope there is some leftover! Doing this one (hard) thing can: ensure you have money allocated for life, fun and then some! This may help alleviate some financial stress, as there is power in knowledge, or provide clarity on other life choices you might want to introduce… i.e. time for a side hustle?

We hope taking the time for this check-in with yourself pays off by giving you some good incentive and inspiration to recharge!

Be sure to share with your buddies, bros, husbands, S.O.’s….

Bookmark this post (or print it) to use it as a monthly check-in check list!

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