Living At My Own Pace: How It Helps Me Renew My Body, Mind and Heart

Written By: Vivian Benjamin

The world celebrates squeezing more into the day. The environment we live in currently promotes a busy life. We are encouraged to wake up early, accomplish more, move faster, answer messages immediately and somehow fit another ten things into a day that already feels full. Even our moments of rest or during break time can become something to optimise. On the other hand, the world also tells us that renewal can happen during holidays, retreats, detoxes or new routines. But renewal actually begins with how we move through an ordinary day or time, not just a specific time or day like during vacations.
 



I never liked squeezing more into a day. I chose a different rhythm. I prefer leaving room in it. I like waking up early, not because I want to rush into productivity, but because I want to give myself time. I would rather wake at 4 a.m. and enjoy a slow morning than wake later and spend the first hour of my day racing against the clock. I don't like eating breakfast on the go or drinking my coffee while hurriedly making my way out of the door. I like sitting down, eating properly and allowing the morning to unfold. My daily habits are simple and some of them are perhaps a little unconventional or would definitely raise eyebrows.



But they give me something I value enormously: space. Space for my body to be nourished. Space for my mind to breathe. Space for little moments of laughter. Space to notice how I am feeling. And space at the end of the day to let go of what no longer needs to follow me into tomorrow - technically I forget about it/delete it from my brain. That helps me to renew my body, mind and heart each day. For me, renewal isn't about completely escaping everyday life. It is about creating an everyday life that gives my body, mind and heart opportunities to rejuvenate and reconnect.




Morning – setting the tone.

Mornings are an important part of my life. I start my morning by stretching my limbs and body to encourage blood circulation. A 10-minute stretch is more than enough unless you prefer longer. I also drink 1 cup of plain warm water before breakfast. Drinking water in the morning refreshes my mind, so I can start my day positively. Similarly, it is vital to have a balanced and healthy diet and I always go for a full course meal of rice, vegetables and meat or fish along with my coffee. I never go out on an empty stomach – it's non-negotiable for me.



While having my breakfast, I also watch Japanese anime. I know some health professionals or mindful living practitioners have advised trying not to eat while watching TV, but I disagree. I always make sure I eat while watching something and I also consciously make sure I chew my food and always take at least 20-30 minutes to finish my meal. Then comes my most favourite part – I look out the windows to admire the moon and stars – technically I just look at them without thinking about anything for a period of time. I like to call it moon and stars bathing. If there isn’t a moon or stars outside or if it's snowing or raining, I also just practice the same action, as this helps me connect with nature.



After the morning clears a bit, I water my plants while talking to them, which is another morning routine that helps me spend more time with nature, subsequently renewing my body, mind and heart before I set the tone for the day. There is one thing I never do every morning – “rushing”. I never rush and always allow plenty of time to do things. While some people may think it’s a waste of time I think that by not protecting your space or your time, you actually lose the most valuable thing in your life. Time lost can never be regained. 




Afternoon – protecting my energy.

Afternoons are essential to protect my energy throughout the day. I take nutrition and hydration very seriously. I drink plenty of plain warm water and always make sure I measure my water intake. There are plenty of recommendations out there for the amount of water women or men need, but we mustn’t forget each of us is different and our body knows what we need, so we must learn how to listen to what the body says. And when you drink lots of water, you must relieve yourself.



In my days of working in the hospital, I’ve encountered many health professionals who drink plenty but are unable to go to the toilet; as a result, they withhold themselves and end up getting ill. I chose a different pathway and I will never let time, work or rules dictate my health but I will take control of my life and do what is necessary to protect my health and space.



Break time is a time to recharge but unfortunately the break room will always be crowded and noisy but that shouldn’t stop you from recharging your mind as you can always keep to yourself or do what you like to refresh. You shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting solitude during your break. I always keep to myself as that is my personal space and a space where I respect myself to slow down and rejuvenate. There is plenty of time to communicate with colleagues while working and not necessarily during break time. At times, if I do need absolute quietness, I go out to engage with nature and if there isn’t a place like that, I just look at the phone for some funny Japanese anime videos to make me laugh.



I practice mental reset during work time, where I totally focus and delete other stuff unrelated to work and sensory perception is my strength. I look, listen and feel when I perform my task so as not to miss anything – crucial when working in a hospital as you deal with human lives.  I always work smart and strive to finish work on time. Never have I worked 1 minute late in my career. I see some of my colleagues unable to say no and end up working overtime and going home late. Humans tend to pile more work and lose their personal life just to perform and achieve. That work ethic is never in my dictionary. Don’t get me wrong as teamwork is vital but being unable to say no is destructive to the body, mind and heart. I don't believe working well means allowing work to consume every part of my life.




Night – closing the day.

Nighttime is a time to reflect, restore and prepare myself to rest. Because no matter how the day unfolds, life is always full of ups and downs and never easy. Life is always full of laughter and tears. So, we ought to make life more comfortable for us. I think at night we should put everything to a stop and nourish the body, mind and heart so we can wake up for another battle of the day.



I always have my meals and plain warm water strictly 2 hours before shower. The reason I do that is to allow my food to get digested properly and so I won't have to wake up during the night for toilet time. This allows me to have undisturbed sleep throughout the night. As usual, I watch my Japanese anime while eating as it helps me to wind down. Besides that, I spend time with family and do things together such as reading a book. I also practice mental reset where I forget/delete everything about work.



I also set a specific ringtone for immediate family and other than that I ignore every call or message that I get, as nighttime is not a time to be achieving, producing or getting tangled with unnecessary emotions. Maybe that’s why ignorance was identified as a bliss. Reflection is an important part of my night routine as I’m grateful to have the chance to rectify any mistakes I made or continue doing what makes me happy. I don’t spend hours reflecting as this may lead to overthinking.



I also write down important to-do lists to prepare for the next day. After showering, I tend to do some back, knee and leg stretches to ease musculoskeletal pain. Furthermore, I always do breathing exercises as it helps me relax the mind and regulate energy levels, therefore promoting a good 8 -9 hours of sleep, which is another non-negotiable thing for me.









All in All
The modern world and the modern life we live in have normalised rushing. Rushing to eat, rushing to shower, rushing to places and rushing to achieve more in 1 day. We are ingrained to think that getting up early is valuable only when it's used to maximise productivity or achieve more work. Nowadays, even the work time has increased to 9, 10 or 12 hours a day and we are spending more time at work than spending time with ourselves or family.




Why have we decided that sacrificing ourselves is evidence that we work hard? Why do we feel that an evening must still be productive? Why do we feel guilty for doing nothing? Why do we take tomorrow's workload into tonight? A good worker can be committed without being consumed. Similarly, being productive doesn't require sacrificing personal life. Likewise, boundaries aren't evidence of laziness or lack of commitment.



Perhaps it's time to reconsider what we are doing with our finite resource: time. Maybe it's time to reframe your thoughts about schedules, conventions, expectations and rules that consume your space, your time and ultimately – yourself.
​









References
1. Voglino G. et al (2022); How the reduction of working hours could influence health outcomes: a systematic review of published
   studies; British Medical Journal; 12(4): e051131.

2. Fan W. et al (2025); Work time reduction via a 4-day workweek finds improvements in workers' well-being; Nature Human
    Behaviour; 9(10): 2153-2168.

3. Utzet M. et al (2026); Exploring the health and well-being benefits of reduced working hours with maintained salary: A scoping
    review and evidence map; Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health; 52(2); 125-138.


​