One of the most important things we can do for ourselves is create a daily habit of self-renewal. This habit will give us the ability to face each new day with excitement and vibrant energy. Without this habit we can find ourselves feeling empty, used up, and unproductive. Stephen Covey calls this habit “sharpening the saw.” He says when we take time to sharpen the saw, we are preserving and enhancing our greatest asset - ourselves. He recommends we do something each day to increase our capacity in the following areas: physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and social. Below is a brief discussion of each of these areas:
Physical
If we want to function at our best, we need to take care of our physical health and wellbeing. Caring for our bodies gives us the vigor and strength needed to take on life’s demands. It increases our capacity to work and allows us to better enjoy life. At a minimum we should make time to exercise, eat nutritiously, and get adequate sleep each night.
Spiritual
Nurturing our spiritually draws us nearer to God and helps us live a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life. It strengthens our commitment to live our values and centers us on what is most important. We can grow spiritually as we take time daily to study the scriptures, pray, and ponder on those things that matter most. We can also attend religious services, journal, spend time in nature, attend the temple, and more.
Mental
Most of our mental development comes through formal education. However, continued mental growth can come through reading great books, listening to educational podcasts, taking online courses, learning new skills, writing, etc. Attending to our mental wellbeing will not only help us to stay current in our jobs but will also keep our minds active and enrich our lives.
Emotional
Caring for our emotional wellbeing enhances our ability to successful handle life’s challenges and adapt to change. Emotional wellbeing can be strengthened by taking time each day to meditate, keep a gratitude journal, do deep breathing, or practice relaxation exercises. We need to give ourselves a few minutes each day away from the worry, stress, and overload we often feel.
Social
It is helpful to focus some time each day to strengthening our relationships. We can do this by learning how to improve interpersonal skills, leadership, communication, and more and then putting those skills into action. We can also grow socially by participating in service or volunteer work, joining a sports team or meet-up group, writing letters to loved ones, eating dinner with family, grabbing lunch with friends, and so on.
Taking time for daily renewal enriches our lives and help us avoid mediocracy, apathy, and burn out. Stephen Covey said, “Renewal is the principle – and the process – that empowers us to move on an upward spiral of growth and change, of continuous improvement.”