Recipe of a healthy daily routine

‘Had a great day?’
How many times have you thought or said this to you or someone else? A day becomes great by great moments of experience. Experience will depend on the circumstances and your actions. We have limited control over our circumstances but can have full control over actions. Based on the techniques of yog(a), I wish to suggest some action-items for a daily routine.
Why daily? You may be receiving your pay check weekly/monthly or yearly, but the unit of action is ‘day’. Day is a logical unit of work. After each day’s work we go to sleep/rest and next day starts afresh. A ‘day’ to ‘life’ is like a ‘chapter’ to ‘book’. Any item added to a day’s routine produces tremendous results in long run due to cumulative effect.
On each of the suggested items, you have to just focus. You need not to be perfect or champion for the items suggested here in your daily routine. Nor does the time spent on the activity or the technique used matters. What matters is your satisfaction which is an individual decision. All you have to do is just focus on the activity sincerely and honestly. In long run, by repetitive use, you will gain expertise. You will yourself find the best suited technique and asses the suitable level of performance.
The suggested items are-
EXERCISE Appropriate physical exercise according to your diet, work and environment is an essential part of healthy routine. The advancements in technology have made our lifestyle very comfortable as far as physical activity is concerned. Sparing few minutes from your schedule (preferably early morning or evening time & empty stomach) should not be very difficult even if your schedule is very tight. It’s just a matter of outlook and habit. You need not to necessarily join a gym or fitness program, though beneficial if you can afford. Simple activities like brisk walking, swimming, jogging, jumping, climbing are great exercises. Just find out your natural rhythm, power and stamina and select an activity to increase it regularly.
MEDITATION Most of the time we are ‘in action’. Each piece of action is a small transaction of larger program /consideration / compulsion. The transactions are so fast that generally we are not able to analyze or optimize our actions. When we sleep (the state of minimum activity), we are not aware ourselves.
While in meditation we are in a state of minimum action, yet aware. This gives two fold benefits. Firstly your system is at rest and thus heals / maintained automatically by just being in no load/off line environment. Secondly when mind is not attached to worldly demands you are able to detach yourself from your created personality and able to realize what is the absolute reality rather than perceived image of reality which is projected by the mind. Based on your preferences and personality, you can design your own meditation technique to give rest to mind & body and rejuvenate.
THINKING Most of us think that thinking is not an activity by itself. It’s an ongoing process in our minds which is a natural phenomenon. The question is, ‘can we use this process to our advantage?’ As we do regular exercise with our body, a conscious exercise of the mind is also recommended. For few minutes daily, we can set aside all other activities, sit or lie down and just focus on thinking only. The agenda will be decided by you as you are the sole participant. Some suggestions are, ‘your aim(s), problems, relationships, finances, aspirations, lifestyle etc.
GAME All the work and no play makes James a dull boy so he should play also. Most of our work is formal in nature, be it professional or social. There is very little scope for playfulness. Therefore, it is better to keep aside some time for a playful activity daily. Best is to be with children during this time. Children are always in the state of playing. We can enjoy and learn playing in their company. Otherwise find some of your ‘own type’ and do play a game preferably involving some physical activity.
RECIVE /READ We absorb the details around us by our senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching. Since you are reading this book, I can assume that you can read. Therefore I suggest that reading of few pages on the topic of your interest should be a part of your daily routine. Those of us who are either unable to read or not satisfied with mere reading and want a better multimedia experience should actively devote some time to just focus on receiving details from the environment. The environment can be a closed screen of a movie hall/ computer or an open platform of your life.
EXPRESS /WRITE In our formal and social communication we are not able to express ourselves freely. We need some time in a day to express freely what we feel and think. Writing is a good way of expressing, so try writing a dairy, blog or book. In case you are not very comfortable with writing, find a person, place or platform where you feel free. If you can’t find any of these, find some lonely place and express to yourself whatever you feel like –sing song/crack a joke /cry /laugh /…. The idea is to release and charge up.
GRATITUDE Those who believe in God, should find sometime daily to feel thankful to God for whatever they have got (Best is to remain always in the state of thankfulness). Even if you do not believe in God, say ‘THANKS’ to anything you value/yourself. It is a magic word and if you just say and feel it honestly, your life will begin to transform.
PARTY After a day’s work, you deserve a party. I am not suggesting a formal party with heavy expenditure. Partying means spending some time with your ‘near &dear’, in the state of enjoyment. Use music of your choice as it has got the tremendous healing power.
WINDUP At the end of the day of activities, it is worthwhile to spend some time on analyzing and winding up the main actions taken and planning for the next day.