As you declutter your life, you'll have more time and space to discover your priorities and your passions. Start decluttering these four areas of your life to make positive, long-term changes:

1. Your schedule.

Learning to say "no" is essential to changing your life for the better. Start saying no to activities that aren't important to you or you dread doing. I can't stress this enough. You are either using your time to build the life of your dreams or to build someone's else's dreams...it's…

A regular physical activity routine such as brisk walking helps to --

• Control body weight.
• Improve mood and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Reduce high cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Keep bones and muscles strong.
• Reduce risk of diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
• Increase your life expectancy.

You just need to:

1. Get started. Get a comfortable pair of walking shoes and then keep your shoes at work or in the car. Start slowly to avoid stiff…

"Much of what we think will improve our wellbeing is either misguided or just plain wrong." So begins the new book, "Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements," by Tom Rath and Jim Harter, Ph.D. 

As Harter and Rath discovered - through thorough review of decades of scientific research and a comprehensive global study of more than 150 countries, which gave them insights into the wellbeing of more than 98 percent of the world's population - most people don't know what's good for them.

Most of us…

Discourteous and rude behaviors, such as making derogatory remarks, ignoring co-workers, and using condescending tone, are examples of incivility at work. These behaviors have grown worse in the past ten years. Being victimized by uncivil behavior places you at risk of "paying it forward" - that is, also participating in these behaviors. The earlier in the day incivility occurs, the more likely it is passed along. Incivility causes victims to lose attention at work and expend emotional energy,…

Seventy-five percent of adults have reported experiencing sleep problems at least a few nights a week or more within the past year. This continues a nearly 20-year upward trend of a number of adults reporting sleep problems. See your doctor about persistent sleep troubles. Evaluate whether the following suggestions from National Institutes of Health can aid you in getting more quality sleep: 1) Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. 2) Don't sleep in on weekends. Keep your weekday…

De-stressing life is taking action to reduce the impact of stress following a period of continual tension, typically associated with being at work. There are many ways to de-stress, but combination different de-stressing goals together or in sequence may have a beneficial and compounding effect. See how many of these eight "de-stress dimensions" you can experience at the end of your day.  1) Get physical - participate in aerobic exercise. 2) Socialize with others who share the same stress 3)…

Postpartum mood disorders are not uncommon after having a baby, affecting one in eight woman. They generally fall into three groups: the blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis (which is rare). Know the symptoms and talk to your health care provider if you notice any of the following: crying more than usual, feelings of anger, feeling overwhelmed, sleep problems, wanting to isolate yourself from loved ones, feeling disconnected  from your baby, worry that you will hurt your baby,…

One important stress management technique is detachment, which helps build resilience. An example is taking a vacation. One powerful and healthy way to detach that you may not have heard of is "flow activity." A flow activity is any activity such as gardening, painting, reading for pleasure, needlework, or dancing that can absorb your complete attention in a meaningful, goal-directed, pleasurable, and completely distracting way. When you are busy and under stress, it's easy to fall into an…

Fifteen to 20 percent of adults report high job stress, but these same employees are less likely to participate in wellness programs. It appears that the more stress you face, the more at-risk you might be to neglect healthy countermeasures. High stress affects physical health, mental health, eating habits, and how you perceive your overall health. Avoid the downward spiral to ill health. Seek inspiration to become proactive in wellness. Experiencing high job stress? Don't wait to "feel like…