The benefits of starting small

One small step creates a big impact - and this applies to everything in life. Whether your goal is simply to wake up earlier or exercise more – or perhaps it’s starting your own small business or finding ways to change the world for the better: these things all begin with one small step after another. Whatever your current goals are, we encourage you to dream big but start small. At MitoQ, we’re convinced that this is the perfect recipe for living a full life.

So, if you’ve got some big goals in mind and need a little help trying to figure out how to reach them – keep reading. We’ll introduce you to the art of starting small.

5 ways to start small with your wellbeing goals

#1 design your lifestyle around good health and wellbeing

As the CEO of your health and wellbeing, only you know what works best for you. Take charge of your health by first taking charge of your day-to-day routine. What’s working? Is there anything in your daily or weekly routine that’s hindering your overall wellbeing? Is there room in your routine for 7+ hours of sleep per night? Are you getting enough physical activity? Take a look at your current lifestyle and see if anything needs adjusting.

#2 develop a good sleeping routine

Healthy sleeping habits are foundational to a healthy mind and body. When you get enough sleep, a positive ripple effect occurs. Sleep deprivation has been linked to weight gain, depression, anxiety and a decreased quality of life. If you struggle to wind down at night, a few small steps you can take to improve this include avoiding caffeine in the afternoon/evenings, minimizing artificial light in the lead-up to your bedtime and doing something relaxing each night, like mindfulness meditation, to prepare your mind for sleep.

#3 set realistic fitness goals

While we’d all like to have the time and energy to workout (and look) like a world-class athlete – this isn’t realistic for the majority of us. However, exercise is extremely important for maintaining your health and wellbeing. So, you guessed it, start small. Try to include a mixture of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises in your routine – and gradually work your way toward the World Health Organization’s recommended 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise - or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity – per week.

#4 base your nutrition goals on expert advice

There’s so much nutritional information available that it can be hard to know what to trust. The trick is to listen to the experts (e.g. a qualified dietitian) and use research as your guide. The World Health Organization recommends consuming a diet that is high in fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and wholegrains. Studies have also found a Mediterranean diet to be highly beneficial to health and wellbeing.

#5 manage your stress levels

Stress has been linked to a wide range of health concerns and can impact your nervous system, memory and appetite. So, if your goal is to take better care of your wellbeing, managing stress might be a good place to start. To manage stress, the National Institutes of Health recommends deep breathing, going for walks, writing down your thoughts and, if necessary, seeking help.

4 ways to start small with your career aspirations

#1 take the downtimes

Particularly if you’re a high achiever, keep in mind that your long term career goals will be easier to reach and maintain if you’re working in a sustainable way. Our CEO Mahara Inglis tries to follow the following advice: “the workload varies – it goes up and it goes down. When it goes up, you’re going to have to meet it. If you take the downtimes, then you’re better able to hit the ups. If you fill the down times, you’ll burn yourself out. So, it’s important to find that balance throughout the course of a month or over the course of a year.”

#2 seek out mentors

Our Chief Financial Officer Kate Gardiner's top tip for progressing in your career is to “seek out good mentors and back yourself - especially if you are looking for c-suite level opportunities.” She also recommends being open to giving and receiving feedback, because it will allow you to learn so much faster.

#3 seek out opportunities

Donna Marris, our Business Development Executive, says experience is key: “If you’re just starting out, get as much experience across as many parts of the business as possible. Take all opportunities that come up, even if they may be in parts of the business that you can’t imagine working in long term. Work hard, be available at both ends of the day, if required, and never stop asking questions.”

#4 upskill

“I think every good thing starts with a willingness to get better”, says Zoe Li, MitoQ’s Head of China Sales. “I want to take up every learning opportunity that is presented to me. So, it is so important to stay hungry and stay energized.”

3 ways to start small with your family goal setting

#1 involve your family

This may seem obvious but trying to do it on your own is an all-too-common occurrence. Loop your family in on your goals so that they can find ways to support you and get involved. This might mean asking your siblings to support you in caring for elderly parents, asking your partner to get onboard with a new family routine or involving your kids in your daily exercise routine – enabling you and them to live a healthier day-to-day life.

#2 prioritize

The key to achieving your family goals is to prioritize. Businessman, father and two-time World Masters Games medalist Darragh Walshe explains this perfectly: “I have a wife and three daughters who are very important to me. I have always tried to have a number of elements that are important to me - family, health, sport and work. While there are times when one becomes dominant over the other, the overall aim is for these to be balanced. While my life is about balance, family still takes priority over everything.”

#3 create a reward system

It can be helpful to break big, long term family goals up into small achievable tasks within a set timeframe. To keep you and your family motivated, set up a reward system for every time you complete a task related to your family goals. The reward might be a family movie night, going to a theme park or maybe a much-needed family holiday. Choose a reward that matches the size of the task and will also keep your family motivated to complete the goal.

2 ways to start small with your passion projects

#1 take a look at your schedule

The first step is to dedicate time to your passion project. Take a look at your weekly routine and block out some time – whether it’s 15 minutes or 3 hours – that you will dedicate to your project. Having a weekly passion project timeslot will help you to get the ball rolling and turn your ideas into actionable results.

#2 take small, consistent steps

We recently interviewed Olympic Hall of Fame swimmer Gary Hall Junior on what helps him to achieve big goals. His answer? “Patience is the key. Small steps take us to great places. Consistency, in good times and bad. Place one foot in front of the other and be patient.”

1 way to start small & be at your best

#1 Take MitoQ daily

The truth is, to achieve anything big, you need to start small – very small. You need to start one cell at a time. When your cells are healthy, your mind and body are able to function well. And when they’re functioning well, you’ve got more energy to tackle your goals. But MitoQ isn’t a quick-fix pill. It’s a molecule that your cells need for life. As the natural antioxidants within your cells decline with age and lifestyle disturbances, the need for MitoQ’s game-changing formula becomes increasingly important; it supports healthy aging throughout your life. It’s proven to optimize your trillions of cells: supporting physical excellence, mental clarity and emotional wellbeing. Put simply: it’s a small daily act that can add more life to your years.

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