We all want to live well, be healthy and enjoy our days. It’s an obvious thing to strive for and sounds simple enough, but is it that simple to achieve? It could well be.
It’s all about those little things, daily habits, that give your weeks a framework, irrespective of how busy you are or where you are.
These are the sorts of habits that anyone can adopt.
You might look at these suggestions and can already tick off loads of them, in which case, just pick a couple more. If none of these ring true for you, then adopting them all at once will be overwhelming, so choose just one or two that you feel will make a impact or that you think you can fit in most easily first.
Over time, these are the kind of things that become habits, so will be second nature to you. Habit stacking will be key for you here. Once they feel like they are just something that you do, without finding it to be a huge effort to either remember or motivate yourself to do, you know you can throw in extra things to try.
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Drink water
We know this one! But do we all do it?!
To ensure you can get enough in throughout the day, you’ll need to start this one in the morning and then keep on sipping throughout the day. A couple of litres is enough, and herbal teas and other hydrating drinks count.
Perhaps to get you started and committed to this one, treat yourself to a huge cup that everyone seems to be sipping from these days.
Remind yourself by tracking it in your journal, on your phone, on your smartwatch, whatever works for you.
Step away from your phone
Doom scrolling through our phones is never a good way to spend time, and our phones constantly steal our attention and distract us.
Make it a habit to leave your phone out of your bedroom so that it’s not the first and last thing you look at each day, and then create moments when it’s not distracting you.
This book on breaking up with your phone is an interesting and balanced read. It acknowledges how useful phones are to us, but also shares how much they can negatively impact on our lives, along with tips and techniques to improve our relationship with them.
Create a skincare routine
Skin care is just that, taking care of your skin, your biggest organ.
It’s not primarily about appearance, though of course that’s a part of it, it is about looking after yourself physically and then the mental boost that that gives you.
I shared skincare basics for complete beginners a few years ago if this is all new to you, or pick up a great skincare book if this is an area you’re keen to work on.
You’ll find that starting small and adjusting to new routines will help this habit to stick.
Move your body
Just move, in any way that you enjoy.
We are not designed to be sedentary, so move as often as you can and in any way that you can.
Walk and get those steps in, strength train a few times a week, jump and lunge around when you have a couple of minutes, dance around the kitchen with your family, stretch your body and relax when you need to.
I shared exercise that’s easy to fit in with your life recently with a few tips.
Consciously nourish your body
Nutrition isn’t about dieting or weight loss, though that can get entangled with them, it’s about feeding your body the nutrients it needs to be healthy and functional.
If you’re feeding yourself, think about the nutrients you are choosing to ingest and aim to hit those recommended levels of fibre, protein and minerals and vitamins.
You could shoot for 30 different plants a week, and go from there. If you’re currently only at 10, go for 15 and build up, and so on. Small, manageable changes are likely to be sustainable.
Calm your mind
In whatever way that works for you. A calm mind reduces your stress levels, improves your empathy and boosts your mood.
Reading, journaling, a meditation app, yoga, deep breathing, walking, sitting in nature, jigsaws, colouring, cuddling your kids, and of course, getting plenty of rest and sleep.
This one is so often overlooked, as we are constantly reminded to be busy and productive, and do feel like we have a million things to do.
Try a few mindfulness activities and choose something that you feel you can incorporate into your days.
Stay organised
Clutter everywhere can make it hard to focus. Clutter in your mind can make it difficult to cut through and make sense of things.
Keep things tidy, invest it whatever organisation tools you feel you need, and use them consistently.
Disorganisation can waste your time and more importantly, it can lead to stress and disarray.
If this one is going to be your focus, think about how to be more organised and start making small changes and building habits to help yourself.
Get outside
Even when it’s winter! This one might be ticked off with ‘move your body’ too, so two birds one stone!
A little time outside, fresh air, sunshine when it makes an appearance, are all great for our mental and physical health.
Find a habit that gets you outside each day, even if only ten to fifteen minutes, and see how it makes you feel.
Connect with others
This one is so often overlooked, in a society where we can stay home, use our phones, order online and so forth. We could completely disconnect.
Connecting isn’t liking an Instagram post or messaging in a Facebook group, it’s smiling at a dog walker as you pass by, it’s holding the door open for someone at the shops, and of course it’s talking to or spending time with family and friends.
Give a friend a call or pop a catch up with them into your diary.
Treat yourself kindly
The one that we’re probably the worst at.
We know to treat others kindly, but do we always give ourselves the same grace?
We hear our own voices more than anyone else’s, so ensure that we’re hearing the right messages.
Take breaks, take time for the things in this list to ensure you’re living well, you are worth spending time and effort on.
Which ones of these resonate with you?
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