If you want a life overhaul or just to improve your lifestyle in some areas, it’s easier to start small.
Quitting your job and moving to Bali to open a juice bar does sound enticing, I know.
But unless you’re sitting on a fat stack of cash and are ready to spend your days crushing raspberries, it’s better to address what you could improve upon in your current life.
Often, the desire to run away and start afresh comes from a bit of discontentment with where we are in the moment.
And that can almost always be improved upon by making small and easy adjustments.
Looking for where to start?
Check out these 10 things that you can start doing to change your life:
1) Make your bed
Woah, mom, I thought I moved out 20 years ago…
Well, she might not be on your case anymore, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t still be making your bed.
If you don’t already take a few minutes each morning to tidy up your comforter and pillows, start doing so.
Plenty of mental health benefits have been found from incorporating bed-making into your morning routine.
It’s also nice to wind down and clamber into a nicely made bed as opposed to having to fight your way into tousled and messy sheets, plus it makes your overall home aesthetic cleaner and more welcoming.
2) Read 10 pages a day
It doesn’t have to be 10. You can pick a number that suits you accordingly.
But if you’re guilty of a little late-night scrolling or idling out the window during your morning commute, consider swapping that out for a good old fashioned paperback.
Or a Kindle. Whatever your fancy.
It doesn’t have to be fiction.
You can work on your self-awareness using self-help books, broaden your mind using non-fiction, or just get lost in a fantasy world before slipping off into your dreams.
Reading before bed in particular has wonderful meditative effects in relaxing the body and helping you to defocus from life’s stressors.
On top of that, it improves the quality of your sleep – which will give you an overall boost the next day.
3) Take the stairs
Relevant for the able-bodied out there, but where possible, if you feel the call of the elevator or the lift tempting you…
Take the stairs!
You’ll be surprised how good you start to feel just by moving yourself that little bit extra, especially if you’re otherwise sedentary and work at your desk.
You can program workouts and plan nutrition, but it’s the time in-between that also counts.
4) Consider your posture
What are you sitting/standing like?
Yes, I mean right now.
Are you slouching over your phone screen?
Hunched over your desk?
If the answer is “no”, I’d be surprised.
Most of us could use some work on our posture.
The benefits of doing something so little as pulling your shoulders down and standing taller include boosted confidence and higher energy levels.
That’s a lot of win for a tiny change.
So start small and try to remind yourself to stand up straight next time you find yourself lounging around.
Your body will thank you for it and there’s nothing more impressive than someone with good posture.
5) Mute/unfollow social media accounts that make you unhappy
Not everyone suffers from that little comparison demon that pops up when you’re scrolling through social media.
You know how good you feel after a hard workout.
You take a breather afterwards and scroll through Instagram, only to be hit by picture after picture of lean legged models, or buff gym bros oiled up and flexing.
Suddenly, your 45-minute gym stint doesn’t feel so impressive after all.
Or you’ve finally found the confidence to go makeup free and are embracing the au natural look when you stumble across #nomakeup selfies.
All of these you suspect have been edited and touched up and airbrushed but still make you want to run home and hide your face.
Or you’re just really happy about getting a bonus this year and being able to tackle the mould under your sink.
Yet, you can’t help but feel disheartened when you look online and see everyone jetting off to Vegas and Mykonos and stumbling on boat parties.
Comparison is really the thief of joy.
You don’t have to quit social media cold turkey, but consider what you’re consuming and what your social media diet is like.
Weeding out accounts that make you feel less worthy will have a surprisingly positive effect on your daily outlook.
6) Wake up a little earlier than you need to
I’m not asking for a 4am rise and shine, hour of yoga, hour of cleaning, hour of reading.
But if you’re like me and you wake up at 7.58am when you need to leave the house at 8am (somehow, I always make it out on time), stop and think what starting your day off in a mad rush is like.
I’m trying to use this one just as much as you.
As great as those few extra minutes in deep sleep feel, it’s also nicer to wake up and feel like you can take your time to prepare for the day.
(This also means you’ll have more time to tackle point 1 and make your bed).
7) Learn a new word
Small, but mighty!
You might not remember every word, every day, but incorporating a word-of-the-day is a great habit that makes you feel like you’re doing some serious mind expansion and doesn’t take all that long.
Most online dictionaries have a word of the day section so you don’t need to go word-hunting.
Equally, you can ask a colleague or friend to get involved and give you a word.
You can incorporate a bit of community spirit and use it as a daily exercise to have fun learning about new things.
Alacrity, pugnacious, inchoate, fantod, arrack…
Know the definitions of any of the above?
If not, here’s where you start!
8) Get friendly with nature
If you have the privilege of having spare time outside of an office job, use it to your advantage to get some fresh air.
If you’re incredibly busy and don’t have time everyday to portion off to mother nature, approach this as more of a once-a-week habit.
Whether it’s a morning coffee stroll through the park or a brisk evening run through the fields out back, immersing yourself in nature has a plethora of benefits.
You’re looking at physical benefits such as lower stress and blood pressure as well as an increase in happiness and improvement in mood.
Dragging yourself out in rain or cold can be difficult, but try to remember the positives and start walking the long route into work (the one that goes through the park).
9) Hydrate don’t diedrate
I wake up with coffee on my mind.
My legs are itching to drag me to the kitchen and grab a strong black mug of coffee.
But listen up before you reach for your third cup of the day…
You can keep drinking coffee, just try to start having a tall glass of water first thing.
A really simple but life changing thing you can start doing is hydrating yourself adequately, if you’re not already a 2-3 liters a day type-of-person.
It’s tough going if hydration doesn’t come to you naturally. I can easily go hours forgetting to drink water, but consider setting reminders or getting one of those massive water bottles to make reminding yourself easier.
You’re looking at a huge list of benefits including plumper skin, well-lubricated joints, and healthier organs.
10) Start and end workings days with a to-do list
I used to think I was the queen of mental organization. I never missed deadlines or forgot about projects or otherwise important dates.
But I would also start drifting off to sleep every night only to be yanked back to reality in remembering a certain email I hadn’t sent, or a bill I had yet to pay. Or the fact that I was out of hummus.
Scheduling every hour of your day isn’t necessary, but if you’re not already a planner, get planning.
It makes life a lot easier.
On working days, I start my day by looking at tasks I left written down for future me the night before.
I end the day by compiling projects and errands which need to be soon completed.
It’s a nice cycle which helps to improve your focus every day, meaning that no deadline goes amiss, and allowing you to prioritize the most important duties of the day.
Conclusion
Rome wasn’t built in a day and your life won’t magically change overnight (unless you’ve already bought the one-way flight to Bali).
Positive changes take time to sprout and grow.
You can begin sowing the seeds by implementing some of the above habits and changes, and also reflecting on the toxic habits you could ditch.
Just try to incorporate these habits frequently and not as a one off – one day of reading or walking in the park won’t change your life.
Try also to remember that every little helps when it comes towards setting yourself up for the most fulfilling and healthy of lifestyles.
