In the hustle and bustle of a fast, hectic lifestyle, it’s all too easy to neglect the most important person in our lives-ourselves. Balancing long work hours, family commitments, and household chores can often leave us with little time to breathe, let alone engage in activities that bring us joy.
Amidst the chaos, it’s important to remember that we only have one life to live. This means that even in the midst of a busy schedule, there’s always room for positive change. By making small but significant shifts in your daily routine, you can find better ways for a healthier, more balanced life.
Here’s a short list of ideas that you can inject into your life to help boost your mood and feel better every day:
Take responsibility for your health
Taking responsibility for your health by doing actions that improve your health both physically and mentally. Curb habits like drinking and smoking. Start exercising or include nutritious foods into your eating regimen.
Find ways to boost your energy
Again, exercise is a great option to boost your energy while improving your body. Eating well can also be an energy booster. Avoid skipping breakfast as well as substitute the chips and candy for healthier snacking choices during the day can not only keep you fuller longer, it can sustain your energy supply too.
Find a healthcare provider you like and trust
Seek out trained, board-certified physicians and specialists who have experience providing care for your medical needs. They should be good listeners and located in areas that meet your convenience. If you are able, book time with different physicians so you can ask specific questions about solutions they could offer you.
Make someone else feel good
This is where the old saying “paying it forward” comes into play. If in the past someone helped you out of a jam when you needed them whether or not you asked for it, that good deed deserves another. Offering kindness to others is a great way to show gratitude for good deeds.
Take a mini vacation
You don’t need to fly off to some exotic location to feel relaxed. Feeling better doesn’t have to break the bank. Plan a day at the beach or a weekend at the cottage. Shorter trips can be both manageable and meaningful. Limit time spent on cellphones and the computer while you’re away. Focusing on you might be just the thing you need to reduce stress.
Limit multitasking
When you can focus on one task at a time you not only increase your chances of doing it correctly the first time, you’ll decrease the time it takes to get it done. Better concentration can equal better output. And saving time from doing revisions.
Set boundaries at work and at home
Setting boundaries can go a long way in boosting your mood. For example, leaving work at the same time everyday can help you better transition into a “home routine” before you retire for the evening. This kind of metal preparedness gives you a chance to let go “word mode” and settle into more peaceful activities like having supper or streaming a program on Netflix.
Take a nap on your breaks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in the United States alone, 1 in 3 adults are not getting enough restful sleep each day. Incorporating a quick “power nap” can be extremely beneficial to your mental and physical health. Studies show that napping for 20 to 30 minutes can help reduce stress while promoting more alertness. Try not to sleep for longer periods as it may disrupt your natural sleep cycle.
Help your child handle stress
Stress shows up in children in a lot of the same ways that it does in adults. Some of the signs include headaches, stomach aches, skipping meals, having trouble falling asleep or staying awake. Some actions you can take to help your child handle stress:
- Show concern for your child’s worries and fears.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep and exercise.
- Pay attention to screen time for kids.
- Maintain kids’ sleep and waking schedules.
- If the signs still persists, talk with the child’s teacher, child’s physician, or a mental health professional who works specifically with children of the same age group.
Manage chronic pain
In Canada, almost 8 million people are living with chronic pain. And, 1 in 5 youth suffer with ongoing pain. Areas of the body where pain was most reported are back, joint, knee pain, headaches, and shoulder pain. The best way to manage your pain is to find a doctor who understands and takes your pain seriously. Another option is to try and make changes to your diet and/or daily routine to eliminate some or possibly all of the symptoms.
Start a hobby
Discovering a new pastime can help elevate your mood in a big way. What activities did you enjoy as a child? What types of programs do you watch on television or read about in books? Chances are you can find a class of the same interest at your local library or adult education center in the community.
They offer all sorts of programs from painting to swimming lessons. Join with a family member, or a friend if you don’t know who else is in the program. Having some companionship will keep you coming back and cut down on a sense of awkwardness with others around you.
Make intimacy a priority
Having an intimate relationship is both a pleasure and a benefit to one’s life. You’ll constantly make memories filled with romantic gestures. Other times, it’s housework and home maintenance. Having a healthy, balanced relationship takes a bit of planning and a lot of patience. You can accomplish this by making time for intimacy. Whether it be “date night” or weekends away.
Others ways you can increase the intimacy is by doing things together like taking a swim or giving each other back rubs.
Change your routine often
Doing the same activities over and over can get boring fast. Spice it up by challenging yourself with new ones:
- Switch up the items on your grocery list with foods you’ve never tried before.
- Modify your use of exercise or strength training equipment.
- Take a different route home from the office.
- Update your wardrobe with new color palettes.
- Find new and exciting local restaurants to embrace new foodie experiences.
Takeaway
Feeling good every day is a choice. Even if you wake up not feeling your best, you can find ways to boost your mood that require little effort. And they don’t have to be expensive either. It might take some creativity on your part. But it’s doable.
Start with a simple idea, like reading your favorite book. Then, slowly graduate to larger projects like renovating a room in your home. Whatever you choose is right for you as long as it helps you accomplish the goal of feeling better every day.
In the comments, let me know about other ways that you use to boost your mood daily.
