We don’t have to make big changes to our lives to make a big change to our mental wellbeing. Forget going on month-long Buddhist retreats, which the majority of us have neither the time nor the money for. Instead, resolve to make a few small changes like these ones in order to improve your mood, improve your health, and lower your stress levels!
Change one – Make breakfast a habit
We don’t just mean making sure you have breakfast every day, but make what you have for breakfast is the same thing each day. We only have so much energy to use in making decisions, and once we’ve used up our decision energy, we tend to make rash decisions or give up making any at all.
Not everything in life should be the same each day; for example, some people might like to wear the same thing each day, but most of us prefer to change our look. However, having the same thing for breakfast each weekday will lessen the number of decisions you need to make, and might make it easier to get to work on time too!
Change two – Make a stand at work
Or, to be more precise, take a break from sitting down. One study found that by standing up and taking two minutes of light physical activity each hour (just walking around the office a few times will do) was associated with a 33% lower risk of early death! If you’re able to take a stroll outside, then even better as it can help to spark a greater level of creativity.
Change three – Keep well-watered
Make a promise to yourself that you’ll carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go – and make sure that you take regular drinks from it. The Mayo Clinic recommends that women drink 2.7 litres of water a day, and more than this when the weather is hot!
Staying hydrated is really important when it comes to keeping your body functioning normally. Being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks which require attention, physical motor skills, and immediate memory skills.
Change four – Have some me-time
Even if it’s only half an hour each day. Maybe spend the time reading a book for pleasure, or having a bubble bath, or taking a morning walk – make time each day to do something that makes you happy and brings you joy.
Above all, take time to do something you want to do, instead of something someone else wants you to do, or something you feel you ought to do. It’ll make a big difference to your happiness and sense of well-being.
