A new month hits, and you find yourself bombarding your monthly planner with health goals; visiting the gym, learning a new skill, or taking a break from social media. The last thing you know is that you’re giving up on them because of how hard it is to fit them into your busy schedule all at once.
Hitting the gym five times per week, or starting out life coaching sessions aren’t the easiest habits to keep up with. But that doesn’t have to keep you from building up better habits that make you feel your best big changes come from consistent habits that can be easily sustained.
So perhaps you should consider starting out with easy and sustainable health goals, and work your way up. You’ll thank yourself for incorporating these simple habits into your daily routine that will eventually make a world of a difference if sustained. Here are some:
#1 Go on a daily walk outside
Caving up in our houses (or in offices) for too long certainly takes a toll on one’s mental health. That’s because you get less sunshine, your thoughts start to get out of control, and your body gets used to minimal movement.
Make it a habit to take a walk outside every day. Even if you don’t feel it, remind yourself of the mood boost you’ll feel after getting that dose of sunshine and maybe listening to your favorite songs.
If walking outside isn’t something you could do, maybe just find a place in your house that has a lot of windows or is exposed to sunshine and sit nearby. On a side note, don’t forget to lather on some SPF!!!
#2 Eat vegetables with your three main meals
![healthy eating](https://yoursfarah.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/vegetables.jpg)
A study suggested that eating vegetables with every meal to linked to a prolonged life span. Something I always recommend is to prepare a huge container of sliced veggies so that you never skip eating your vegetables.
Ever since I started doing this, I’ve been eating salad at least twice per day. If you’re not big on salads, consider finding smoothie recipes that you like, try out different dressings, or try cooking the vegetables in different ways.
Find out what works for you and what makes you enjoy eating your vegetables.
#3 Hit your water goals
You’ve probably heard the phrase “hydration is key” from health gurus a zillion times. But that’s because it’s that much important.
As basic as it might seem, drinking enough water affects how everything functions in your body; your brain, energy levels, skin, hair, and even your mood since your body is made of 80% water.
To keep track of your hydration level, you could get yourself a cute-looking water bottle (YES that’s a good excuse to spend your money) and set a goal of around 3-4 liters per day.
Keep the bottle around you so you don’t forget and fill it up before bedtime and keep it next to you so you remember to drink water first thing in the morning.
#4 Take a break from technology
Ever since Covid-19, no doubt that all of us have been spending more time at home, and this, translates to spending more time on screens. Whether it’s bingeing on social media, watching a Netflix show, attending work meetings on Zoom, or even texting your quarantine hobby number 54 (no shame we’ve all been there).
It’s very important to allow yourself to disconnect from technology even if it’s setting an hour every day to shut down all your devices. Maybe read a book, explore your creative side, or even just stare at the ceiling and daydream.
#5 Prioritize quality sleep
Quality sleep doesn’t just mean sleeping 7-8 hours a day. Quality sleep is when your body fully benefits from the amount of sleep it gets. And that happens when you maintain a consistent bedtime cycle, diminish screen time an hour before bed, not sleep past 12 am, have no distractions in your room, and aim to actually stay asleep the whole night.
If you’re suffering from falling asleep quickly or actually staying asleep, try drinking chamomile tea before bed and finding ways to destress before sleep time. If that doesn’t work, try consulting a doctor as maintaining quality sleep affects your overall quality of life.
#6 Explore your creativity
![creativity](https://yoursfarah.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/creativity.jpg)
Sometimes we see some artistic works on social media and think, “WOW! I’ll never be able to do something like this, but I’d sure love to.”
Haven’t you wondered what might happen if you really took the time to experiment with your creativity? Well, if you’ve never tried, you’ll never know! You might discover a hidden passion of yours.
Get yourself some colors: acrylic, oil, water, pencil, whatever you prefer, and start expressing yourself. No pressure, no rush, no expectations.
Even if it turns out like something a 10-year old would paint, no worries. Practice makes perfect. At least now you know that you enjoy doing something creative.
#7 Create a morning routine tailored to your needs
Mornings are hands down the MOST important part of my day. They just set the tone for the whole day. That’s why perfecting my morning routine has always been a priority of mine, and I totally recommend you do that as well.
Give yourself some time before heading to work to start your day right. The rule of thumb is to never check your phone first thing in the morning. No wonder why you’re always stressed!
For at least an hour, try doing something else other than catching up on what you’ve missed when you were asleep like meditating, journaling, making yourself a nutritious breakfast, cleaning a bit while listening to your favorite playlist, or trying out some of these morning habits that I swear by.
Share with us – what are your current at-home health goals and what are you doing to achieve them? We’d love to learn from you!