. 5 HACKS TO IMPROVE YOUR DAY .
Having a positive, happy & productive day everyday sometimes can feel a little wishful, I often find myself reeling off the age old phrases ‘i have no time’, ‘i have too much to do’ or simply ‘i’m too stressed’ because the demands of a career, social life, and general life can feel a little too overwhelming and a little too much to deal with. But having a positive day, everyday is important. Whats the point of living life if your constantly stressed, unwell, exhausted, or just ‘coping’. No point … so it’s about time we all took a step back, made some small changes, and improved our day not just today, but everyday. Right?
First up, for something that is preached about SO often, it’s madness that we still don’t drink enough water. 2 litres a day sounds a lot, but if you break it down throughout the day, its super manageable, AND will make the world of difference to your wellbeing, your skin & your energy. Buy yourself a little water bottle (I love these bottles), drink one on the way to work, one in the morning, one at lunch, one on your journey home, and one before bed. If you alway have it on you, you’ll find you naturally drink more often, and easily drink 2 litres a day without even trying.
#2 HAVE BREAKFAST
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper. This is a saying I was once told by my Doctor (I think) and is such a simple way of highlighting the importance of breakfast. I for one cannot talk (It’s my favourite meal, but in the week I always neglect it), but setting yourself up with a healthy, hearty breakfast before you start your day (whether that’s at home, in the office, or even on your commute) is key. It kick starts your metabolism, gives you energy and probably makes you happy too!
A recipe I’ve been loving for a healthy start to my day is Chia porridge: mic 3 tablespoons of chia seed, with 3 tablespoons of gluten free oats, a good heap of cinnamon (store in the fridge overnight) and top with blueberries, strawberries & honey in the morning ready to be devoured.
#3 CREATE LISTS
A good way to start your day on the right foot, is to start with a list, a list of all the things on your mind, all the things you need to do that day, or even the things you want to do. By getting all your thoughts from your head onto paper will give you more brainspace to think, do & keep positive.
My top tip is to treat yourself to a nice note book (any excuse to buy stationery). I personally like to have a notebook for work and one for my blog, and I always have them on me! I really love Anthropologie’s stationary collection, this notebook is a firm favourite if you want to treat yourself to one.
#4 TAKE BREAKS
Things get busy, you get stressed, you sit at your desk for hours trying to force out work, you leave work negative, tired & down. This situation is probably too common, and too true for a lot of us. But you know what, breaks are such a simple way of getting yourself back into a positive state, resting your brain & actually making yourself more productive. It’s so easy to neglect breaks, a lunch break away from your desk, time after work to go to the gym, or even 5 minutes to grab a cup of tea – but prioritising a few breaks throughout the day, to get outside, to get some fresh air & to generally give your brain a break from work, work, work will make the world of difference.
Make one small change starting today – pop outside for a walk to get your lunch, and eat it away from your desk. (And, read my post on why taking a break is so important & my advice on how to banish stress)
#5 POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
We all like a good treat, it’s human nature, whether it’s retail therapy after a stressful period, or simply your favourite coffee on your way to work. Introducing some regular, positive treats into your day will just keep your attitude good. Then there’s nothing a little PMA (positive mental attitude) can’t beat!
My quick wins for being more positive are: wake up and think of 5 things your grateful for, browse instagram and pinterest and pin your favourite images, find the perfect quote, buy yourself a ‘cheap’ but nice treat like a coffee or your favourite lunch, and when you’ve really worked your butt off, buy yourself a reward (that handbag you’ve wanted forever, a new pair of shoes, even a holiday). If you want more ideas then read my tips post on how to be more happy here.
What are your little life hacks to help you have a great day, everyday? Did you find these 5 tricks & tips helpful?
Ashley | SB says
The water one is so true! I started cracking down on my hydration earlier this year and it really did improve a lot. I’ve gotten to the point where if I go a bit of time without it, my body will definitely start feeling different.
Ashley | Sunday Brunch
Emily says
Totally agree with all of these!! Especially the creating lists one! I find writing a list of things to do so important to ensure I am not stressing about it all throughout the day!
x
http://shedoes.com.au
Sarah Elizabeth || SEDiva Abroad says
Great ideas xx Can be so hard to stay positive, and I love little posts like this as a little inspirational reminder x
Rhiannon says
I love these tips! Just what I needed to motivate me for the rest of the week :) xx
Lauren says
Totally agree with positive reinforcement, what a great way to seize the day!
Lauren x
Britton Loves | Lifestyle Food Beauty
Abigail says
Wonderful advice. I love making lists of things I want to do the next day and getting everything done on my list makes me so satisfied and means for such a productive day!
http://www.abigailalicex.com
MARGOT says
This is so true. I find myself more often than not haste through life and use those phrases, especially “no time!”. And I know that’s total crap, because if you actually slow down and take a break from stressing out you’ll feel better and have more time to do things productively. But sometimes it’s just hard to take that step back and really look at life calmly. Making lists is indeed a good way to start dividing that big mountain of work into smaller chunks but I’m only recently getting more and more organized, I used to be so chaotic and stressed all the time but that’s not a fun feeling. Thanks for these amazing tips!
Marissa says
Such lovely words! We can never have too many reminders to take care of ourselves! xx
http://www.theshabbysuitcase.com
MODERN BASICS says
If someone like me has a really big problem with drinking 2litres of water per day, I would recommend a great app Hydro Drink Water. This app reminds you of the drinking water! It’s really helpful ?
http://modern-basics.blogspot.com/
Eve says
These are great tips, thank you. I live my life by lists!
Eve xo | http://anorganisedscatterbrain.blogspot.co.uk/
Lissy says
Such a lovely post, I try to live by some of these tricks. I especially live by the hydration tip, I drink so much water!xx
Lissy | lissyslife.com