For me, I always try to enjoy the little things in life, things such as
- family/friend time
- the great outdoors
- laughter
I can assure there are many more things and so I thought I'd tell you how recently I've been doing some simple extra things that have loads of benefits as well as you will definitely enjoy them and will have loads of fun whilst doing them.
Drink more water
My motto when it comes to water, is to hydrate to concentrate. I'm so bad at reminding myself to drink water, but lately I've been making more of an effort, I personally drink 3x750ml of water each day now and I've been seeing a difference, water has been proven to relieve fatigue and so I always feel more focused and less tired all of the time. Other benefits of water include:
- improves mood
- treats headaches
- helps digestion and constipation
- aids weight loss
- flushes out toxins
Going outdoors
With the new Pokemon Go app everyone is outdoors these days anyway, but if you're like me and are always found indoors either eating or sleeping then it's time to wake up and go explore. There are so many things to do outdoors from a simple walk to hiking up a mountain, you will never be bored, the outdoors is beneficial to us in many ways to name a few:
- It will restore your focus
- helps you to relax (combats anxiety and stress)
- Nature makes us more happy
studies show that activities done outdoors make us feel more happy than that exact activity done indoors. So go outside.
Gentle exercise
Personally I never really do exercise and if I do it's intense enough that I give up after a week, but I've started doing the simplest thing like stretching everyday or doing a few yoga poses, I never out do it like I used to because I'm more likely to give up and I definitely don't enjoy it, If you can join a sports team then do, or even look up a dance routine on youtube just for fun. Some benefits of gentle exercise include:
- Improves flexibility
- aid blood flow
- increase confidence
- relaxation/ de-stressing
- improve health and fitness without damaging joints
Studies show that going to the gym does not have the same benefits as a long leisurely walk.
Balanced Diet
Again I am terrible at having a balanced diet, my idea of eating healthily is eating strawberry sweets and thinking it's one of my five a day. Personally I try not to force myself to eat things I don't like for example I'm not a big fan of vegetables, so I eat more fruit or the vegetables I do like more to make up for it, and don't try to cut out all of the sweet stuff, just try your best not to eat as much, or don't eat any during the week and have a treat day and eat whatever you like. Benefits of a balanced diet include:
- controls weight
- improves mood
- combats diseases
- boosts energy
- improves longevity
Relax, de-stress
It's ok to treat yourself every once in a while to some me time, light some candles, take a bath, read a book, have a face mask, or treat yourself to a relaxing massage or spa day. It's important to let your mind relax and to allow yourself some time to yourself without worrying about everyday life. Another form of relaxation is meditation which when I was younger I couldn't take seriously at all, but now I see the benefits it does for my mind not only do I have a clear head, but i feel completely calm and stress-free.
benefits of relaxation time:
- slowing heart rate
- lowering blood pressure
- increasing blood flow
- reducing activity of stress hormones
- lowering fatigue
doing these five simple things daily will not only benefit you in the long term but you will see the effects they have on you in the short term so add them into your daily routine.
