Take Some Time to Think About Food
Almost 80 percent of Americans don’t drink enough water. Something as simple as water has been shown to have a strong effect on people’s energy levels and productivity. There are strong relationships between our food and drink habits and our happiness, and by learning to harness these, you can start to eat and drink in a way that will make you consistently feel better and perform at the top of your game in whatever you do. Drink more water. Try to eat more healthily. Healthy eating can seem overwhelming, especially when you’re on your lunch break in the food court. Try taking small steps towards taking control of what you eat. If you haven’t experimented with meal prep before, try it. Small changes in your diet can bring about big results in your well-being, even if it’s just an extra glass of water per day.
Make Your Bed
It might only take a minute or so out of your morning, but making your bed is a great way to start the day right. In one study, 71 percent of people who make their bed describe themselves as happy, while 62 percent of those who don’t make their beds describe themselves as unhappy. Obviously correlation does not equal causation, but there still might be something to the idea that making your bed can make you happy. In a speech, U.S. Navy Adm. William H. McCraven told his audience that “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.” If you aren’t a regular bed-maker, put the admiral’s words to the test and see how it affects the rest of your day.
Don’t Take Your Phone to Bed
Typically, the screens of phones, laptops and tablets emit blue light. This light, studies have shown, can disrupt your body’s natural clock. The blue light keeps us alert, confusing the body as to when it’s meant to sleep. All this results in screens keeping you awake longer and making you groggier in the morning. Instead of scrolling through social media before bed, try doing something screenless (it’s recommended to not use screens for two hours before going to sleep, but a shorter time frame can also be beneficial). In addition to the effects of blue light on sleep cycles, the negative side effects of social media on mental health are becoming more and more well-documented. Why risk negativity as the final act of your day? Read a book, stretch, or practice a hobby in the time just before you go to bed, and you may be rewarded with better sleep and a new sense of alertness in the morning.