Enjoy Your Day to the Fullest With These Regular Habits
Written By: Taylor Rao
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It’s easy to get caught up in your day-to-day routine, but when you find yourself frequently thinking, “I just can’t wait for today to be over” it might mean that your regular routine needs a little work.
At the risk of sounding cliché — we should all make a conscious effort to embrace every day, from the challenges to the high points, and give a good effort to ensure our time is spent as positively and productively as possible.
If you’re struggling with finding ways to seize the day every day, establishing healthy habits can help. The right personal rituals can get your mindset on the right routine to make the most of every day, from the most mundane to the most exciting. Need a jump start on ideas? Here are a few.
Check-in with your friends
When we’re feeling down, it is very common to feel the urge to retreat, isolate and keep to ourselves. However, it’s during these times where it can be super uplifting to reach out to others and leave all the excuses behind for why you haven’t been in touch with old friends, former roommates, or family members that live far away. If you connect with at least one person, every day, in a meaningful way - “Hey, how’s it going?” as you pass a co-worker doesn’t count - it can help boost your endorphins and improve your daily outlook.
By making it a priority to connect with others via text message, FaceTime, or even with a routine in-person coffee date, it’s also showing compassion and care for others and it gives you a reason to take your mind off of less exciting daily tasks. So, it’s mutually beneficial for you and the people you vow to catch up with more often.
Do something physical
Placing a newfound focus on your physical health is one of the most efficient ways to start maximizing your time each day, while also taking time to clear your head and feel refreshed by spending time away from more stressful tasks or jobs that require a lot of screen time.
No matter your current fitness level, find a way to move your body each day. You could start with a walk around the neighborhood, a virtual yoga class, or something more intense like a run or group HIIT exercise.
Skip the snooze button and make time for yourself before work
While not everyone is a natural morning person, one trick that can help make your days feel longer and more productive is to squeeze in some “me time” before hopping out of bed and rushing to make it to work on time. Whether you work in person or remotely, challenge yourself to establish the habit of setting an earlier alarm and not hitting the snooze button so quickly.
With a little free time (even just a half-hour or forty-five minutes) before you commit yourself to your 8-5 job or taking care of getting kids ready for their day, you can start off with a clear head and do something that’s just for you.
Get up early and…
Catch up on the news with a fresh cup of coffee
Go for a walk, get in an early morning workout or join a group fitness class
Read, write in a journal or listen to music to get inspired for the day
Practice a short morning meditation to start the day with a focused mins
Do household chores that seem too exhausting to do at the end of the day
Spend a little extra time in the bathroom getting ready without the rush
Send yourself calendar reminders and maintain a schedule
There is nothing that can throw you off your game faster than mismanaging your schedule and forgetting you have to be somewhere or showing up at the right place but at the wrong time.
Though it might seem like a tedious, unnecessary extra step, if you find yourself scrambling to get somewhere you promised to be more often than you’d like to admit, taking the time to plan out a digital calendar where reminders, follow-ups, and driving directions can be pinged directly to your phone, can help straighten out your schedule stat.
It’s simple enough to use a calendar app on your phone (like Apple’s calendar or Google Calendar) and sync it up with other devices like smartwatches, laptops, or tablets, so you will be sure to never miss the memo. If you know your schedule a few days in advance, you can mentally prepare for what you have to do, what time you have to leave, and what the game plan is moving forward.
Meal prep (when possible)
It might not be doable all of the time, but if you are constantly catching yourself wondering how you are going to get all of your daily tasks done and provide a healthy, home-cooked meal for yourself, your partner, or your family, adopting a meal prep routine at the beginning of the week can wipe the stress of dinner right away.
Meal prep allows for smarter, more efficient grocery shopping since you know what you need to buy for an entire week vs. one-off meals here and there, and saves you a ton of time when you get home from a long day and simply have to set the table, pop something in the microwave and plate it.
Meditate in your own way
Many health and wellness experts do recommend traditional meditation as a technique to help relax, calm anxiety, and practice mindfulness, but there are also other things you can do to “meditate” in your own way and find your Zen each and every day.
Maybe it is practicing meditative techniques like structured breathing, bringing attention to your body, and closing your eyes for a bit, but if that’s not for you --try taking time to jot down thoughts or notes in a gratitude journal, get outside for 15 minutes a day and breathe in the fresh air, or even allowing yourself some time to lay down and truly do nothing without feeling guilty about what you think you should be doing instead.
No matter how you do it, or when you do it, it’s important to take time each day to reflect on your accomplishments, the challenges you’ve pushed through, and the things you are looking forward to in an effort to make sure each day counts and keep moving along.
Whatever new habit you choose, don’t feel pressured to “change your life” all at once. Just try one small thing, and if it doesn’t work for you, try something else until you land on the right routine that turns “I can wait for this day to end” to “today is a great day.”
