During lockdown, I think I was the most unhealthiest I’ve ever been. However, since turning 30 in January, I wanted to start focusing on smaller habits that I could track and maintain. There’s no point in going from 1 to 100 because you’ll just get demotivated. Making small changes daily can make a huge difference. Here’s a look at my simple healthy habits that anyone can implement.
7-8 hours of sleep
Rest is important, fact. Good quality sleep is even more important. Sure, you might think you could survive on a couple of hours a night but it’s not healthy in the long run. Obviously, if you’re disabled, have a chronic illness, or are a parent, a couple of hours of sleep might be all you can get! A few of my top tips for getting more sleep include:
- No caffeine or food after 7pm
- No screens after 9pm
- Reading before bed
- Make your space cosy
- Decent quality pyjamas
Create a morning routine
You do not have to wake up at 5am to be productive or get your life together. I wake up at 7am most days but sometimes anywhere between 8-10 (the perks of self-employment). Your routine can be as simple or as complicated as you like. I actually have a morning routine menu to select from. There are a few non-negotiables on there (make the bed, basic skincare, brush teeth, drink water, and make a hot chocolate). Everything else is a bonus, including getting dressed! Some days, you just like a day in your pyjamas!
Gratitude journaling
I’ve tried morning pages and I found it either took up too much time or I really didn’t have anything significant to write down. Now I practice gratitude. Every morning, I write down three things that I’m grateful for, that’s it. It takes me 3 minutes max and I do it as soon as I wake up. It’s a positive way to start the day and sets you up before looking at your phone screen.
Start your day the night before
That sounds a bit odd but if you get prepped the night before, you’ll be much less stressed. I actually think that my evening routine is more important than my morning routine! In the morning, you’ll be able to get up, get on and start your day! Here are a few ideas to prep for the next day:
- Make sure your house is clean and tidy, it can take just 15 minutes a day
- Prep your lunch whilst you’re making tea or do batch cook and have leftovers the next day
- Get your outfit and bag ready for tomorrow
- Write your to-do list for tomorrow before you leave your desk to wrap up your day
Take care of your health
I won’t sit here and preach that you should work out for an hour a day and eat ten portions of fruit and veg a day. However, healthy habits are vital to feel better. Make sure you’re drinking enough water, moving your body (whether it’s walking, yoga, weights, or running), and eating nutritious meals for the most part. I work from home and know how easy it is to do nothing all day but sit and eat junk food. However, I drink at least two litres of water a day, I try to get outside a couple of times a week, I enjoy cooking most evenings, and I try to work out at least three times a week. It’s not the most active lifestyle but it’s working for me right now.
See what works for you
Habits, organisation, routines: they’re all personal. There’s nothing wrong with trying something and finding that it doesn’t quite work for you. I’d try to stick with it for at least two weeks, a month if you can, as that’s usually how long it takes for habits to stick. When I worked in retail, I’d wake up at 6am every morning and do a home workout for 15-30 minutes. Now I prefer extra sleep and will fit in a workout at the end of the work day, usually between 4pm and 5.30pm. Sometimes, life changes happen. Sometimes, it can be seasonal changes that make you want to switch it up.
My simple healthy habits are designed to add to your life without taking anything fun away. I’m all about balance because life is meant to be fun! That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice fun over health or vice versa. You can eat a pizza but try to balance it out with drinking lots of water. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be fun if you keep it simple!
If you enjoyed my simple healthy habits blog post, I’ll be adding more health and fitness stuff to my blog soon. It’s definitely a lifestyle shift for me so it’s always a work in progress. Why not follow me on Twitter and Instagram to follow my journey?
