Everyone knows that in order to live a healthy and happy life there is a very clear list of things that we are always told to do: eat healthier, disconnect from technology, sit with your back straight, meditate, organize your home and more... all of these suggestions are surely right and you may have even adopted some in the past. But even if you combine most of these habits and tips, a feeling that something is missing and that happiness is slipping through our fingers still looms over our heads.
This may be due to the fact that happiness is in the small things, and this is why today we want to present you with 14 simple tips and easy habits that don’t require special effort, but their contribution to your body and mind is tremendous. You don’t have to agree with all of them or keep them up all the time, as long as you adopt some of these things you’ll be giving yourself the quality of life that you deserve.
When our brain is in a state of anticipation for something positive, processes occur that make us experience a sense of happiness even before the event takes place. This phenomenon has been studied and presented in a study published in the official journal of the Association for Quality of Life Research, and it can be used to improve your satisfaction with life easily. You can tell yourself that at the end of a tiring workday, you’re going to come home and watch a show that you like, or you can look forward to a weekend outing with your family, thus pushing aside negative thoughts that only hurt you.
There are many situations in life where we make decisions alone, sometimes justly and sometimes not. The resulting independence is welcome, but sometimes there is a better alternative. When you make decisions that affect people around you (friends, family or co-workers) it is much more important to include them in the process of deliberation and decision-making. Such behavior avoids disagreements and thoughts about the decision-makers' inconsideration of the people the decision effects, helps you feel more comfortable and reduces the amount of stress you experience consciously or unconsciously.
In the modern age of information, we all have access to a vast array of content; A variety of TV channels, Internet services, advanced computer games and various entertaining phone apps. This situation encourages us to take in more and more content; Watch another episode, beat another level in the game, look at some more photos on Facebook and only then go to bed.
The problem is that in most cases this is a very slippery slope that ends up with us going to sleep much later than we wanted to, leading to significant damage to our health and quality of life. To avoid this, try setting yourself a "reverse alarm" that instead of waking you up will start ringing when you need to go to bed. The responsibility to turn off the TV, or any similar device, is still in your hands, but if you use it, your sleep timer can become as powerful a tool as the alarm clock.
For many of us, there is nothing more frustrating than food lying in the fridge or pantry for a long time and going bad. This frustration is easy to understand because it feels like throwing money straight into the trash. Of course, the best way to avoid this is simply to plan your family menu and meals in a more efficient way, but when there is no time to do so or when unexpected events occur, you can simply use your freezer. You can freeze a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and different dishes to keep them fresh and healthy for a long time, in order to enjoy eating them and gaining their health benefits.
The average person's stomach usually doesn’t exceed one and a half liters, and of course when we eat large meals it swells and stretches. When we eat very large amounts, this swelling can stretch our stomach to a point where its size will permanently change, leading to the need for more food to reach satiety. For this reason, and many others, it is important not to eat until you feel stuffed, furthermore, it's actually recommended to stop eating before you even feel satiated.
This is because the body takes a considerable amount of time to signal to the brain that we are fed and no longer need food, which means that in many cases we eat more than our body really needs. So just fill your plate a little less than you really want, don’t feel obliged to finish all your food and try to stop eating a few moments before you feel completely full - the sense of satiety will come on its own.
People who always invest time in learning new things, even in older ages, enjoy a better quality of life and a sense of happiness. The cause may be that the brain is constantly working and processing information, but it is also reasonable to assume that these are positive consequences of the sense of "victory" that comes with acquiring new information or the distraction from negative thoughts that the learning process provides. Beyond the satisfaction created by the acquisition of new information, there is also a wealth of scientific evidence that learning new skills helps maintain a sharp and healthy brain despite age.
The truth is that you don’t really need to sing only in the shower, you can sing in the car, while you cook, and even at work. Either way, you can enjoy all the amazing effects of singing on the brain and body, which include, among other things, lowering heart rate, protecting vascular health, reducing stress and even improving certain cognitive abilities. The reason so many people sing in the shower is simply that they feel comfortable doing it in there, but in fact there is no need to be ashamed and you should even be proud; A study published in 2016 showed that singing significantly strengthens the immune system and helps people who do it enjoy more robust health. People who sang regularly had low levels of cortisol and their immune system was stronger than those who did not.
Our routine is what makes our lives comfortable and predictable but at the same time it’s what makes it boring, something which can lead to depression. Fortunately, you can enjoy the best of both worlds and maintain a relatively constant routine for most days of the week, but incorporate a few small changes every two or three days. Traveling on a different route to work, eating a meal in an unusual place like a park or on a balcony, these actions make the brain think that we are doing something completely new while still enjoying the security and familiarity of our routine. Tricking the brain into thinking it is having new experiences causes happiness and opens us up to many possibilities that we aren’t always aware of, so it is definitely recommended add routine-breaking activates to your agenda
Continuing the previous section, one of the simplest ways to change up your routine is to take a little walk around your neighborhood to get to know it better. You’ll be surprised to find stores you didn’t know existed, wonderful public parks, and even tempting restaurants. Go on this walk with your spouse, children or friends who live in the area, and together you can get to know your area better. In addition, if you choose to take such a walk, you will also enjoy moderate, non-stressful physical activity that can greatly benefit your body.
How much did you enjoy that last meal you ate? When was the last time you stopped to smell a flower? How happy are you to go home and see your family? Chances are you don’t really know how to answer these questions because they refer to the things we take for granted. If you want to improve your quality of life, try paying attention to all these little things for a whole day. These thoughts will help highlight everything that is good in your life and hide all the depressing things you probably devote most of your mental resources to.
Previous studies have determined that walking 10,000 steps a day is a very important tool in the fight against excess weight, heart disease, and many other health problems. Unfortunately, most people are very far from this goal, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up! Just like other areas of life, awareness is the key to success and improvement. All you have to do is download a step counter app and try to walk a little more every day. You can walk to the grocery store instead of driving, you can go for a walk with your kids, or decide to walk over to your colleague’s desk instead of emailing them.
To improve our quality of life and feel happy we sometimes need to set goals for ourselves. "I want to finish reading X books this month", "I want us to reduce household expenses by X dollars" and so on. Setting goals like this are highly recommended, but if you do it alone and don’t involve the people around you, it may have negative consequences. This is doubly true when it comes to goals that are related to your relationship or to the whole family. When others share your goals, they can help you or at least understand you and avoid being in your way.
Saying "I love you" is a wonderfully great way to strengthen your relationship with your partner, ultimately contributing to your sense of joy and satisfaction in life. However, saying it with an example of what you love about them makes it even more meaningful. It won’t only warm them inside but it will also improve their self-confidence. When they're happier, you'll be happier!
It does not matter if they are young or old, couples don’t always go to bed at the same time and it’s perfectly normal given the fact that they have different schedules and energy levels. There is no point in fighting this and staying awake deliberately only to be with your partner, but it is possible to replace this desire with another idea. Just schedule time at the end of your day for relaxing together. You can do this over dinner, watching a favorite show, a short walk where you’ll both share your day and generally just relax and unload your day's experiences so that you can both sleep more relaxed, even if you aren’t doing it at exactly the same time.
