There are many things that are quite beneficial if you do them on a daily basis. They will make you feel better about yourself and some have long lasting health and wellness benefits.
Some of these things might seem obvious to some, but depending on how and where you were raised, your current circumstances in life and what your goals are, not everyone does all of these things on a daily basis. It’s important to take time for things that will benefit your health and wellness everyday. Be consistent, results take time.
Include these 12 simple things in your day to day life and see if there is any improvement for you.
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1. Laugh
Laughter can make the world seem like a better place for a bit. If you have a true, good laugh each day you will notice a boost in your mood and a reduction in your stress levels. Humor is one of life’s simple joys and you should seek it out as much as possible.
Sure, there are lots of things in this world that aren’t very funny, bad things happen all the time but, they can usually be turned into a joke and laughed about. People can find the humor or irony in anything if they look hard enough. When something really bad happens, sometimes you have a choice between laughing and crying… choose laughter.
2. Shower
It seems obvious but not everyone showers everyday. Some people just don’t smell funky since they didn’t do much physical activity or don’t sweat a lot, so they feel they don’t need to. Some weren’t raised in a house where hygiene was a priority so they aren’t in the habit of taking daily showers. And others are just lazy.
Get up and jump in the shower. It only takes 20 minutes a day to make sure you smell fresh, wash away the dirt and germs to keep your body clean. Shave, brush your hair, use a great scented body wash. Don’t forget to put on deodorant and maybe use a perfume or cologne to keep you smelling good throughout the day. This will also help you to feel more confident in yourself and less self conscious about your body.
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3. Dental Care
Another thing that not everyone does on a daily basis is dental care. Yeah, most people brush, but do you take the time to brush, floss and use mouthwash? And how many times per day? Plus if you didn’t grow up with parents who enforced it, many kids went years without good dental habits which can turn into adults who truly forget and aren’t in the habit of proper care.
Many people don’t realize how important good dental health is. If you neglect it you’ll end up with bad breath, cavities, gum disease and even rotten teeth that have to be removed. Think of all the food and drinks that go into your mouth, you need to take the time to cleanse it. Once you have your adult teeth you aren’t going to be getting anymore so you need to take care of them.
Morning and night are the recommended times for dental care. It can add a few extra minutes to your routine but it’s worth it to keep your mouth healthy.
4. Read
Reading expands your mind and makes you think about things you might not usually think about. It helps to exercise your mind as well and expand your vocabulary. Plus, it also can help you de-stress and take your mind off your current real world issues and you can get lost in a great story and their adventures or issues.
Reading for a few minutes each day can make you smarter, inspired and more creative. It doesn’t always matter what you read, it could be the Bible, a novel, a short story, or even just an article like this. Just make some time to reach each day, ideally at least 30 minutes.
If you need more reasons to read, check out this article 10 Reasons Why You Should Read More.
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5. Socialize
Not everyone feels like they need socialization on a daily basis, especially if they are an introvert, but daily socialization is important. People can go crazy after being alone for long periods of time. In prison being in isolation is a punishment.
And social media doesn’t count! It’s so easy to like a photo and feel like we’ve interacted, but you really haven’t expressed anything of real value to them. If you called them and said “Hey, how are you doing?”, maybe they will tell you all about the picture they took and then you should share something with them.
Spend time each day reaching out to a friend or loved one. Just say hi, ask how they are doing and chat a bit. Or go out and reach out to new friends and see if you make any connections. Face to face interaction is best, but phone calls are also acceptable. You will be happier and healthier in the long run.
6. Eat
Yes it seems simple, but some people will go an entire day without eating just because they forget, it’s expensive or they are trying to lose weight. Well it’s not healthy to skip meals so make sure to eat everyday.
Eating healthy is ideal, but some people just need to remember to eat something. That’s okay, for now. Get into good habits and then you can start adding in new healthy foods like veggies, fruits and lean meats. Lot’s of people think it’s hard or expensive to eat healthy but you can get a pound of apples for a couple of dollars and all you have to do is wash it and eat.
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7. Drink Water
You’ve been told your whole life to drink 8 glasses of water of a day, but how many people actually do it? That means that you need to drink two and a half glasses of water with each meal. Or drink four glasses at work and four glasses at home. How much water do you drink daily? Yes there are tons of arguments about whether we actually need this much water per day, but there is no doubt that water is good for your health.
Keeping hydrated helps you to flush out your body of toxins, helps you fill up on water instead of food or juice, helps brain functioning and is calorie, sodium, sugar and carb free! You can add fruits, veggies, or mint to your water for added benefits and flavor.
8. Exercise
Even if you just get out of the house for a quick walk around the block with the dog, that’s better than not doing any exercise at all. Grab a yoga mat and do a twenty minute yoga video. Head to the gym and get in a full hour of workouts. Go hiking. The possibilities are endless and the so are the benefits.
Exercise can help fight stress, depression, and make you feel happier. It will help you to be more flexible and strong. You will be able to breathe better and have more endurance. You will lose fat and shed extra pounds. There are so many benefits and all it takes is a few minutes a day.
Not sure where to start or what exercise is right for you? Take this Quiz: What Exercise Should You Try? to find out.
9. Sleep
Another one that seems obvious but many people don’t have a set sleep schedule or they might even stay up for days at a time. Sometimes your job might demand it of you, like if you’re in the health care or law enforcement field. Other times you might just have so much to do that sleeping just seems like a waste of time. Or maybe you’re just really into video games or a new TV series and end up binge playing/watching?
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When you don’t get enough sleep you’ll start to feel it quickly. Your body needs sleep and even with the effects of caffeine and other stimulants, you can only stay awake for so long. It will eventually start to fade and your eyes will start to close on their own. And sure, you can drink some more coffee and you’ll feel energized for a bit, but then you’ll crash and feel cranky, groggy, moody, and yes, sleepy. Plus too much caffeine is bad for your heart and body.
It’s important to make the time for enough sleep because in the long run, you will feel much more energized, refreshed, and focused in the long run. Your body needs enough sleep to stay healthy.
10. Tell someone you love them
You don’t have to be in a romantic relationship say the words “I love you” to someone. If you have family call up your parents, grandparents or siblings and tell them you love them. If you have close friends, call them up and tell them how much you appreciate and care for them. Many long term friends say I love you to each other after a phone conversation and it’s just a term of friendship because you do love them and would do anything you could for them.
Tell your children you love them everyday, it’s very important that they hear it and know that they are loved, especially by you.
You never know when the last time you’ll speak to someone will be, so make sure they know how much you love them.
11. Have Fun
When you work a lot it’s easy to forget some time for play, but it’s very important to your mental health and well being that you make a little bit of time each day for some fun. During your lunch break read a couple chapters of your book. When you get home for the evening, watch a movie. Go out after work for a couple of drinks with friends. Play some games with your kids. Everyone has a different definition of fun.
Remember, there is a difference between fun and mindless entertainment. If you are watching reruns of a TV show while scrolling through social media, that’s not fun. If you’ve been waiting all day to see the next episode of your favorite show and actually watch it, that’s fun.
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12. Something just for you
Take some time just for yourself. Maybe take a bubble bath, meditate, get your hair or nails done, get a massage, go to the gym, go for a walk, there are so many options of things that you can do for yourself. The important thing is to take at least 15 minutes a day for yourself. If you can take more then great. I’d say ideally an hour an day would be awesome, but not everyone has that kind of time.
If you’re a parent or workaholic who just doesn’t feel like you have the time, then it’s even more important for you to take the time each day for yourself. Yes, you might have to wake up a bit earlier or go to bed a bit later. Maybe you’ll have to sacrifice some TV time or do some meal prep? The point is, everyone can find at least 15 minutes a day to do something just for you.
