I have been reading a lot about habits lately and how to design your life such that it leads you towards your desired results. In terms of health and happiness, here are three simple-to-implement tips to optimize your wellbeing!
Another article of mine, A Simple Guide to Healthy Living, gives some more lifestyle-level tips to keep you at your healthiest.
Make Bedtime Non-Negotiable
I started doing this early in my college career. I was often overwhelmed with my classwork and just had so much going on. I recognized the importance of sleep for feeling good both physically and mentally. However, it seemed that getting my work done and sleeping enough were mutually exclusive.
I liked to get up at 6am then, and eight hours of sleep was desired. So, I made myself go to bed at 10pm no matter what. I mean in bed, lights off, ready to sleep at 10pm… non-negotiable. By setting up my day so that I got eight hours of sleep no matter what, I was happier, felt better, and was more productive.
By scheduling sleep times, the rest of your day becomes more productive and you procrastinate less. You cannot spend excess time scrolling through Instagram when you know you have a set sleep time. You will get what you need done and be able to get all the benefits of more sleep.
Whatever time you want to get up, pick a time that is 7-9 hours before that and commit to sleeping then even if you have other stuff going on. Constraining your time makes you more productive. I realize this isn’t feasible 100% of the time, but make it something you stick to on a typical day.
For more sleep tips, read about my five biggest tips for better sleep.
De-Stress Proactively
You can approach potential problems proactively or reactively. Proactive efforts diminish the intensity of the issue and allow you to better handle what issues ultimately arise. The problem I am referring to in this context is stress. Stress is one of the biggest barriers to happiness, but it is in your control.
De-stressing proactively can be done in two steps. First, identify activities that allow you to de-stress. This could be meditating or reading or gardening or going for a walk or drinking tea on your porch while waving at the neighbors. Endless possibilities exist, but make sure the activity(ies) is(are) actually calming to you.
Second, do these things before you face stressful parts of your day. If you make it a habit to do one of your calming activities early in the day, then you will be in a calm state of mind all day. This also has the benefit of making you less sensitive to the stressors that arise. You become zen. You are not phased when predictable or even unforeseen problems pop up.
Imagine that you have a calmness meter. You wake up in the morning, and you’re pretty calm. You meditate after waking up and you’re totally zen and at max calmness. But then you work for a few hours or have to take care of your toddlers for a while and your calmness meter is low. Time to destress again. Go for a walk or take a series of deep breaths, whatever you have time for. Increase your calmness meter again. If you are doing work and you start to feel your peace fleeting, it will serve you well to take literally 60 seconds to just step aside, close your eyes, and breathe deeply.
De-stressing proactively means de-stressing before your calmness meter reaches zero. Take advantage of the small windows you have to find peace and relaxation, even as you are going about your tasks.
Unhook the Digital Leash
We spend so much time on our phones, laptops, TVs, etc. It is important to also live freely without technology taking our attention. I have two suggestions for limiting screen time.
First, restrict the hours of your day that you make technology available to yourself. For example, maybe don’t go on your phone for an hour after you wake up so you can have a nice morning routine and enjoy coffee without distraction. Or do the same thing before bed: put your phone away for the night before you start getting ready for bed. Or if you know you get a break at 1pm every day for lunch or to be with your family, make it device-free.
Next, identify the tasks throughout your day that require technology. You may need your computer to work or your phone to talk to your family. But certain things like cooking, working out, and time with family don’t necessarily require you to be on your phone. Any time when you don’t need technology, try to put it away so that it isn’t even a temptation.
By spending more time without devices, you will be more present, notice unique things to appreciate, and find more peace. Also, done in the correct places, turning away from your phone makes for some great people watching. I wrote another post with more tips on how you can be mindful.
Think about these and other simple ways you can go about designing your life so that wellbeing comes naturally. Successful lifestyle structuring allows health to become the default rather than something you have to chase after.
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