We’re all trying our best to stick to a good routine, but with work, family and social commitments it’s hard to maintain a balanced lifestyle every day.
Read more: Wellbeing experts share their morning routines
The trick is to build micro habits – small, sustainable routines that don’t eat up too much time, but make life feel that little bit more under control. These ones take less than five minutes each.
1. Five-minute journalling
Journalling has so many great benefits, but it’s notable for its effect on stress, as well as its ability to help us to reframe our thoughts positively.
You don’t have to write pages of prose to reap the gains either. Simply taking a moment to jot down a handful of thoughts can help you to check-in with your mood.
If you journal in the morning, use the time to review and hone your daily to-do list and what you want to achieve from the day. In time, you’ll be able to pick out thoughts and goals that crop up time and time again and focus on bringing them to life.
2. Cold water therapy
Taking a cold shower might not be pleasurable in the moment, but according to wellness guru Wim Hof, aka The Iceman, braving the icy water can give us more energy, better sleep and improved focus.
Mr Hof claims practising his method over a sustained period can lead to health benefits such as more energy, less stress and an improved immune system. He credits taking ice baths and practising his breathing techniques daily for his success in his many endurance feats, brought on, he says, by the physiological benefits that the combination of the two impart.
Read more: What I learned from taking cold showers for a month
3. Declutter one thing
The start of a new season makes us yearn for clean and calm spaces to relax in, but streamlining your home doesn’t have to be a mammoth all-day mission.
Focusing on micro decluttering is a much more sane and sustainable approach to healthy living. Simply take five minutes to sort through one thing each day, whether that’s a junk drawer, a food cupboard or a pile of unwanted clothing.
4. Make your bed
Nothing feels more demotivating than coming home to an unmade bed. Taking a moment to tidy your bedroom starts the day off right and sets you up to accomplish the rest of the tasks on your to-do list.
Plus, it could help if you’re suffering with insomnia too. A study conducted by The Sleep Foundation found that people who make their bed in the morning are 19 per cent more likely to have a good night’s sleep every day.
5. Drink a glass of water each morning
Drinking water in the morning isn’t just about starting your day off well hydrated, studies have found that it can help to aid digestion, keep your skin clear and boost your concentration levels.
Read more: Health benefits of water
Although it might be tempting to head straight for the coffee pot, taking the first five minutes of your morning to sip on a glass of water can give your body a head start to keeping your fluids balanced throughout the day.
Do you have a daily routine? Does it make you feel better? Share your daily habits in the comments section below.
– With PA
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