19 Ways to Make Your Life Better

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In this time and age, we are all keeping busy, and all of us are struggling with something. Life can sometimes be overwhelming and very stressful. At times, we may even feel like we are not living the life we have always wanted to, because having a busy life doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a meaningful and fulfilling one. If you are tired of the life you are living and looking for simple ways to make your life better, here are 19 simple things you can start implementing right away that will make you happier, healthier, and more productive!

1. Get enough sleep

We all know, more or less, the importance of getting enough sleep. Yet most of us are guilty of depriving ourselves of a good night’s sleep.

I hear a lot of people brag about staying up late doing their ‘important things’. But what they fail to realize is that lack of sleep leads to depression, obesity, weight- gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and memory loss. And it also causes irritation and impatience with others.

Even a little bit of sleep deprivation can alter your mood and cognitive abilities. When you are sleep-deprived, you feel tired, sluggish, and unproductive. Lack of sleep also ages your skin and makes it look unhealthy. So, make it a habit to go to bed early, and get a sound sleep for 7/8 hours. Your body and mind – both will thank you for that.

2. Wake up early in the morning

When you go to bed early in the night, and wake up early in the morning, you can be more productive on that day. Your day will feel longer, and you can accomplish more. You can do so much in those extra 2 hours – going for a morning walk, reading, writing, organizing, cooking, gardening, spending more time with family, and many other things that you enjoy without having to rush.

3. Take power naps daily

When you take a nap, you give your body and mind some much needed rest. Rest is not idle, and it’s not wasteful. Sometimes, it’s the most productive thing you can do to for your body and soul.

Many studies have reported that a nap as brief as 20 minutes can improve your alertness, psychomotor performance, and mood. Try to take a power nap for 20-40 minutes a day to feel fresh, energized, and happy. You will feel so much better!

4. Make your bed when you wake up

Making your bed first thing in the morning is probably one of the best things you can do to start your day that will, in turn, give you a sense of accomplishment. Having a nice, tidy, and organized start to the day can lower your stress levels, and increase your happiness and productivity.

Also, crawling into a neatly made bed at night yields a sounder sleep than plopping on top of your wrinkled, tangled sheets. It’s a wonderful feeling, indeed!

5. Declutter and organize your space

Keep your home clean, clutter free, and organized. Organization provides a sense of control, reduces stress, and is a great confidence booster. It also allows you to focus on the things that really matter avoiding unnecessary clutter. Let go of the things that are neither useful nor beautiful. Make room for those that are necessary and meaningful.

Find a place for everything you own. Clutter takes up your precious living space and creates mess and chaos. It also takes more time cleaning up and tidying up which increases your stress level – both physically and emotionally.

Keeping only the stuff that bring joy and ease will make your life so much better, happier, and meaningful. Plus, you will have a renewed sense of energy after discarding the items that weighed you down.

6. Move your body

When you exercise and move your body, your brain releases endorphins, adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin. These are chemicals that work behind the scenes to make you feel happy. So, get some body movement every day, preferably in the morning.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or professionally trained. It can be running, walking, cycling, swimming, playing basketball, gardening in the yard, lawn mowing, vacuuming and mopping the floor, or even furniture rearranging. Just make sure you get your 20-30 minutes of workout daily. Staying active has infinite physical and mental benefits that can’t be ignored.

7. Cut off the negative people

The quickest way to make a positive change in your life is to change who you surround yourself with, and it’s totally within your control. Cut off the people who only bring negativity and drama into your life, and make it complicated and stressful.

Surround yourself with the people who are positive minded, and who truly care for you, encourage you to do better, and add value to your life.

8. Spend time with those who matter to you

Make more time to spend with those who truly matter. Once you get rid of the things and people that are unnecessary and don’t add value to your life, you will have extra time to spend with your loved ones.

Spending time with those who you love and care for will increase your happiness and improve your quality of living. We get so busy in the day to day grind and we start to lose sight of the things that are most important to us! Take time to nurture your most important relationships and make your life better and more enjoyable.

9. Practice self-care

If you want to make your life better and have a happier and healthier mind and body, find time to show some love and care to your own self. We are always busy. Busy taking care of others but too busy to take time out to practice self-care.

Self-care is not a luxury, rather a pure necessity for your overall well-being. Self-care means intentionally doing things to take care of your mind, body, and soul by engaging in activities that promote your well-being, uplift your spirit, and reduce stress. Doing so enhances your ability to enjoy your life and live fully, vibrantly, and effectively.

10. Stop multi-tasking

Do one thing at a time and enjoy what you are doing. That way you won’t have to deal with the pressure of doing several things at once, and you can accomplish more things in a calm, productive manner. Doing two or more things at a time can be overwhelming and very stressful.

Multi-tasking doesn’t always increase your productivity either. While you focus on more than one task at a time, you usually accomplish less and feel more stressed in the process.

11. Quit compare yourself to others

Don’t compare yourself to others and make yourself feel miserable. Everyone is dealing with their own challenges, struggles, and setbacks. Comparisons are unhealthy and detrimental to your own self-esteem.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus your energy on being the very best version of yourself. Try to be better than what you were yesterday. Focus all your energy and attention on your own goals and dreams. Do what is required to achieve them.

12. Have manageable goals and write those down

If you want to make your life better, reduce the number of goals you have. Many of us have tons of goals in life that keep us busy with things that are not truly important and meaningful. Also, it’s a lot harder to accomplish things when you have more goals than what you can manage to achieve. That can make you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and unhappy.

Go through your priority list, remove those that don’t go with your current values and principles, and write those down.

Studies have shown that spelling out your dreams and goals in ink can make them feel less intimidating and more attainable. It will help you stay focused so you don’t waste time on tasks of low importance. And by reducing the number of goals that you are striving to accomplish, you will improve your focus and your success rate that will also increase your happiness.

13. Ask for help when you need it

Don’t shy away from asking for help when you need it. It’s not a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a sign of your maturity. Instead of trying to do something all by yourself when you can’t do it right, seek help and learn from others.

We can’t always do things on our own, and it’s okay to ask for help. If you have trouble, reach out to someone and ask for their assistance. It will reduce your stress and frustration. Also, you can accomplish more, learn new things, and feel happier.

14. Try a new activity

Learn something new. Do something that you have always wanted to do. Find a new hobby. Explore new things. Develop a new skill. The idea is to try a new activity that’s exciting for you.

Make more time for the things you love and enjoy. That will work as a stress-reliever and anti-depressant, and will give new meaning to your life.

15. Practice gratitude daily

Gratitude is all about shifting your focus from what your life lacks to all the things you currently have – big and small. Gratitude makes people more resilient, improves physical, emotional and mental health, and reduces stress. Research has shown the link between living with gratitude and multiple health benefits including better sleep, less stress, improved relationships, and increased happiness.

Focus on all the good things in your life, appreciate all your blessings, and express gratitude for those. Make your own gratitude list and read them often. Every day find at least 3 reasons/things to be thankful for. Just by doing that consistently, you will notice a significant increase in your happiness and overall well-being.

16. Have good thoughts

In a world where we are being fed with constant negativity from everywhere, it’s important to have some good, positive thoughts daily to feel calm and happy.

A few good thoughts can change the entire course of your day for the better and how you feel about your life. So, think positive and start your day with good, encouraging thoughts.

17. Forgive others and forgive yourself

This is one of the important and proven ways you can make your life better. When you decide to forgive someone, you let the grudge go that was weighing you down emotionally. You free yourself of the anger and bitterness that were only causing anguish to yourself.

Also, learn to forgive yourself. You are not perfect, and like everybody else, you screw up, too. Accept your imperfections and learn from your mistakes. If there are any apologies you owe for wrongdoings but you have been putting off, get them out immediately. And forgive yourself for the things that you are holding yourself guilty for a long time. It’s really important that you show kindness and compassion to yourself as well as others.

18. Do something nice for others

Find a way to do something nice for others every day. Being kind has a profound impact on your mood and happiness. You don’t always have to do big things to be nice to someone. You can do small things for others in a great way. It doesn’t always take much time or money either.

A warm hug, a kind message, a thank you note, a big smile, a phone-call, a sincere compliment, few words of encouragement, sharing a meal, and giving away the stuff that you don’t need anymore are just a few ways to be nice to others. The more genuine kindness you offer to others, the more genuine kindness you will get in return.

19. Simplify your life

Life has a tendency to get easily complicated and stressful if you don’t take time to simplify things. A simple life is usually a happy life. Simplifying your life will bring you balance, freedom, joy, and peace of mind.

Keep things as simple as necessary, and that will reduce your stress and boost your happiness significantly. Because it’s easier to be happy when you are not surrounded by the confusion and the clutter of your life. If you want to know how you can simplify your life to make it better, read this to get some amazing ideas. Simplifying your life has great proven benefits that can’t be ignored.

The Takeaway

These are some great and easy ways to improve your life immediately. Choosing to do them will change your life for better. You can choose any one of them to implement first. Taking that first step is important. People often say they don’t have time to do things that will improve their life. But that’s usually not the case. In reality, they are saying they lack priorities when they say they don’t have time. If you don’t have time to do the things that can make your life better, you don’t really care about feeling fulfilled and truly happy.

So make your happiness and well-being a priority today, and focus your energy and time on implementing these proven ways to make your life truly rewarding and more enjoyable.