With spring around the corner, now is the perfect time to declutter and freshen up more than just your home. We look at 10 ways to change up your habits that are sure to inject a more positive mood into your everyday life. So sit back and take some time for yourself to see what changes you could make to spring clean your daily routine.
1. Coffee no, water yes!
For coffee lovers, this one is going to be challenging. It’s become a rather normal habit for us to start our days with a cuppa-joe. We’re not saying give up coffee altogether but, we do recommend shifting it to a mid-morning decaffeinated pick and making your first beverage straight out of bed, a glass of water. Starting your day off with a glass of water will help boost your metabolism, clear your skin and provide you with better energy throughout the day.
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2. Keep a journal
We’re not talking a diary under the bed with a lock and key but jotting down your concerns, possible goals for the day and general thoughts first thing in the morning is sure to help you start the day with a clearer mind. By all means talk to your bestie too as bouncing your thought off others can also help you make sense of a situation but writing it down for yourself helps you think before you act and sets a clearer path to reaching your daily goals.
3. Make time for you
Whether you set aside time to organise small areas around the house, even if it’s just aligning the jars in your pantry or categorising your refrigerator into food groups, these little mini tasks can act as the perfect tool to clear your mind of other heavier responsibilities that could be stressing you out. Any small activities that don’t take too much thinking but does leave a satisfying feeling is what you’ll want to do at the end of a long day and sometimes even in between. Play a game, sort your makeup or even spend some time doing online shopping from the comfort of your couch, give yourself those few indulgent moments each day. You can even check what the daily deals are.
4. Fix up your fitness routine
We’re not the drill sergeant type so when we say fitness we don’t particularly mean full out boot camp but rather, simply try out different classes. Give Pilates and yoga a try instead of your run of the mill gym sessions. Exercising will boost the endorphins which in turn minimises stress levels, helping you feel lighter and more energised. Have you thought of attending a Parkrun?
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5. Strengthen relationships
Spring cleaning your friends list might sound like a terrible thing to do but let’s face it, out of those 700 Facebook friends, how many do you actually spend time with and talk to? Focus on the positive friendships that make you happy and strengthen those, don’t spend time on toxic relationships. Let go of the negative energy or those “friends” you never speak to, it only leaves you feeling heavier with emotion everyday which is the opposite of what you want to achieve.
6. Log out and unplug
Technology draws us in everyday for hours at a time without us even realising it. It starts with your alarm going off, which leads to you checking your emails and before you know it, it’s the end of the day and you’re sitting watching kitten videos and fail compilations on YouTube. Switch off the laptop, cell phone and other electronics you sit in front of all day, it will help you feel more productive which in turn will help you reach your daily goals more effectively.
7. Declutter
When we think of the words ‘Spring Cleaning’ we immediately think of getting rid of unwanted and unused items in our work space and homes in order to create a more open and neat environment. This act in itself is a very crucial step to helping you feel better on a daily basis too. The act of filtering through your goods, keeping what’s necessary and disposing of what isn’t can be rather therapeutic. The best part is that you don’t even need expensive chemicals or fancy techniques to keep your space clean. In fact, have a look at this Spring Cleaning – The Greener Homemade Edition for tips and tricks you can use to get your space to that welcoming status.
8. Diet reboot
When you start seeing fries on your plate more than once a week, it might be time to find some new alternative food spots. We know how hard it is to say no to that pizza or potato goodness at the end of the week but reducing the amount of fatty, oily foods you consume will help you feel healthier and more awake. Keep your energy at a good level by turning down those fried options and trading them for the grilled version instead. (Though we encourage the occasional spoil too, don’t give up on your pizza dreams)
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9. Budget
One of the biggest stressors we deal with on a daily basis is money. Take the time to make lists and plan out your budget whether it’s for the month or on a weekly basis. List making is already a proven technique to soothe the soul, eliminating money stress in the process is a nice bonus. After all, we are sure you want to see more than a single zero at the end of the month when you’re checking your bank balance.
10. Sleep more
Between a busy social life and hectic work schedule, you won’t need much encouragement to get extra Zs at night, but it’s one hack you can definitely get into. Whether you dive head first under the covers on rainy days, catch a nap on the couch in the sunlight or fall into that routine sleep pattern of 8 hours a night, the sleep is sure to do you good and help you feel fresh and rejuvenated. Plus, you get to spend more time in your favourite spot, your bed. It’s a win-win situation if you ask us.
Even just implementing one of these spring cleaning solutions is sure to have a notable impact on your day to day life but we encourage you to challenge yourself to go the extra mile and implement as much as you can for a positive change to not only how you go about your day but also how you feel overall. That being said, we have more than just one way to spring clean this season so be sure to return next week to see what’s next on the spring cleaning list.
