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Keep a food journal for one week. Write down everything you eat and drink or use an app like My Fitness Pal or Lose it to record your habits. Keeping a food journal is a great way to pinpoint changes you need to make in your diet. You may find that you skip meals, eat unhealthy snacks, or eat too much in the evening. After reviewing your food journal, set one or two SMART goals for the following month.
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Eat the rainbow. Pick brightly colored foods in the produce aisle. These are high in antioxidants (antioxidants remove free radicals in our body that damage our cells) and make a more appealing plate. Here are a few examples to look out for:
- White (Bananas, Mushrooms)
- Yellow (Pineapples, Mangoes)
- Orange (Oranges, Papayas)
- Red (Apples, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelons)
- Green (Guavas, Avocados, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Celery)
- Purple/Blue (Blackberries, Eggplants, Prunes)
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Exercise. Moving your body can improve your life, mentally and physically, in a matter of days. Regular exercise is an important part of not just physical health, but also mental health. Try to incorporate exercise or moving into your daily routine, so no matter how busy you are, you’ll always find a time and space to do it.
- dancing around your house
- doing some pool laps
- going to the gym
- using the stairs instead of the elevator
- walking around your neighborhood or preferred area
- doing yoga
- following a YouTube workout video
- walking around your office or home for 5 minutes every hour
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Getting enough sleep. Sleeping well has a direct effect on your mood, ability to think, and your energy levels, which are essential to doing the things you want to do.
Neglecting your sleep time, even if for one night, may hamper your ability to:
- solve problems
- focus on tasks
- gather information to make decisions
Try to establish a bedtime routine so you fall asleep around the same time every night. Try to resist the impulse to scroll social media before bedtime, and instead engage in relaxing activities before bed.
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Getting better at time management.Among the things you can do to improve your life right now, managing time efficiently may be key. Time management helps you achieve more, improve focus, stay motivated, and avoid feeling like you’re wasting time.
The feeling itself of being productive may improve your mood and your mental well-being.
You can get better at time management by:
- blocking time on your calendar for must-dos and honoring those time blocks
- stacking habits or doing a few things at the same time. For example, reviewing your calendar while you get breakfast.
- starting with the most challenging tasks early in the morning or when you feel you have the most energy
- finding an organizational or tracking system that works for you and gives you a glance of what you’ve accomplished throughout the day
- scheduling periodic pauses during the day to reset your mind and body
- rewarding yourself when you complete a task