Humans are creatures of habit. We all have a set of practices, good and bad, that affect how we spend our days and how we react to what life throws at us. We like our daily routines, and we like them to be… unsurprising.
Brains work as prediction engines, after all. We’re most comfortable when we know what to expect and when the situation we find ourselves in is familiar. It’s why most of us like to watch the same TV shows over and over again or eat the same meals so often. We want to know what’s coming down the line, and that’s why we consider new situations “out of our comfort zone.” While routines can give us a sense of cozy reassurance, they can also be limiting — especially when they get addictive. That’s where building habits enters the scene.
When it comes to mental well-being, we’re all looking for shortcuts, whether we realize it or not. We all want the secret formula that’ll make us feel relaxed and content without effort. But there’s no magic bullet for happiness. Instead, there are healthy habits that work together over time to improve your life and make it a little less stressful. And gosh, how much we need that!
That’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today. Here we are with a comprehensive list of good habits you can start working on right now to increase your mental well-being in the next 12 months. It’s a tough path, we’re conscious of that, but whether it’s taking care of yourself physically or mentally, these healthy lifestyle changes can make you feel fabulous, function better, and be happier in general. This is your sign — we’re on this planet for a limited time, after all, so why not make the most out of it?
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Give Your Loved Ones, Pets, And Friends Hugs
Hugging increases dopamine and oxytocin levels, two feel-good hormones.
Get At Least Eight Hours Of Sleep Every Night, And Take Careful Care Of Your Sleeping Habits
Tell that to my cats. One starts to randomly cry like her heart is broken in the middle of the night because she notices she's alone in the living room. The other one jumps on the bed at 5 in the morning with a piece of cabbage or a green bean and she wants to play fetch with it, being as excited as a 5 year old on speed at Christmas morning. Then they start fighting each other, or knocking over random stuff around the house. A full night sleep is a thing of the past.
Establish Limits When Using Social Media And Technology. At Least Two Hours Without Using A Screen Before Bed
Identify Your Triggers
A cue always initiates the habit loop. The undesirable habit starts when this trigger occurs. Pay attention to what your poor habit triggers. Knowing what triggers the behavior will enable you to respond effectively. You have two options: either remove yourself from the circumstance or exercise greater awareness in your resolve to break a harmful habit.
Practice Pilates Or Online Yoga
Yoga strengthens your mind-body connection and increases your body awareness over time.
Be Grateful
Start a gratefulness journal and list five things each day for which you are grateful.
Spend Some Time Outside
Being in nature for at least 120 minutes a week is linked to excellent health and well-being.
Practice Mindfulness
Prefrontal cortex activity has been linked to mindfulness practice. Concentration, planning, and decision-making are all attributed to this area of the brain.
Make Time For Yourself
Easier said than done, especially when i have 5 other ppls needs to put before my own 😏🤷🏼♀️🤯
Face Your Fears
Eat A Healthy Diet
A balanced diet is ... A cookie in each hand. Right? RIGHT?
Learn To Say No
You can't accomplish everything at once, so plan your time wisely and find balance.
Limit The Number Of Hours You Work. Working Long Hours On A Regular Basis Can Reduce Your Productivity
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Read
Make time to read something, whether it is the newspaper, business news, a book of fiction or non-fiction, or anything else. It's crucial to cultivate the habit of reading throughout your life; you shouldn't always rely on audiobooks or movies. Reading aloud—the conventional, non-screen method—works well.
Concentrate On One Thing At A Time
Deciding what to do at a time reminds me so much of the Father Ted scene "heads or tails" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNeKeI7AEUM, I can't explain why 🙃
Avoid Gossip
I do not repeat gossip, so listen carefully the first time 😉
Focus On What You Have
We bury ourselves in our difficulties for a very long time. However, difficulties are a symbol of life as well. Being appreciative for what you have will help you divert your attention from your issues. Yes, even for your difficulties.
Start Taking Vitamins And Supplements
Sometimes we might lack vitamins and minerals from our everyday food intake.
Choose a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals that you can consume daily.
Meh, the priority should be on eating healthy, supplements should only be the last resort!
Get Eight Glasses Or More Of Water Each Day
Learn Something New
Pick a subject that interests you, then learn more about it in a fun way. Take a podcast to heart. Peruse a book. Take a course online.
Take Time For Breaks
Celebrate Small Victories
Talk To Yourself Kindly
Every morning, tell yourself something encouraging as you look in the mirror.
Don't Stay In Your Comfort Zone
Take a risk and engage in something new. This can involve taking a risk on your physique or challenging your mind.
Admit Your Mistakes
Tell your team what went wrong and what you learned from the experience.
Also, learn from the mistakes of others - you can't live long enough to make them all yourself
Create A Morning Routine
Setting the tone for a productive day by consistently doing a ritual in the morning.
Keep Your House And Workspace Organized
Make it a practice to regularly clean up your environment. Your behavior and how you operate are significantly influenced by your physical environment.
Make A New Friend
Speak with a person who is not on your team. Building employee relationships and fostering new relationships at work provide a positive workplace culture.
Use Reminders
Use reminders because self-awareness is crucial for ending the cycle of unhealthy habits. Place reminders for yourself there where your negative habit tends to occur. This will encourage you to think twice before acting.
For instance, post motivating sticky notes on your refrigerator to serve as a reminder to eat healthily. By providing you with a visual cue, you may be inspired to choose brain-boosting foods over sugary treats.
Go For Therapy
Organize Your Day The Night Before
Make a list of your goals for the following day, along with your plan for achieving them.
Invest Wisely And Save Consistently
Saving money and making investments are two beneficial habits that should be included on every list. Because we are so focused with living in the present, we sometimes forget the importance of saving for the future. However, it goes beyond simple saving. You must carefully and wisely invest the money you save. The more care you take with this today, the more prosperous your life will be down the road.
Get In Touch With Others
Don't hesitate to give friends you haven't spoken to in a long a call. Plan a lunch meeting with your parents
Reward Yourself
Celebrate when you achieve a significant goal at work. Recognize your accomplishment once you've been successful in forming a new habit.
Use Time Blocking To Maximize Your Day
A time management technique called time blocking involves setting aside blocks of time throughout the day. A specific task, or combination of tasks, is completed in each block, and only those particular tasks.
Keep A Record Of Your Time Expense
You'll become more aware of how your time is spent if you stick to a timetable. Utilize the outcomes to increase productivity.
Walk Those 10,000 Steps Every Day
To increase your daily step count, park further away from the office or, when possible, use the stairs.
Create A Life Plan Or A 5-Year Plan
Yo I'm doing good to just make it through a day. I would literally die of a panic attack if I had to plan anything
Rise Early
The early morning hours are a time for quiet contemplation and great productivity because the world is silent and sleepy, which enables you to fully concentrate on your long-term objectives.
Early morning hours are also a great time for ... Sleeping 😴
Start Journaling
Your mind will likely feel better after engaging in this self-care activity.
They tell me I should do stuff I enjoy. But for me it is limited. I enjoy meeting friends sometimes or watching movies/series. I also like to pet neighbor's cats and going on BP. I feel like I should have more hobbies. But what if I just don't?
They tell me I should do stuff I enjoy. But for me it is limited. I enjoy meeting friends sometimes or watching movies/series. I also like to pet neighbor's cats and going on BP. I feel like I should have more hobbies. But what if I just don't?
