Are you feeling overwhelmed with the current state of things? Have you been wanting to change your life and improve its quality but do not know how to get started? Change is scary, but to reach a better state, you have to take the initiative to change. And it not only limits to planning but to take the next step.
You can read the best of the best lifestyle blogs, but if you do not put the words you read to action, you will not be able to bring positive changes in your life. Remember, even little changes you make, starting as early as now, can add up to improve the overall quality of your life.
But before you jump into reading about effective ways to improve your quality of life, you need to ask yourself what a good quality of life means to you. Your quality of life includes everything – your mind, body, relationships, career, and your environment. Your quality of life is something that you owe yourself and should be modeled depending on your own needs, wants, likes, and dislikes.
You can get inspired by the people around you and use that inspiration to define your own life, but do not let somebody else’s idea of a perfect life dictate your own choices. Your life should excite you; it should make you want to jump out of bed every morning with a smile and a plan to take charge of the day.
Material things and wealth are, no doubt, great things to aim for, but at the end of the day, ultimate satisfaction comes from inner peace and happiness. It comes from seeking better experiences, from having a positive view of life, and from improving the overall quality of you and your environment.
Everybody has a different idea of what their ideal life looks like, it is subjective, and you do not need to give justifications and explanations to anybody else about the quality of life you aim to achieve for yourself.
Before you go on to the next section, take a few minutes and picture your ideal life. Who you are, where you live, what your relationships look like, what your job is, and any other important detail you would like to include.
Now that you have a picture of the life you want to live, here are some ways in which you can improve your quality of life. So, do not put this off for any longer. Then perfect time to start is right now!
MAKE A PRIORITY LIST AND PUT YOURSELF ON THE TOP
Most people have the habit of starting their day with a to-do list or a priority list where they make a note of all the essential tasks that they need to get done on that particular day or week.
Get back to phone calls and emails, reach out and check in with other people, finish assignments for school or college, and much more.
If you are one of those people who love making lists, ask yourself this – when was the last time you put yourself on your priority list for the day?
Work, school, and familyobligations probably take over a major portion of your day, but that does not mean you should neglect yourself and your needs. It is important to take breaks and check-in with yourself from time to time.
It does not have to be something grand and elaborate like going to a spa for a relaxing massage or watching Netflix for three straight hours. Dance in your room for 10 minutes, go out on the patio or to your window and get some vitamin D or feel the rain or snow on your skin, look in the mirror and smile at yourself, remind yourself that you are smart, brave, and powerful. In this chaotic and fast-paced world, it is crucial to pause and focus on yourself, or you will get burnt out without even realizing it. Improving yourself is the first step you can take towards improving your quality of life.
ADOPT QUALITY HEALTHY HABITS
It is next to impossible to improve your quality of life if you are leading an unhealthy lifestyle. Ordering takes out 5 days a week, working out only once or twice a month, staying up late and sacrificing sleep to binge-watch your favorite show. These all are perfect examples of short term or instant gratifications that will harm you in the long run.
While it is okay to indulge in these activities occasionally, start incorporating healthier habits into your daily routine if you want to start seeing improvements in the overall quality of your life. Regular exercise is known not just to improve your physical health but has a huge role to play in your mental well-being as well. Physical activities boost your overall mood, can improve the health of your skin and nails, keep your joints healthy, regulate your sleeping patterns, and much more.
Commit to working out at least three to four days a week, and you will start noticing its benefits almost immediately. When it comes to your food habits, you do not have to throw out all the yummy (but unhealthy!) food items from your pantry just yet.
Allow yourself one or two cheat meals every week and have whole foods that are high in protein, fiber, and vitamins for the rest of your week. And do not forget to hydrate yourself. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day to keep all your organs functioning smoothly. Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep every night, and you will notice how drastically your mood and productivity levels improve the next day. Sleeping not only resets and refreshes your mind but keeps your skin healthy and glowing too. It is not called beauty sleep for anything! If all of this sounds like a lot, relax. You do not have to start doing all of these things from day one. Take baby steps and make small changes every day and add more things to your daily healthy routine as you make progress.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY
You do not have to learn a whole new language or teach yourself how to code if that is not something you like. Learning something new does not have to be complicated. Make learning fun, and that way, you will be more likely to stick to it long term. Read up a fun fact, look up how the laptop or phone you are reading this blog on was designed, try mental exercises and puzzles to keep your mind sharp, the possibilities are endless.
Learning something new every day is a great way to distract your brain from the stresses of daily life while also adding value to the overall quality of your life. Mental exercisesare also an excellent way to keep your brain healthy and improve certain cognitive functions. Just like you exercise your body, take the time out to exercise your mind by learning something new. And you never know, in this quest of learning something new every day, you might stumble upon something you love and are passionate about that you can even turn into a full-time career in the future!
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY QUALITY CIRCLE
You have probably heard some variation of the quote that says you are an average of the five people you are closest to. While we have no way of mathematically proving if this is correct, people are indeed influenced by people they surround themselves with. So, it is important to build a support network of people who inspire you to do better and be better.
We, humans, are social beings, and we need to build meaningful connections with people to grow and find happiness. You do not need to have a big circle of people; just a handful of your closest friends and family will contribute greatly to your well-being. The relationships you have with people can impact your mental health to a great extent, so make sure to distance yourself from people who drain your energy or do not have your best interests in mind. It is not often easy to cut off from people you have had a connection with, but if the cons of having the person in your life outweigh the pros, it is time to let them go.
SET BOUNDARIES AND START SAYING NO
Set boundaries even with your family members and closest friends and let them know that you will be unavailable for certain types of tasks or times of the day. You will have to make them realize that it is about your personal space. Use this extra time on your hand to focus on yourself and your priorities.
The fear of rejection and the fear of looking rude and unprofessional might stop you at first, but once you realize the importance of reclaiming your time, you will start to see how often you said yes only on impulse.
The next time you are asked to do something for somebody else- pause, reflect, and say yes only if you mean it 100%. If you are still not convinced, look at it this way – saying no to others is saying yes to yourself. Let this be the YES you say out loud!
CONCLUSION
It is not unusual to get stuck in a rut and get bored of living the same day every day. On days like this, it is important to remind yourself that you can live an awesome life. You deserve to live a life that you love and are proud of.
If you want to wake up feeling like you are living the best version of your life, incorporate the five simple tips mentioned above and watch the magic happen.
Want to learn more ways to transform your life and bring on your A-Game? Follow our lifestyle blog for tips, tricks, hacks, and more and live the life you have always dreamed of.