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Are you feeling stuck in a rut, going through the motions of your everyday routine without any excitement or changes?
Do you want to add some zest and creativity into your life but don’t know where to start?
We understand how easy it can be to fall into a monotonous cycle and lose the spark in our daily lives.
We’ve compiled 27 clever tweaks that are guaranteed to instantly elevate your everyday routine.
From simple lifestyle changes to fun activities and productivity tips, these ideas will help you break out of the mundane and infuse some freshness into each day.
Get ready to revamp your routines and make every day feel like an adventure with these clever suggestions!
#1. Stop Watching The News
The news has shifted from a way to get caught up with what is happening in the world to something that spins the story to meet one side’s agenda.
There is some truth somewhere, but you won’t get it from the media. You have to figure it out on your own.
Many people said they could not believe how much better their lives became when the news was no longer important. They have less worry and stress, not to mention extra free time.
#2. Expect Success
The first step to an extraordinary life is expecting success.
It’s much easier to reach your goals when you have a positive attitude and believe the outcome will be successful.
Whether it’s in a job, relationship or project, having faith that things will turn out positively increases the chances of achieving your desired outcome.
So decide what you want and visualize it in detail.
You’ll be surprised at what you can manifest when you focus your energy on the right things.
#3. Embrace Challenges
The second game-changing tweak is to embrace challenges.
Life isn’t always easy, and it often presents us with unexpected obstacles and difficulties.
Rather than running away from or giving up when these challenges arise, embrace them and use them to learn and grow.
Evaluate the challenge from all angles, ask yourself what you can do differently and formulate a plan of action.
By doing this, you will become more confident in managing difficult situations and building resilience.
You’ll also be able to handle the successes much better too!
#4. Having A Pet
A pet might cost money, but many agreed that having one was priceless. They said things like their pet is always there for them, no matter what. And playing with their pet improved their mental health.
Before you run out and buy or adopt a furry friend, make sure you can afford the ongoing costs and that you will be able to look after them. The last thing you want is to get a pet and then neglect it.
#5. Independent Blankets
This trick to improve your life might come as a surprise to you. One person said he and his wife use different blankets on the bed, which has improved their sleep quality.
“It’s incredible how much better you sleep when there’s no waking up with blankets pulled half off or using one that’s too heavy or too light. I’d highly recommend for anyone that sleeps with a significant other.”
Some commented that they took this idea one step further and had separate bedrooms. They hang out together until it is time to go to bed and then they go to their separate rooms.
They all said they sleep better because they don’t have to worry about the other person snoring or doing other things to keep them awake at night.
#6. Drinking Water
How much water do you drink each day? If you are like most people, the answer is not enough. But taking in the right amount of fluids can profoundly affect your life.
“When I got my first ‘real’ job, I still had no money. The options for something to drink at work were either paying for a soda or water, which was free. One day of drinking water all day-no coffee, no soda, just water-and I had this ‘holy crap. I’ve just been thirsty for the past 25 years.’ moment and I never looked back.”
#7. Limiting Social Media
Much like the news, social media tends to have a negative impact on our lives. We see the hate and distrust people have for one another.
We see people putting on an act, trying to appear happy, even though their life is spiraling out of control.
When you scroll through social media, you get sucked into this world, and it can be challenging to break free. But the sooner you set limits or avoid them altogether, the better.
One person said, “Deleting all the people from high school I don’t see anymore from social media” was the best thing they ever did.”
#8. Journaling
Writing in a journal daily has many benefits. One person mentioned the following:
- It’s improved my critical thinking unimaginably.
- Made me a more creative person
- Helped me with my mental health as I don’t rely on anyone to vent to, which in turn has made my relations with friends and family a million times better than what they were on this date one year back
- I’ve learned to keep calmer because no matter how frustrated or angry I feel at something, I know I’ll curse my heart out that evening before bed, making me feel better instantly.
So get a notebook and make it a point to start a daily journal and see how it will help you.
#9. Believing In Myself
We all have the inner voice that tells us we are no good or not to try things.
This voice holds many of us from reaching our true potential. The sooner you can quiet this voice and believe in yourself, the happier you will be.
#10. Meditating
Meditating is great for beating stress and improving mental health. But this isn’t the only reason you should start meditating.
Another benefit is it will help you to be more present in everyday life. This will help you see and appreciate the little things that happen that most people are completely oblivious to.
#11. Setting Your Own Boundaries
Many of us have a difficult time setting boundaries. It’s not that we allow others to walk all over us, but we get involved in things that are not important and keep us away from getting things done or spending time with those we care about most.
As one person said, “the only people who get upset at you having boundaries are the people who benefited by you having none.”
#12. Not Using Your Phone Before Bed
Many lie in bed at night, scroll through social media, check emails, or go down rabbit holes about various topics.
There are two reasons why this is no good. First, your phone emits blue light, which, when you use it before bed, your brain has a more challenging time shutting off, meaning you get poor sleep.
Second, your mind is usually racing, thinking about random things, making falling asleep more challenging. A better solution is to read a book. Or, go to bed earlier.
#13. Saving Money Early
One personal finance tip many people don’t realize is how important it is to start saving money as soon as possible. The more you save when you are young, the less money you have to save as you get older. And, the longer money is in savings or invested, the more money it grows into.
As one person said, “saving early, even a little bit, is much better than saving lots of money late. Simple math can prove that, too.”
So figure out ways to save money on your monthly bills, and put it into a savings account. Or, use some money-saving challenges to make saving money a fun game.
#14. Yoga
Yoga is much like exercise. It helps to keep you limber, so you are less likely to hurt yourself as you age. And it has incredible mental health benefits as well.
“I discovered it at age 56 in 2005. By now I’m still not terribly proficient, but yoga has kept me limber. More importantly, it has been amazing for improving my peace of mind. Whenever somebody asks why I practice yoga, I reply, ‘For peace of mind’.”
#15. Buying A Good Mattress
We spend more than half our lives sleeping, so having a good mattress is critical to your long-term health. The right mattress will allow you to get better sleep and help prevent back pain and other physical issues.
So while the price of a new bed might shock you, it is ultimately worth the money. Of course, to help afford the purchase, you should wait for a sale to try to save a little money.
#16. Getting Over Social Anxiety
When it comes to social settings, many of us get nervous, not only those with social anxiety. But some of the people shared some great wisdom on the subject.
This gem was the best of all. “Everyone is either insecure to a degree, narcissistic to a degree, or both. Which means they are thinking about themselves, not you. No one is going to remember that your fly was down or you had kale in your teeth or whatever, unless you make a big deal of it. If you can’t feel calm, practice looking calm.”
The bottom line is that we make things way worse in our heads than in reality.
#17. Going To The Gym
Exercising is hands down one of the best things you can do for yourself. While many people agree that staying in shape prevents serious injury and disease, many people who mentioned this didn’t comment on the physical aspect but on the mental part.
“Forget the physical benefits for a minute, the mental benefits outweigh the ‘gains’ all day.” In other words, when you exercise, it helps to relieve stress and helps you to better think through problems you have. So take 20 minutes and go for a brisk walk or do some pushups. You’ll be amazed at the results.
#18. Seeing A Therapist
Seeing a therapist has a negative stigma, but ask anyone who sees one, and they will tell you it is the smartest thing they ever did.
Having someone you can say anything to and not be judged but rather talk things out and figure out a better outcome is priceless.
As one person said, “I wish I did this sooner. So many years wasted being angry and sad.”
#19. Find A Happy Couple As A Role Model
If you are married, you know it isn’t a walk in the park. This is not to say marriage is not worth it, but like anything in life, you have days where you struggle.
One person shared the brilliant idea of finding a happy couple and using them as role models. Spend time with them and ask them how they navigate life together.
Then learn from their successes and failures so you can have the best marriage possible.
#20. Selling Your House
Owning a home might be part of the American Dream, but it can be a nightmare if you are house poor, meaning you bought a home you cannot afford. Instead of suffering month after month, a better option could be to sell it, even if you lose money, and start anew.
As one person said, “don’t get me wrong, home ownership is great at times. But I was drowning in debt, and selling the place allowed me to reset my entire life. A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders overnight.”
#21. Admitting Mistakes
It is hard to admit when we are in the wrong, but people say the more you can do this, the happier and more successful you will be.
“If you’re wrong about something, don’t double-down on it, just admit fault, learn, and keep it moving. We all make mistakes, let’s quit pretending we’re somehow ‘better’ than everybody else!”
Another person added, “this is such a hard one to get people to change, partially because of egos, but largely because it is super ingrained in everyone that it is horrible to contradict something you’ve said in the past, like you are either a liar or you must not have strong convictions. It’s like personal growth is actively frowned upon, unfortunately.”
#22. Stop Working More Than 40 Hours A Week
It’s all too easy to get caught up with work that we allow it to define who we are. Many routinely put in 50 or more hours a week, thinking it is the key to success.
In other cases, our workload is so much that we have no other choice but to put in massive hours every week.
But many people responded that once they set a limit of 40 hours working, they saw a tremendous improvement in their lives.
So take some time and think about your work. Do you have to work all those extra hours, or do you choose to?
If you have to, it may be time to find a new job that doesn’t have this requirement. Or, meet with your manager and set new boundaries for a better work-life balance.
#23. Permanently Placed Phone On Do Not Disturb
This nugget was one that many people agreed with. The person kept their phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ all day. Now they were no longer interrupted by random calls, allowing them to do much more work.
Of course, they marked some people as favorites, so those calls still came through even when the phone was on this setting.
Another person took this idea one step further. “I turned off all notifications for all apps. I only see messages, updates, whatever, if I intentionally go to that app to look for them. Absolute life changer. Took away stress I didn’t even know I had.”
#24. Decluttering
You don’t know what you are missing if you have never decluttered your house. A nice, organized home will impact your mental health and motivate you.
An added benefit is earning some extra cash if you get rid of things of value. You can either sell the items on Facebook Marketplace or hold a yard sale, or you can donate the items and get a tax deduction.
To be successful, start small, ideally one room at a time, and take your time. You don’t want to burn out or overwhelm yourself quickly.
#25. Working From Home
While the pandemic was terrible in many ways, the one good thing it did was wake people up regarding their work lives. After years of waking up, commuting to work, working, coming home, and repeating it the next day, working from home allowed people to escape this mind-numbing trance.
Many people questioned their life choices and made changes. Others realized they enjoyed their job, but the daily commute was the issue.
The moral is to talk with your manager and work out a remote schedule. While 100% remote would be great, even getting two days a week at home can significantly impact.
#26. Eating Healthy
With most foods being overly processed, it can be challenging to eat healthy. But if you can eat better, you will see an improvement in your life.
As one person said, “It’s amazing after you realize how much you feel like crap after you just took down a double cheese burger, extra large fries, and a large coke, but at the time, you don’t realize it and just ‘think’ you’re tired. Good eating habits changed my life.”
If you want to eat better, you don’t have to throw out all the food you have and only eat fruit and veggies from now on. Start slowly. Instead of sugary drinks, only drink water.
After a few weeks of doing this, replace your unhealthy snacks with a piece of fruit. Then after a few more weeks, move on to something else.
#27. Cutting Out Toxic Friends
There is an old saying that you are the company you keep. If you keep negative people around you who complain about everything, you are making life much more challenging for yourself. While it may not be easy to cut people out of your life, you will find that if you have the courage to do it, you will wish you had done it years ago.
As one person said, “After years of knowing someone it can be hard to see that they are no longer the person they were when the relationship started. My childhood best friend grew into a manipulative selfish person. For years I hung out with him almost every day after work and always felt miserable afterwards. Everyone around me questioned why I still spent time with him. I always made excuses that seem ridiculous in hindsight. I should have cut ties 10 years ago.”
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This thread inspired this article.
Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success, a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page.