As the winter months go by it’s only normal to feel a little sluggish. After all, the lack of sunlight and the fact that we spend most time indoors hiding away from the cold, can leave us feeling somewhat depressed and longing for sunnier, warmer days. Don’t worry though, you’re not alone! The good thing is these feelings are only temporary, days are getting longer and it will be Spring in no time.
Meanwhile, there’s little changes you can do in your routine that can definitely go a long way when it comes to how you feel… Here’s 5 things I do that actually changed my day-to-day life for the better.
- Intentional moments
Work and personal life balance can be hard to achieve. Why not set intentional moments to wind down at the end of each day? Our bodies aren’t machines, we all need to take some time for relaxation and mental clarity. Even meditating for as little as 5 minutes will do you wonders.
I set reminders on my iPhone that urge me to relax throughout the day. It sounds wacky but it’s easy to forget to take mental breaks, particularly on stressful days. - Stay hydrated
Hydration has recently become a big deal for me. See, I didn’t enjoy drinking water for most of my life, so I guess it’s certain that I felt grumpy on a daily basis due to dehydration. Thankfully I’ve changed my ways and I can’t go without my 1.5 litres of water a day. My body functions a whole lot better and my skin feels more plump in general. - Pamper yourself
Don’t feel guilty about taking some moments to yourself from time to time. Do things that you enjoy, draw yourself a hot bubble bath, light up some candles and relax, eat your favourite dessert, splurge on that bag you’ve been eyeing for a while. Some times all you need to give yourself is some self love. - Eat good, feel good
Making the right food choices will enhance your well-being. Try swapping sugary treats for something more nutritious, like fruits and nuts. Consider eating less meat. If you’re a fizzy drink lover, opt for sparkling water or fresh fruit juice. You’ll see that if you educate your body, you won’t get sugar cravings and will notice a boost in your energy and vitality, making you feel overall better. - Be more active
I’ve also established a routine that incorporates things like regular exercise. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym – that will surely put you off exercising in no time – but taking 15 minutes every other day to do a quick yet intense full-body workout can make a world of difference. You’ll feel energised, happier and your body will thank you.
Do you have any tips of your own? I’d love to know how you improve your well-being!
PS: On a different note, how amazing is it that these photos were taken exactly a week ago, under a scorching winter sun at the Algarve? It’s only February!
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Great reminders to stay healthy and feel better. Definitely needed this today. I’ve been slacking on that home front and really I feel so much better when I just take care of myself!
http://www.hollandsreverie.blogspot.com
That’s the way to go Chelsea! Some days we just have to keep our chin up and give us some self love x
I really like the idea of setting moments aside at the end of the day 🙂 I think I might have to start doing that! 🙂 Rebecca | Rebecca Marie xx
It helped a lot in stabilising my mood, taking little breaks throughout the day to relax or do something to clear my mind x
#6 – Move somewhere warm. ahaha 🙂
haha spot on Ashley! x
I also didn’t really put too much attention into drinking until recently. Now I’m trying to always remind myself to drink more 🙂
http://www.navellina.blogspot.com
That’s a great resolution, drink more water!
Great post 🙂 I always forget to stay hydrated. All really useful tips 🙂
Camille xo
http://www.cococami.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks Camille, hope it helps somehow x
First off, I just want to tell you what a beautiful blog you have! Secondly, I agree with all of your steps. It is so important to not go overboard with work and take time out for loved ones as well as mental/physical time for ourselves via exercise and relaxation (bubble baths and yoga being my favorite kind of relaxtion!) I agree that drinking water is also super important – it’s honestly something I oftentimes overlook, but am trying to get better about! Eating the right food is also extremely key to staying balanced and healthy. If I were to add anything to this list? Maybe an extra note about spending some time outdoors each day, even during winter and also having a few moments of appreciation to the start and end of each day to remind yourself why life is beautiful – which is definitely important when stressed out or dealing with difficult things.
Rae | love from berlin
*So it looks like my comment wasn’t able to be posted, so I am trying again: First off, I just want to tell you what a beautiful blog you have! Secondly, I agree with all of your steps. It is so important to not go overboard with work and take time out for loved ones as well as mental/physical time for ourselves via exercise and relaxation (bubble baths and yoga being my favorite kind of relaxtion!) I agree that drinking water is also super important – it’s honestly something I oftentimes overlook, but am trying to get better about! Eating the right food is also extremely key to staying balanced and healthy. If I were to add anything to this list? Maybe an extra note about spending some time outdoors each day, even during winter and also having a few moments of appreciation to the start and end of each day to remind yourself why life is beautiful – which is definitely important when stressed out or dealing with difficult things.
Thank you so much for your comment Rae! I’ll pop over yours 🙂
Spending time outdoors is something I should definitely do more often, I go into hibernation mode when January comes and only come out when it’s warmer outside. haha Also, appreciation for the here and now is something I try to keep in mind every day, it just helps put everything into perspective really.
Have a nice weekend! x
Ultimamente tenho-me tentado manter mais activa – nem que seja uma caminhada à noite ou subir as escadas em vez de usar o elevador – e a verdade é que me tenho sentido bem comigo própria. 🙂
Gostei muito do post.
♥
http://www.letirose.com
Ai que bom! Acho tao dificil mantermo-nos ativos durante o inverno. Fico muito contente por essa pequena mudanca te ter feito sentir melhor 🙂 x
Amazing reminder and post! 😀
NEW POST on http://whattostyle.blogspot.com/
xoxo,
Jessica
Thanks Jessica, glad you enjoyed it! x
I love these tips. Staying active is so important to keeping me positive in the winter months – I schedule in runs at least three times a week, and it really makes a difference. I also try to run outside (there’s a 7km run near where I live) once a week, as the fresh air makes such a huge difference.
That’s so freaking awesome Hannah! I wish I was your willpower, exercising during winter is so hard for me, especially outdoors. That reminds me I haven’t gone to the gym in over a week, you totally inspired me to go today and run, run, run. x
I actually hate how guilty I can feel when I take a moment to myself… sometimes I feel like if I’m not doing anything (or just watching TV) that I am wasting time… I need to stop thinking like that! I also need to exercise more… I did yoga for a few days and felt GREAT!!
Jessica
the.pyreflies.org
Oh my days, I used to be just like that. Well, I still feel that way from time to time. It’s okay to simply do nothing, we have to stop being so hard on ourselves, right? Yoga is great to relax and feel more connect to the here and now, it’s an awesome exercise too. x
These are great tips! I definitely try and take some mindful breaks through the day. And have upped my water and herbal tea intake too recently. I have started using grid diary on my phone as a gratitude journal, so reflecting on three happy things from the day, then one intention for making tomorrow better – I really like that bit of reflection! xx
Jasmin Charlotte | UK Lifestyle Blog
That’s awesome Jasmin. Glad you’re investing in taking those moments to reflect, it sets the right tone for the following day for sure. Have you ever heard of the Five Minute Journal? It’s a beautifully made gratitude journal, and there’s also an app. x
These are all great tips. As an entrepreneur, I struggle with balance and taking care of myself. Thank you for the tips.
xo, Andrea Fenise
I can totally relate to how you feel, I used to run a business of my own and I really struggled in finding the right balance between work and personal life. Glad these tips helped you somehow 🙂 x
Great ideas and inspiration Rita! I am trying to drink more water at the minute and I can already tell a difference in my skin and how I feel!
Thanks Marie. It’s one of those things that you can tell right away, keep on doing what you’re doing 🙂 x
Este post é fantástico! E que inveja boa tenho eu das tuas fotos na praia… saudade imensa de sentir a areia e de simplesmente olhar para o mar! 🙂
Um beijinho,
ivaniasmode.com
Ainda bem que gostaste Ivania. Foi completamente inesperado, nao estava a contar sequer poder por os pes na agua durante fevereiro! bj x
Podia tornar estes 5 pontos meus. São tudo coisas que também me esforço para fazer no meu dia-a-dia e é verdade que são pequenos detalhes que fazem a diferença. Afterall, é nesses pequenos detalhes que vamos mudando e adaptando a nossa vida.
Bom post Rita! 🙂
Concordo plenamente Mafalda. Sao as pequenas coisas que fazem grandes diferencas, e e’ sempre bom adotarmos bons habitos que melhorem a nossa vida de alguma forma. Fico contente por teres gostado do post! x
Pequenas coisas que fazem a diferença!*