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Guest post written by Jennifer McGregor
Looking to fit healthier habits into your busy schedule? You’re not alone! Finding the time to practice self-care and adopt healthy routines can be tough when you have a full-time job and kids to care for. But you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your well-being for others. There are several simple things you can do to make your whole body healthier without dedicating a lot of time or mental energy to the cause. After all, It’s The Small Stuff that makes a great impact! Keep reading to learn more about how to live healthier.
Optimize Your Exercise Routine to Live Healthier
Who said you had to block off hours of your day to commute to the gym and fight over sweaty equipment just to get a workout in? Reaping the benefits of exercise is much easier than that. When done right, a simple 20-minute workout at home can offer just as many benefits as a full session at the gym. Get the most out of your short workouts with full-body, compound movements that use many different muscle groups and explosive movements that require quick bursts of power such as jump squats and burpees.
If you’re struggling to find the motivation to exercise daily, it may be worthwhile to invest in a fitness tracker. Wearable devices offer workout reminders and real-time monitoring that can help you stay motivated and safe during your exercise sessions. For example, the Apple Watch Series 6 includes fitness features like blood oxygen sensors and ECG monitoring to help you exercise at your optimal level. Music can also be incredibly motivating, so consider investing in a pair of Bluetooth headphones to make your workouts a little more enjoyable without pesky wires.
Be Mindful of Your Mental Health
It’s easy to neglect your mental health when you lead a busy lifestyle, but your mental well-being has a bigger impact on your physical health than you may realize. Mental disorders like depression can cause us to neglect important self-care tasks, like staying on top of our oral hygiene. AreaDentist explains that depression and dental health are closely linked. Get your dental health back on track with regular brushing and flossing, checkups, and timely dental work.
If you’re dealing with mental concerns such as depression, anxiety, or chronic stress, look for ways to ease your symptoms so you can live healthier and lead a happier life. Try to get more sleep, exercise more often, and fuel your body with brain-boosting foods like fatty fish and dark, leafy greens. If your home environment feels hostile and negative, Redfin recommends cleaning, decluttering, and opening the windows to clear out bad energy.
Live Healthier by Keeping Your Meals Simple
Many people are discouraged from eating healthy because they anticipate big grocery lists and long evenings spent slaving over the stove. But nutritious meals don’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and stick to quick and easy family meals like stews, soups, casseroles, and salads. You can do a lot with a few staple ingredients like rice, beans, lean meats, and fresh vegetables. You could even pre-chop all of your veggies on the weekend to make weeknight meals a breeze. Crockpots are also great for quick and healthy family dinners!
Start Your Day Right
How you start your morning sets the stage for the rest of your day. Hitting the snooze button, checking social media in bed, skipping breakfast, and downing a cup of coffee on the way to work is bound to leave you feeling groggy, frazzled, and unproductive. Instead, begin your day with good habits. Get out of bed when your alarm goes off, stretch out those tight muscles, and eat a nutritious breakfast to fuel your body for the day. If you have a couple of extra minutes to spare, get outside for a brisk walk in the bright light to reset your body’s internal clock.
Despite common belief, it’s not impossible to live a hectic and healthy life at the same time. The trick is to keep things simple. Cook with basic ingredients, choose efficient workouts, and find small ways to improve your mental health every day. For more advice on how to live healthier, check out some of the other posts on this site.
Jennifer McGregor co-created Public Health Library to write about health and wellness topics. She is a pre-med student who aims to make it easier for people to find high quality health info in one place.
