5 Really Tiny Things You Can Do to Improve Your Life
If you want long-term results, try these tips.
Trying to fulfill your potential is no walk in the park, but it’s a whole lot better than sitting around, not doing shit, and hating on people who are actively trying to do something with themselves.
When I first got into self-improvement, I was overwhelmed; I thought to improve myself, I had to wake up at the butt crack of dawn, lose 50 pounds, eat right every single day, read every self-help book there was, listen to multiple podcasts a day, work all day, and, you get the point.
I constantly felt frazzled and tried to do so much all the damn time. This year, I’m putting a lot of focus into simplifying my life whilst simultaneously improving it. For anyone else interested in improving themselves, incorporating wellness, and balance into their lives, here are a few ways you can start.
Set a bed/wake-up time Monday through Friday.
There are many studies proving that poor sleep leads to more stress, underperformance, less creativity, and 10x more irritability which is why prioritizing sleep and the quality of it is so important.
I used to run off 3–4 hours of sleep, chug energy drinks to keep myself going, and iced coffee was my form of hydration.
A lot of people believe it’s okay to put sleep on the back burner, especially when it’s for the sake of your work or passion projects.
When I first started my YouTube channel, I would stay up till the early hours of the morning to finish editing and uploading videos. My motto was, “you’re not sleeping till your work is done.”
Then, I’d wake up at 5 am, irritated, brain dead, and unrecovered. I’d work out; I’d go to my 9–5 and repeat the same process. I was always tired. I was always frustrated.
If you’re doing this or something even remotely similar to this, you need to understand you’re only harming yourself and your success.
Sleep is the ultimate performance hack, and you won’t only feel better when you’re properly recovered, but you’ll be significantly more productive.
What you can do:
To improve your overall wellbeing, focus on getting your sleep on track. One way you can do this is by setting a bedtime/wake-up time Monday through Friday.
The ideal amount of sleep varies from person to person. Take into consideration your overall health, typical sleep patterns, as well as daily activities.
For example, ask yourself, how do you feel after 6–7 hours of sleep? Do you have a high level of daily energy expenditure? Do you work out or work in a labor-intensive job? Do you depend on caffeine to get you through the day?
What does your sleeping schedule look like when you don’t have to wake up for work the next day?
Once you identify how many hours of sleep your body requires to feel good and alert, focus on setting up a schedule that enables you to get that amount of sleep every night.
I know that I need to wake up every morning by 5/6 am, and I function best when I get 7–8 hours of sleep, so I try to go to bed every night by 9–10 pm.
Also, by setting a time frame on when you start and end your day, you have a better understanding of how much you can fit into your schedule.
Create a game plan for the following day before you go to sleep.
I don’t wake up and lay in bed pondering what I have to do that day. I have a game plan that I make every single night that tells me exactly what needs to get done and what I’d like to get done.
This saves me time, energy, and it completely derails the excuse of, “I don’t feel like doing x today.”
I’m a full-time content creator, I have a part-time job on top of that, I exercise daily, I have multiple different hobbies, and a partner who requires time and attention, so time is my most valuable asset, and I hate wasting it.
By creating a game plan ahead of time, you’re limiting the number of decisions you have to make, and you’re able to set yourself up to focus on what matters most.
What you can do:
Invest in a planner and have a plan of attack that you work on every single evening before you unwind for the night.
Write down 3 of your most critical tasks and a few that you would like to get done.
I always start my day with exercise, writing, and any contracting work I might have. My “would be nice” tasks are things like updates within my blog, admin stuff, creative aspects, laundry, things around the house, etc.
I won’t die if I don’t get a chance to update my blog, but I will have some financial issues if I don’t invest time into writing.
Always end your day off by writing out your most critical tasks for the following day.
Keep your mornings sacred.
I took some time off during the holidays and did something I haven’t done in a really long time.
Nothing.
I did absolutely nothing. I told myself I would start my mornings as if I had zero responsibilities, no job, and all the time in the world, and it was the fucking best thing I ever did for a solid week straight.
I woke up around 6 with no alarm and went into my kitchen, starting up the coffee. I drank it slowly while standing out on the balcony, the crisp morning chill giving me goosebumps. The idea of not having to check work emails felt like the biggest luxury.
I read books all morning, took my time getting ready, went to the gym for a slow and simple workout, showered without hurrying, chewed slowly, and didn’t rush through anything. I journaled. I didn’t go online.
I felt so at peace. I felt calm. I felt like my life was in my hands and like I was in control of my schedule.This made me realize how important it is to keep your mornings sacred and give back to yourself.
As work-life is back in full swing right now, I’m trying to keep 2–3 hours every single morning completely to myself, and I keep my phone on ‘do not disturb’ until 9 am.
What you can do:
Ask yourself this question, if you didn’t have any responsibilities in life, what would your morning look like?
What would you do? Would you take a yoga class? Would you cuddle your dog on the couch? Would you read? Would you go for a run? Would you write?
Whatever it might be, figure out a way to incorporate it into your day. Maybe this means waking up earlier while the rest of the world sleeps. Maybe this means getting out of your comfort zone.
The point is to start your day by being good to yourself first.
Exercise in the morning time.
There are many benefits to working out early; for example, if you work out early in the morning, you’ll be more motivated to make healthier choices throughout the day.
Exercise also provides you with mental clarity and an improved attention span, so you’ll feel more accomplished, as well as rejuvenated and recharged.
In my experience, early morning workouts are the best way to ensure you have a good and productive day. It’s one huge task to tick off on your to-do list, and it feels so damn good when you can finish your workday and not have to hit up the gym in the evening.
What you can do:
It takes time to adjust to early morning workouts, so try incorporating 30–60 minutes of exercise a few times per week and see how you feel.
This doesn’t have to be heavy weight-lifting every single morning — this can be simple movement, like taking a walk to your favorite cafe or even doing some yoga in your living room while your coffee is brewing.
Maybe you can’t do it every single day, but 2–3 days is better than none at all. And, by establishing a bed time, you’ll be able to gauge what time you should wake up in order to make this happen.
Bonus: the chances of you skipping out on the gym are a lot slimmer if you do it first thing.
Incorporate some form of learning daily.
Studies show that learning throughout our lives can improve self-esteem, increase life satisfaction, optimism, and belief in our own abilities. It can even help anxiety and improve your relationships with others.
You’re probably wondering how on earth learning can improve your relationships, and it’s quite simple — it opens up a line of communication.
My partner is the kind of guy who knows a little bit about everything; my friends call him the human version of Google. When we first started dating, I realized how little I knew about the world and how much he knew, and it really motivated me to dive into topics I found interesting.
Learning shouldn’t end when you get your high school diploma or even your degree. It should be a constant in your life, especially if you’re trying to improve yourself and fulfill your potential.
What you can do:
You don’t have to invest in a college education or go out of your way; this simply means incorporating little avenues of learning into your daily life so that you could be your best and highest self.
Try listening to an educational podcast 1x a day, or making it a goal to read a non-fiction book per week, or even signing up for an online class that interests you.
One of my friends made a goal to learn how to cook one new recipe per week last year, and now she’s realized she loves cooking and is creating her own cookbook.
The point is to simply do something that makes you a little bit smarter than you were yesterday. You never know what will come out of it.
I like to listen to podcasts whenever I exercise or go on walks. This way, I’m killing two birds with one stone. I get healthy and a little bit smarter.
Self-improvement doesn’t have to be hard. To reiterate, incorporate these 5 tiny little things:
- Set up a bed/wake up time M-F. So you could get good sleep and function well the next morning.
- Create a game plan for the following day.
- Start your day off by giving back to yourself first.
- Movement in the AM.
- Do something that makes you a little bit smarter than you were yesterday.