It is often easier to just focus all your time and attention on one area of your life, but even though that one area is often the most efficient, it leaves out so many other pillars of life and happiness in your life, creating an imbalance. But don’t worry – balance is always possible when you set your priorities, know what would bring you the most happiness, and how your mind and body can work together for optimal health and longevity.
All it really takes for a properly balanced healthy lifestyle that makes you feel happy, joyful, healthy, and productive, is to add some simple daily habits to your routine. This is a simple change you can make in your life, and it is one you can go about gradually so you don’t feel intimidated by too many changes all at once.
Here are some very simple habits you can add to your routine that help you live a balanced healthy lifestyle:
Drink your water
Drinking enough water is very important. If you struggle to drink enough water, here are some tips to make sure you are staying hydrated:
Flavor your water
You don’t have to drink only plain water to get the effects of being more hydrated. Feel free to flavor your water by infusing it with fruit and herbs, using water flavor enhancers, or even drinking flavored sparkling water.
Read: Benefits Of Infused Water
Use a fun cup
Water bottles have come a long way! There are hundreds of varieties, including different materials, colors, sizes, patterns, and so much more. You can even get a water bottle with motivational sayings for each water milestone you reach during the day.
Add water to your habit tracker
You might enjoy the water, but you just don’t think you drink enough. This is where tracking your water comes in handy! If you don’t have a water bottle that shows you how many ounces you have had during the day, the next best thing is to either use a water tracking app on your phone or just track with a printed water tracker.
Eat water-dense foods
You can also eat more foods that contain a high amount of water, such as lettuce, watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, celery, and apples.
Move your body
If you want to be happier and healthier, you need to move your body. Remember this doesn’t have to be with a structured workout plan unless that is within your own personal goals.
But if you just want to exercise to boost your mood and improve your overall wellness, then any form of movement will work great. Here are some ideas:
• Go for a short walk every morning or evening
• Spend some time at the beach or lake
• Have a living room dance party
• Take a fun dance or fitness class
• Try tai chi or martial arts
• Join a friend at your local gym
• Do indoor rock climbing
• Find a local trampoline park
• Start stretching every day
As you can see, there are many ways to get some exercise in without feeling like you’re doing “fitness”. Some people have physique goals or really enjoy fitness, and that’s amazing! But even if you don’t, you can still move your body and get all the same health and happiness benefits.
Read: How To Stay Motivated To Work Out
Take your vitamins
While it is best to get your vitamins and minerals from natural food sources, that isn’t always possible. At the very least, you can take a multivitamin every day to get more nutrients into your body. But if you have a diet that restricts certain foods, such as not getting a lot of iron or zinc while on a vegetarian diet, consider adding these supplements.
This is another good reason to visit your doctor for bloodwork to figure out what supplements you might need.
Read: Basic Health Screening Tests For Adults
Get some sunshine
Oh, that beautiful vitamin D! It does miracles or at least feels like it. Why do people feel so much happier and more energetic in the summertime? For many people, it is because of all that wonderful, healing sunshine. The sun’s UV rays emit vitamin D, which you can get naturally absorbed into your body simply by being out in the sun. But if you live in a cold climate, you don’t get it for a good amount of the year. This is when taking a vitamin D supplement might be needed.
Write in your journal
Journaling is a wonderful activity to add to your daily routine if you want to focus on a balance between health and happiness. It not only helps with your emotional and mental health, but you can often use it to track habits related to your physical health as well.
Read for fun
While it is great to read for personal development or learn new things with books and courses, don’t forget about reading just for fun. Whether it is a genre or just an author you really enjoy, get into the habit of reading on a regular basis when it is just for you and nothing else.
Do something creative
Let’s get one thing clear: you don’t have to be artistic to be creative. Even if you weren’t born naturally artistic (most people aren’t), you can still be creative. Think of any activity or hobby in your life that uses the creative part of your brain, such as making or playing music, writing, drawing, painting, creating things with your hands, assembling things, or really anything you can think of that you enjoy.
Take care of plants
Plants are so amazing for your overall wellness, including your mental health and mood. Just having plants or flowers in your home can improve your oxygen and help with so many physical ailments. They also tend to give you more energy, boost your mood naturally, and even reduce anxiety.
Reassess your needs regularly
Lastly, consider reassessing your needs as part of your self-care routine. This is a habit many people forget, as they are busy trying to be consistent with their routines and get as much done as possible. But your needs are going to change over time, so it is good to check in with yourself weekly or monthly, and consider what habits are improving your life, and which you are not seeing a positive impact from.
Remember that your wellness and happiness journey is yours, and yours alone. It should be customized to who you are as a person, your own needs, and the goals you have. While it is great to get inspiration from others as you try to live a balanced healthy lifestyle, what works best for them might not be the best for you.
