Wellness Habits That Take 5 Minutes Or Less

We’re all looking for ways to build better health improvement habits into our busy lives, and it’s easy to write off any advice that requires a time-intensive commitment – it’s just not feasible for many of us. Lucky for you, I’ve brought together some of my favorite health habits that you can implement into your routine in five minutes or less!

Whenever The Option Presents Itself, Choose To Move

Add extra movement into your day, and you’ll be off to the races adding cumulative exercise into your regular day without committing to an outrageous exercise regimen. Try to add some of these and see your energy levels rise in no time: 

• Skip the elevator and opt for the stairs, both up AND down
• Do you drive? Don’t park in the front most parking spot
• On the phone a lot? Pace around your workspace, or lift a small weight in your free hand, then switch for the next call
• Suggest “walk n’ talks” instead of sit-down one-on-one meetings
• Install a standing desk in your workspace

Keep Hydrated And Watch Your Energy Levels Rise

It’s too easy to put off drinking the 8 glasses of water we need every day to function on a day-to-day basis properly. Bring a secure water bottle with you everywhere you go, so you always have immediate access to water. Remember, the feeling of thirst means you’re already behind on your daily intake! 

Sleep Is The Most Important Way You Can Help Your Body

It’s easy to believe we can stay up one more hour or give in to the fear of missing out and stave off sleep to finish that next episode on Netflix, but you are doing your body a grave disservice by depriving yourself of proper and consistent rest. 6 to 8 hours is the ideal sleep range for the average adult, provided that the sleep period is uninterrupted. Without reaching deep levels of sleep, your body can’t properly regenerate, so the easiest way to support your body is to make sure you’re giving it a chance to recover after an exhausting day. 

Enhance Your Boundaries Between You And Your Stressors

Stress is a tricky thing to control, primarily when outside sources are used to being able to bring it straight to you. If you have family, friends, co-workers, or acquaintances who seem to constantly bring stress into your life, it’s time to find ways to diffuse that stress from your routine. 

Annoying or rude people are sometimes difficult to cut out of your life, especially if they have an active stake in your life, such as a manager or family member. However, if constant stress follows you whenever these people are present in your life, it’s time to address the issue. Building boundaries that make it clear that you’re not willing to accept whatever contributes to constant stress in your life is a massive win in the fight to enhance your general wellness. If your manager saddles you with too much work, or you’re being treated rudely by family members, or colleagues interrupt your workflow, say so! The only way things will change is if you instigate the change yourself, so build those boundaries and practice enforcing them every time you get the chance until it becomes second nature. You’ll discover more pockets of peace throughout your day. 

Choose Healthier Foods More Often

I’m not saying you shouldn’t order pizza; I’m suggesting you shouldn’t order pizza twice a week. Stock your kitchen with ready-to-go snacks that are healthier choices, then choose those over candy and chips. Fruit, granola bars, and nuts are all handy snacks that can fill the gaps between meals without draining your energy with a sugar high and crash. 

Use Smaller Dishes 

When we grab a huge plate, we tend to feel the need to fill it! So grab a small one instead and let your body tell you if you’re game for a second helping. This way, you’re not falling into the trap of polishing off your plate because that’s what our parents taught us, but instead, you’re listening to the signals your body is telling you and eating what you need to stay energized!

Don’t Use Your Device In Bed

Did you know that the blue light emitted from most phones and tablets can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daylight? If you can commit to not bringing your devices into bed with you, you’re miles ahead of everyone else in the getting restful sleep department. Even better, you’ll eventually break the habit of needing to constantly check your phone every 2 seconds, which will snowball into a healthier relationship with your phone and social media over time. 

There are many ways to inject healthy habits into your daily routine without breaking the bank or messing up your schedule. These are some of the best and easiest to implement. Try a handful for one month and track your success each time you remember to use one of them in your daily routine. Then, at the month’s end, take stock of how you feel now versus the beginning of the month. Were these changes easy for you to implement? Do you feel like some contributed to improving your overall health and wellness? Drop the ones that didn’t work for you, swap them out with a few new ones, and check in with yourself in another month. I’m confident you’ll discover that the road to wellness isn’t nearly as hard to walk as it seems!