You probably made a lot of new year’s resolutions a few weeks ago, right? And, by the time you read this, there’s a good chance that most of you will have broken a few already. It’s the same thing for everyone, and it happens every year. I think the biggest problem is that we set short-term goals, rather than looking at changing our lifestyle completely.
So, if you have already fallen off the wagon, or dived straight back into your old habits, this is for you. I’ve pulled together some of the best advice I have found on the web and through my own experience to give you ten ways to improve your lifestyle. And not just yours, either.
It’s fine to do things by yourself, but it can be tricky to keep going when you don’t have any support. So, if you do things as a whole family, or as a group of friends, I figure there will be more chance of success. Here are a few ideas for you – try them out and see how you get on!
Eat Healthier Food
First of all, instead of going through diet after diet and starving yourself from your favourite food, take a different path. Just eat better, and give yourself the occasional treat or two every week. There are hundreds of healthy eating books out there. Take a look here for an example – http://www.booktopia.com.au. Most of them cover making nutritious meals with little time or money, so there are no excuses! It’s all about choices, and if you can get past the tough first few weeks, it will become plain sailing.
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Eat More Meals Together
While we are on the subject of food, why not think about eating more meals together? I appreciate it can be tough when parents have to work late, or children need to go to after school clubs. But, if you, your family, or housemates can make a concerted effort to eat at least 3 or 4 meals together every week, it will help you build stronger bonds.
Drink More Water
I’m amazed by the amount of soda, juices, and cordials that I see on sale these days. And, it’s worrying when you hear about the rising levels of obesity that occur on a yearly basis – not to mention dental health problems. So, why not make a pact with your family that you will all drink more water instead? Of course, if you have kids, they will probably prefer to stick to their sugary drinks. But, you could make a big thing about it by getting something like a water cooler and filter installed in your home. Try one of these, for example – www.myperthwatercoolers.com.au. It’s quick and easy,and if you have children, they will be excited at the prospect of pouring their own drinks. While you will be able to improve your family’s hydration levels in one fell swoop.
Take Some Time Out
Modern life is busy – and tough. There are a lot more expectations and pressures of keeping our employers happy, too. We’re ‘always on’, and if work call or send an email, we tend to answer it, no matter what time of day it is. With so much going on, it can be difficult to take time out for yourself. Even once a week can help, whether it’s going out for a long bike ride, or heading off to the cinema for a while. It will help you take a well-deserved breather, and the reprieve can help you deal with everything else on your plate much better.
Spend More Time With Each Other
Try and do things together as a family or group of friends as much as possible. Again, it’s all about strengthening those bonds. But, if you have a young family, don’t forget about your individual relationships, either. One-to-one time will help you get to know one another on a more intimate basis, and those interpersonal bonds will blossom. Try taking one of your kids out by themselves once a week, and the week after, take the other. Swap around so you and your partner can enjoy spending time with your kids as individuals. It’s all about making friends, and enjoying someone’s company with no other distractions.
Be More Active
Get outside more, and you will all get a lot fitter. Long walks in all weathers can be fun as a family or with friends, and you can use the lure of nature to get the kids more excited. You could even try doing more sports together as the children grow up. Get everyone on their bikes, including the kids, and go for a cycle somewhere with stunning views. Reward them with a trip to a playground once you arrive at your destination. It encourages everyone to be a lot more active, and, for the young ones, it might just stick with them for the rest of their lives.
Learn Something Together
If you want to spend more quality time with your friend, partner, or kids, then learn with them! It’s a great way to go through an experience together, and having that support on hand will help you get through tough periods. You don’t have to do things like math, of course – although whatever floats your boat, right? But, learning the basics of a foreign language can do wonders. Or, for a more simple experience, why not make use of your local museums? There is a world of wonder out there, so get out and see it.
Put Your Phone Away
I have to say, the rise of the smartphone is a wonderful thing in so many ways, but don’t you find that it encroaches on your family life? I have friends with kids that always want to play with that glowing screen. And, it can be hard for parents to pull themselves away from their work emails and social media updates. So, why not ban yourself from using them when your friends, partners or kids are around? It’s not a good example when they see you hunched over your screen playing around with your latest app, and it uses up so much time. Think about spending it interacting with your loved ones, rather than the rest of the world. And, who knows; maybe you’ll even enjoy it!
How are you hoping to improve this year?
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