Life seems to be so damn hectic that a lot of us forget to do the small, beneficial things that are good for us on a daily basis.
Like stretching, taking a walk, drinking enough water, etc.
I know you’re busy, but you might want to take some of this advice about things that take 5 minutes or less and you should do on a daily basis.
Here are some good tips from people on AskReddit. Let’s take a look.
1. Up and down!
“OK, this will sound useless if you are young, but could easily change your life as you age.
My mom used to empty a box of 30 paperclips on the floor as she waited for her coffee to brew and then she would do 30 bodyweight squats to pick them up. Turns out one of the main reasons people have to go to rest homes is they can’t properly use the toilet because of leg strength (also balance comes into play).
At 89 she could easily do 30 squats and lived in a walk up second floor apartment. She would carry her laundry and groceries upstairs no worries. She might still be at it but cancer got her. I will always miss her.”
2. A good investment.
“Brush your teeth.
That’s important for your health and also it is a kind of an investment, because you won’t need (for) any teeth treating as you get older.”
3. And 1, and 2, and 3, and 4!
“Stretches!
It feels great and improves your range of motion, which your body will appreciate when you get older.”
4. Only takes a minute.
“Clean your cell phone screen! It’s more dirty than you think.
I’m a scientist at a research institute and our genomics core did this Halloween celebration thing where they had a bunch of genomics related games and such, but one of the things was swabbing your phone and sequencing to reveal which strains of bacteria are on it.
There was something like 40!”
5. Relieve your anxiety.
“Just sit down, drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, take a deep breath and just think about stuff.
This honestly helps a lot with being anxious about something since you take time out of your day to think and slowly process it.”
6. First thing in the morning.
“Yeah, wake up, use the toilet, brush your teeth, open a window and sit to drink your coffee in peace just to relax for a few minutes.
It’s really refreshing. Waking up in a panic mode really stresses me out.”
7. Be good to yourself.
“Especially for people with low self esteem. Take 30 seconds, 3 times a day, to unapologetically and wholeheartedly allow yourself to think something positive about yourself.
As simple as ‘I finished my book today and I’m proud of that’ or ‘I did a good deed’ or ‘I did well at work today’. In my experience it greatly helps in breaking negative self-talking habits”
8. Push-ups!
“Doing a few pushups everyday.
It may seem insignificant but over time it really adds up.”
9. Take care of the little things.
“Set dishes in the sink or put in the dishwasher (if you have one).
Clear trash, maybe take trash out. Just care for the basics.”
10. We all need this.
“Chill the fuck out.
I dedicate five minutes to that every day.”
11. And it feels good!
“Just doing a few chores.
Make the bed? 3 minutes tops
Wash the dishes? 5 minutes if you get on top of it
Vacuum? If it’s regular it doesn’t take long at all”
12. Spoil your pets!
“Say a proper hello to your dog and remind them they are a good boy or girl.
You are the highlight of their lives and those little moments are the best moments in their day.”
13. Just do it!
“Flossing – I can’t stress that enough.
If you spend a good minute on the tops, a good minute on the bottom and mouthwash for another minute (sometimes I do 2) your oral health will thank you.
I didn’t know to floss properly until this last year and I floss like three times a day, I love it.”
14. Be nice to each other.
“Say something nice to someone.
A sincere compliment can make someone’s day.”
15. Get moving.
“Maybe not just 5 minutes, but exercise a little.
The same hormones that you get in your pills for depression, those are the same hormones that comes out naturally in your body. And they’re free. It can also help with body positivity, you can have a hobby and perhaps a goal in life. It doesn’t have to be much, just a few squats and pushups at randomly given times of the day 🙂
Exercise also helps you live a longer and healthier life (along with rest and a good eating habit of course.)
It’s the little things 🙂 Try some squats right now??”
16. Make a list.
“Write a to-do list.
I review my to-do list from the prior day, roll forward any tasks I didn’t get to, add new ones, and then assign priorities. I also look through my planner for the upcoming two weeks to see if I have any important events or deadlines on the horizon (e.g someone’s birthday I have to buy a present for, a deadline to sign up for something, etc.) so it doesn’t surprise me on the day it’s due.
Really helps me start my day and feel on top of things. I’ve noticed that if I stop doing this, I start to feel really overwhelmed and anxious that there are things I’m supposed to be doing and have forgotten about.”
17. Get a good start.
“May seem a little obvious but have breakfast.
Even if it’s a piece of fruit or some toast, just to get your body going and give you some energy. Always surprises me when I hear how many people don’t bother with breakfast”
18. And finish strong!
“Just before bed, thinking of something positive that happened during the day.
That way you’re always ending the day on a positive note. It really does help to improve happiness, mental health, and outlook over time.”
Now we want to hear from you.
What do you believe doesn’t take much time but is something everyone should add to their daily routine?
Tell us what you think in the comments!
