I will click on any article or YouTube video that tells me how to be happier. I’ll take any tips I can get on how to feel better every day, but I tend to forget the little life hacks I’ve adopted that do exactly that. Adding in new habits can seem somewhat daunting at times. We know, it takes 21 days to build or break a habit, we get it. What we forget most of the time is that habits don’t need to be a giant life change all the time. There are so many little ways you can improve your life without any disruption to the daily routine. Here are 10 habits you can add to your routines that will leave you feeling energized and refreshed.
1. Drink more water
This is my New Year’s resolution every single year, and I’m finally starting to actually accomplish it! (Go me!) The easiest way I’ve found to up my water intake is finding the best water bottle for me. I need something lightweight (so I can carry it around everywhere), easy to use, and it obviously has to look cute sitting on my desk. That’s where the Hydros carafe and water bottle comes in. This is truly the most iconic duo!
Both of them contain the Hydros Fast-Flo technology which filters water five times as fast as normal water filtering bottles. I don’t have to fill my water in one container, wait for it to filter and then put it in my water bottle. The water bottle does it all for me. The carafe is amazing when I’m entertaining or have guests over. It holds 40oz of water which is totally enough for all of my guests, and it looks absolutely gorgeous sitting on my table or in my fridge kept cold. These check off all my boxes and make staying hydrated the last thing I’m stressed about every day.
The best part about the Hydros bottles is that they’re totally natural. The water filters are made of coconut shell carbon inside a BPA free casing. They’re all independently tested and reduce over 90% of chlorine and 99% of sediment. If there’s anything we shouldn’t have to worry about, it’s our water being clean, especially after it’s filtered.
Source: @elliedanver
2. Create a morning AND evening routine
Everyone talks about the importance of a morning routine, and we get it. Starting your day with an intention and already having accomplished some tasks feels AMAZING. What we can forget about though is the importance of having an evening routine as well. Getting yourself ready for the next day ahead is a great way to plan while still staying present. Doing your skincare, reading 30 pages of a book, putting your phone away an hour before bedtime, doing the dishes — whatever it is that makes you feel prepared for the day ahead.
Source: What’s Gaby Cooking
3. Supercharge your smoothies
A smoothie doesn’t just have to be spinach, kale, and bananas anymore. There are so many options on the market to make your smoothie work for you and provide more than just your daily dose of fruits and veg. Collagen peptides are great for not just your hair, skin, and nails, but provide support for your bones too. Maca powder can improve your energy, has vitamin C, copper, and iron, and can balance your hormone levels. Coconut oil adds a nice amount of healthy fats to make your smoothie extra filling and boost your metabolism.
If you’re okay with substituting fruity, tropical taste for health, spirulina powder is an amazing superfood filled with omega fatty acids and protein. (Just pair it with a lot of fruit to balance out the taste!)
4. Do weekly and monthly life reviews
Every Sunday night I do a weekly life review. I sit down with a notebook and ask myself what worked this week, what didn’t, and what I want to improve upon. I also do these more in-depth every month. We review beauty products and business plans all the time, but when was the last time you sat down to review your own life? This allows you to continue doing what you love, i.e. writing a lot and working out three times a week, stopping what isn’t working, such as drinking too much soda or not spending enough time with friends, and figuring out which habits you’d like to try out. It’s amazing what you can realize when you sit and identify what you want out of your life.
Source: @pinchofyum
5. Make a list of your go-to meals and a go-to grocery list
Put down the take-out menu! Creating a list of easy meals you know exactly how to make and that you love is the key to making sure you stay healthy when temptation, stress, and being busy try to take over. My list has fettuccine zoodles with shrimp, turkey tacos, and sriracha stir fry. Wow, I’m hungry.
Just to make life even easier, create an accompanying go-to grocery list for when you don’t have time to sift through new recipes. Make sure this list has everything you need to make all of your go-to meals, as well as all of your kitchen staples.
DOWNLOAD: Our Printable Meal Planner & Grocery List
Source: @charmedbycamille
6. Define your personal style
This can mean your clothing style, your design style, or just how you like to live your life! As for clothing, knowing what you like, what works on your body, and your favorite ways to pair the pieces you own simplifies your entire daily routine and makes getting ready for any occasion way more fun. My style could be described as “effortlessly trendy,” but yours might be classic or eclectic or preppy. While not everything you like has to fall within those parameters, it makes shopping, pairing, and styling so much easier. Knowing what you like gives you more time to do the things you love and focus on other important parts of your life.
7. Find ways to make healthy food work for you
I HATE cooked onions, but I put raw red onion in every salad, stir fry, or taco I make. I know, it’s weird, but I’ve found how I like to eat my vegetables that make them taste good for me. Maybe you prefer to roast your veggies with herbs, or the only way you can get some spinach and kale into your diet is chucking them in a smoothie. It might take some trial and error, but you’ll discover just how you can get some fruits and veggies into your diet without sacrificing taste.
Source: @waityouneedthis
8. Evaluate your commitments
We’ve all been there before. You’re waiting to go to a dance recital, a birthday party, a family event, etc., and it’s the last thing you really want to be doing right now. Well, truthfully, it’s 2018, and we shouldn’t have to do anything that doesn’t bring us joy. Whether it’s a book club you just aren’t vibing with or a wedding you’ve been dreading for months, evaluate whether these commitments are adding anything positive to your life, if they align with your values, and why you really want to go. If the answer to the latter question is anything along the lines of, “I feel like I have to,” “I already RSVPed,” or “I’ll let someone down if I don’t go,” it’s probably safe to say this isn’t something you really want to be doing. It’s like decluttering your closet; you’ll feel lighter and there’s room for more events that actually excite you.
Source: @kiantilton
9. Identify areas of negativity
These are the stories you tell yourself that are usually untrue and limit you in some way. It can be as small as “I suck at public speaking” or “I’m not good with confrontation” to “I’m incompetent” or “I’ll never get a job I like.” It takes some self awareness, but acknowledge these beliefs. Odds are, you’ve been telling yourself these narratives for a while, so it’s easier said than done to totally eradicate them.
An easy way to start pulling these out though is to start poking some holes in them. Maybe you didn’t get the last job you applied for because you were late to the interview or because you were so stressed out that you forgot to send a thank you note, not because you suck at job interviews altogether.
Source: @chelseasmessyapron
10. Stop adding salt
Coming from a self-proclaimed sodium addict, this one has been hard for me. However, it’s such a simple trick that cuts out so much of my daily sodium intake. It’s as simple as using other flavorings, like hot sauce or pepper on my eggs in the morning, or not adding salt to my boiling pasta water. Find other herbs, like turmeric, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and cumin, that add flavor without adding the salt.
What life hacks do you use to keep your health and happiness on track?!
This post was in partnership with hydros, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.
