Do you want to make every day count?
With so much going on in life with work, friends, travel, and social media, it’s easy to find yourself drifting through each day without really appreciating it.
We get so wrapped up in everything that’s going on around us and in the lives of other people that we stop concentrating on making the most of our own.
You don’t have to make big changes to start making each day count for more. Being more aware of your actions and choices is the first step to getting the most out of every day.
If you feel like time is passing you by without even realizing, have a read below for some simple tips on how you can start getting more out of life:
1. Wake up positive.
For most of us, our first thoughts when we wake up for the day are either ‘urgh turn off that alarm’ or ‘I’m so tired.’
But starting off the day with negative thoughts will impact the rest of your day in a negative way.
We can’t completely control how we feel when we open our eyes, but we can make an effort to make our first conscious thought a good one.
Training yourself to have a positive mindset first thing in the morning will help lift your mood and mean you’re more ready for whatever you have to face that day.
It could be anything from focusing on something you’re excited about later in the day to just appreciating the warmth and comfort of your bed for a minute longer.
This positive thought will set you up for the day ahead and help you have a more upbeat and grateful mindset toward the things in store for you later on.
2. Take care of yourself.
Find a wellness routine that works for you. It could be something you do every morning, or when you get home from work, but develop a routine where you can make time for yourself and find comfort in looking after yourself.
Having a daily routine gives you the time to center yourself, either preparing for the day ahead or helping you to let go of any stress from the day you’ve just had.
It might be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee in your favorite mug while you take time to do your makeup, or taking time when you come in from work to mute your phone and be quiet for 10 minutes away from everyone to de-stress.
Finding something small you can do every day just for you is about switching off from the hustle and bustle of life, giving yourself a minute to be more self-aware, and prioritizing time for self-care.
3. Find joy in the little things.
We take so many things for granted in life because they are part of our every day. We stop seeing their beauty because we consider them normal and unexceptional.
But challenge yourself to actually be aware of your surroundings. Take a moment to appreciate the colors, the noises, and the smells all around you. Nature is a wonderful subject to try this with and offers an array of beauty we’ve don’t appreciate enough.
You can take something as simple as a blade of grass or the sky to focus on. Really look at their colors, think about the immensity of them and see where your mind takes you.
It might feel odd and indulgent at first, to spend time looking around at things you see every day. But by taking the time to do this once in a while, you’ll remind yourself of the privilege it is to be alive in the world we have. You’ll see beauty more easily in everything around you and feel your experience of the world deepen.
4. Be kind.
You can’t help but feel good when you add to someone else’s happiness. Yet, so often we miss the opportunity to show a little kindness.
We get so wrapped up in our own troubles, we forget about everyone else. We might take our frustrations out on others without even realizing.
Making a conscious effort to perform at least one act of kindness a day will help you be more aware of those around you and help prevent you from getting so caught up in your own troubles.
It costs us nothing to smile, help someone with their bag, or share some food. By making an effort to be kind, you’ll also feel the joy that adding to other people’s happiness brings.
5. Smile more.
It’s simple, but effective. Smiling is a mood booster, and more than that, it’s a reminder to yourself to be happy.
Making the effort to find something to smile about every day will teach you to have a more positive mindset. Once you’ve found something to smile about, you’ll feel your mood lift and find an inner strength to face any struggles that may come your way in the day ahead.
Smiling and laughing are some of life’s greatest joys, so don’t wait for those feelings to come to you, seek out things that make you feel that way.
You’ll soon learn to spend more time on what makes you genuinely happy and benefit from the fulfillment this brings.
This is, however, different from toxic positivity where you neglect to deal with negative emotions by pretending everything is great.
6. Accomplish a task.
We all feel good from a sense of achievement. If you struggle to find motivation in your day and worry about wasting it, set yourself tasks you want to accomplish before the day is out to give yourself a focus.
Be realistic about what you can achieve – it will only make you feel worse if you’re over ambitious and stressed by your to-do list.
Even if you’re not so good at switching off for some me-time, selecting just a few things to achieve each day will give you the permission you need to take time to rest and indulge in some well-earned self-care once they’re completed.
Your tasks don’t have to fill the whole day, and can be anything from tidying a room to going for a walk. Make yourself do that task you keep putting off, and once you’ve finished, you can enjoy the sense of achievement and contentment that comes from a day well spent.
7. Switch off from technology.
TV and social media have become such a huge part of our lives that it can be hard to switch off from it all.
But we get so drawn into watching other people’s lives that we are oblivious to the hours of our own life we’re missing out on.
Media and technology has enriched our lives and connected us in a way like never before. But it’s easy to get so wrapped up in experiencing life through a screen that you miss out on the joy of living in the present.
Try to find time each day where you put away your phone or turn off the TV to go and do something else. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll appreciate it all the more for giving it your full attention and not having any distractions.
8. Keep learning.
Once we’ve left school or university and settled into a job, we can get too comfortable and complacent in our daily grind, and stop pushing the boundaries of our experience.
This is when it is most important to search out a challenge or learn a new skill. Keeping your mind active by trying something new will help expand your horizons and better your understanding of the world and people around you.
Hobbies can lead you to new places, new people, and open doors that you could never have imagined before.
Evaluating each day is also a way to continually learn, but from yourself. At the end of the day, think over different things you said or did. Could you have been kinder? What are the different choices you could have made? Continuously challenging yourself to be better and learn from yesterday will help you get the most out of tomorrow.
9. Set some goals.
We’ve all had times where we feel a little lost and worry we’re wasting our time going in the wrong direction.
Having a set of realistic goals in your mind and a timeframe in which you want to have achieved them will give you a sense of guidance whenever you’re feeling adrift.
These goals can be big or small, but try to make them achievable. They should be things that only you are responsible for and can actively work toward accomplishing.
Goals will give you a sense of purpose and something to stay positive, motivated, and excited for, helping you find ways to make each day count as a step toward attaining them.
10. Express yourself.
As we get older and entangled in the pressures and noise of daily life, we stop putting time aside to open up and express ourselves.
Just because it feels as though there are a million things you should be doing, doesn’t mean you’re any less entitled to taking some time to focus on yourself.
In fact, it’s when you feel bogged down in life and chores that it’s most important for you to take some time out for your own needs.
As children, we are often encouraged to express ourselves in creative activities such as art, cooking, or games. We need this time just as much, if not more so, as an adult.
Taking time to be creative and active allows you to express, process, and let go of the emotions of the day in a positive way.
Being creative in your chosen way allows you to focus and get lost in something you enjoy doing. You’ll feel calmer and more balanced for giving yourself this outlet and better able to return to the tasks of everyday life.
Final thoughts.
Life is precious and we shouldn’t take a moment for granted. This doesn’t mean we have to fill every second with something meaningful or practical. It’s about prioritizing finding joy in what you do above all else.
Joy can be found in a number of things, but most of all, by making time to do what makes you happy.
Real happiness is a great aim to have in life. Too often we think that doing something for ourselves is indulgent or selfish when it’s essential to living a fulfilled life. Making your happiness a priority is the best way to make each and every day count.
