Quality of life is an important factor for pretty much everyone. Better quality of life means more comfort, more joy, fewer headaches, and potentially even fewer health complications.
Unfortunately, many of us fail to improve the quality of our everyday lives because we don’t have the time, money, or patience. However, there are many viable strategies we can use to improve the quality of our everyday lives without spending much time or money.
How to Improve the Quality of Your Everyday Life
These are some of the best and most accessible ways that you can improve the quality of your life:
1. Drink more water. You might be surprised at how dehydrated you are throughout the day unless you’re already committed to drinking water regularly. Many of us go hours at a time without drinking anything, and even more of us resort to alternative beverages, like coffee or soda, instead of drinking water. Staying hydrated is good for your physical health for a number of reasons, but it also has the effect of making you feel better overall. Keep water near you at all times and drink it throughout the day.
2. Eat more nutritious meals. Another actionable step you can take is to eat more nutritious meals. That doesn’t necessarily mean eliminating all your favorite junk foods, nor does it mean resorting to tasteless health food. It simply means being more conscientious about the nutrients you’re taking in. Good meals are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats while being relatively low in sugar and unhealthy fats. Vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lean meats are all excellent options, and you should consider having fruits and nuts as snacks.
3. Exercise every day. Another way to boost the quality of your everyday life is to exercise and do it every day. Most people would benefit from a consistent regimen that includes intense cardiovascular exercise, full-body weightlifting, and various activities to encourage well-rounded fitness, but any exercise is better than none. Even a 20-minute walk each day can give you more energy, make you happier, and keep you in better shape.
4. Restore your vision. Is your vision blurry or noticeably worse than before? Restore it, and you’ll instantly find a greater appreciation of the world around you. Through LASIK surgery, assuming you qualify, you can instantly reshape your cornea and acquire nearly perfect vision. Recovery is typically swift, and health complications are extremely rare. If you don’t qualify, your best option may be corrective lenses with an updated prescription.
5. Socialize regularly. Even if you consider yourself introverted or asocial, it’s important to recognize that human beings are social creatures. We feel better and function better when we socialize regularly. Make time to socialize however you can, whether that means calling up a family member, meeting a friend for coffee, or just making small talk with a neighbor. It’s also a good idea to prioritize meeting new people, at least occasionally.
6. Enter a flow state. Flow state, a concept in positive psychology, refers to a condition in which a person is fully immersed in a given activity. People who regularly enter a flow state tend to be more satisfied with their lives overall. You can enter a flow state by participating in an activity that genuinely challenges you without being overwhelming, assuming that activity is capable of holding your interest. The type of activity doesn’t really matter; people can enter flow states through dancing, playing video games, doing sudoku puzzles, playing a musical instrument, or virtually anything else.
7. Automate whatever you can. We live in a glorious technological era with apps and devices that can automate many aspects of our lives. If you aren’t taking advantage of these automated features, you’re missing out. Depending on the nature of your work and your daily responsibilities, automation could help you save at least minutes every day and probably several hours every week. Simultaneously, you’ll have the power to eliminate tedious and menial tasks from your life while also freeing up time to do what you really want to do.
8. Set ambitious goals. People thrive more and feel happier when they set and aspire to achieve ambitious goals. Without goals, it may feel like you have no purpose. Without accomplishing goals, your confidence and self-esteem will take a hit. Set whatever goals are achievable and meaningful to you, but make sure they’re challenging enough to inspire your best performance.
9. Give. Giving feels good. If you have a lot of wealth or if you make more money than you know what to do with, donate to a charitable organization you deem worthy. If you don’t have any extra money, that’s okay; you can instead give your time by volunteering for local organizations.
10. Practice gratitude. Giving thanks, in any form can make you objectively happier. Commit to doing it regularly if you want to feel that positive impact. Write down a list of everything you’re grateful for, or simply remind yourself of how good you really have it – and do it at least once a day.
The Power of Incremental Improvements
Don’t feel pressure to improve your life all at once. It’s almost impossible to completely reverse your situation overnight or suddenly multiply your happiness many times over. Instead, it’s better to commit to reasonable, accessible changes that you can make iteratively and incrementally. In other words, take things one step at a time.
