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We received this article from one of our gems, to share with anyone who may find it interesting! I have edited/removed some of the ideas for length and clarity, but you can find the original article at the link below:
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Whether it’s taking fruit to work or being polite to rude strangers, here’s a long list of ways to make life feel a bit better, with little effort involved …
Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night).
On the fence about a purchase? Wait 72 hours before you buy it.
Tip: the quickest supermarket queue is always behind the fullest trolley (greeting, paying and packing take longer than you think).
Plant spring bulbs, even if they’re just in a pot.
Send a voice note instead of a text; they sound like personal mini podcasts.
Keep a bird feeder by a window, ideally the kitchen. It’ll pass the time when you’re washing up.
Get the lighting right: turn off the overhead one, turn on lots of lamps (but turn off when you leave the room).
Feeling sluggish during tasks? Try the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes on, five-minute break, and repeat.
Buy a cheap blender and use it to finely chop onions (it saves on time and tears).
Set aside 10 minutes a day to do something you really enjoy – be it reading a book or playing video games.
Reuse all plastic bags – even bread bags. Much of the packaging you can’t reuse can be taken to larger branches of supermarkets for recycling.
Can’t sleep? Try a relaxing soak with lavender bath oil before bed. Don't have a bath? Using essential oils works just as well!
Add the milk at least one minute after the tea has brewed.
Laugh shamelessly at your own jokes.
Start a Saturday morning with some acoustic or classical music – it sets the tone for a calm weekend.
Look closely.
Set time limits for your apps. Just go to the settings on your smartphone and add a limit – for example, if you have an iPhone turn on Screen Time.
If possible, take the stairs.
Eat meat once a week, max. Ideally less.
Be polite to rude strangers – it’s oddly thrilling.
Ask questions, and listen to the answers.
Connect with nature: stand outside barefoot for a few minutes – even when it’s cold. (Be careful and aware of your surroundings if you do this!)
Join your local library – and use it.
Go for a walk without your phone.
Stretch in the morning. And maybe in the evening.
If you’re going less than a kilometre, walk or cycle. About half of car journeys are under two miles, yet these create more pollution than longer journeys as the engine isn’t warmed up yet.
Sleep with your phone in a different room (and buy an alarm clock).
Send postcards from your holidays. Send them even if you’re not on holiday.
Instead of buying new shoes, get old ones resoled and buy new laces.
Buy a plant. Don't have a green thumb? Buy a fake one.
Try taking a cold shower (30 seconds to two minutes) before your hot one. It’s good for your health – both physical and mental. (Be careful and stop when it feels uncomfortable!)
Text to say thank you.
Read a poem every day. Keep a compendium, such as A Poem for Every Day of the Year, by your bed.
Take out your headphones when walking – listen to the world.
Buy secondhand.
Support local/small businesses!
Learn how to floss properly.
Say hello to your neighbours.
Learn the basics of repairing your clothes.
Learn the names of 10 trees.
Call an old friend out of the blue.
Every so often, search your email for the word “unsubscribe” and then use it on as many as you can.
Buy a newspaper.
Always have dessert.
Drop your shoulders
Unclench your jaw
Try to make something from scratch. Works best if it’s something you’d normally buy, such as a dress or a bag.
Go to bed earlier – but don’t take your phone with you.
Volunteer.
Dry your cutlery with a cloth (it keeps it shiny).
Instead of buying a morning coffee, set up a daily transfer of $2 from a current into a savings account and forget about it. Use it to treat yourself to something different later.
Don’t save things for “best”. Wear them – enjoy them.
Sing!
Think about your posture: stand up tall!
Hang your clothes up. Ideally on non-wire hangers (it’s better for them).
Thank a teacher who changed your life.
Keep your keys in the same place.
Ditch the plastic cartons and find a milkman.
Rent rather than buy a suit/dress for that special occasion
Always book an extra day off after a holiday.
Listen to music outside your usual taste.
Mute or leave a group chat
Learn a TikTok dance (but don’t post it on TikTok)
Cook something you’ve never attempted before.
Join a local litter-picking group.
Handwash that thing you’ve never cleaned.
Nap (5-15 minutes is usually the best amount of time for you to wake up refreshed!)
Learn how to breathe deeply: in through the nose, out through the mouth, making the exhale longer than the inhale.
Buy a bike and use it. Learn how to fix it, too.
Don’t look at your phone at dinner.
Do that one thing you’ve been putting off.
Give compliments widely and freely.
Keep a book in your bag to avoid the temptation to "doomscroll".
Listen to the albums you loved as a teenager.
Make a friend from a different generation.
For instant cheer, wear something yellow.
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