Nowadays we are living increasingly hectic day to day lives. You’d think that with the progression of technology that we’d be left with more free time on our hands than ever before. After all, we now have machines to do our laundry and wash our dishes. We can find any information we want at the touch of a search button on our smartphones rather than trawling through books and files for hours. We can do our banking online. We can order commodities without having to head out to the shops and have them delivered to the comfort of our own homes. The list goes on and on. However, the increased convenience of basics and the speed at which we can carry out tasks has simply resulted in us trying to cram more and more activities and responsibilities into every twenty-four hours. It’s exhausting. So, for the sake of your happiness, health and wellbeing, it’s important that you dedicate an allotted amount of time each day to ensure that you are keeping on top of the important things. The things that can make all the difference between whether you have a good quality of life or poor quality of life. They are easy to forget or neglect, but it’s time to fix up and pay them due attention. Here are a few things that should be topping your list of priorities.
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Sleep
Eight hours of sleep a day is essential for our happiness and well being… we all know this. So why do so many of us turn a blind eye to this information that has been proven time and time again? Well, we allow ourselves to run overtime and think we can manage well enough without following this sage advice. This may work for a little while. But in the long run, you’ll start to experience sleep deprivation, which can have all sorts of negative effects on our lives. First, there are the health problems involved: heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, for example. What’s more? Lack of sleep can harm not only you but others around you. Think about it. If you haven’t had quite enough sleep, you could find that you are more likely to experience a collision on the road, make an accident at work that could have negative repercussions, or forget to carry out an important task that could make someone else’s life harder for them. So, if you find yourself running on empty more often than not, it’s time to buck your ideas up. Make sure that you hit the hay while allowing yourself to get sufficient sleep for the day ahead of you. If you find that you are having problems, contact a healthcare professional who will be able to identify any major problems, such as insomnia. You can also make getting to sleep easier for yourself by taking a warm bath before bed, drinking a warm beverage, and removing distractions such as your phone or turning your television off.
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Mental Health
Mental health isn’t something that we talk about all too often, but it’s absolutely essential that we begin to be a little more open about mental health problems as a society. Why? Because so many of us experience the negative effects of mental health issues and are either unaware of what we are suffering from, or do not know how to seek help for ourselves. So, be aware of the signs and symptoms of deteriorating mental health and ensure that you seek help from the relevant sources as soon as possible if you do begin to struggle. From anxiety symptoms to bipolar depression symptoms, there is a whole wealth of information out there on the web that can help you to understand why you are feeling the way that you are. If you believe that you may be suffering from some sort of mental health issue, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There are so many sources of aid out there that can hugely benefit you and improve your situation. From your doctor to private psychiatrists or psychologists, to other individuals in a similar boat. Speak out and be heard.
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Diet
If you find yourself rushing from A to B with little respite in between, it’s likely that you aren’t getting the opportunity to fuel yourself with the best nutrition possible. We’re all guilty of grabbing take away food now and again, but don’t let it become a habit. Instead of skipping breakfast, get up a little earlier and fix yourself a bowl of oats, granola or cereal, washed down with a cup of green tea or a healthy smoothie. Pack a wholesome lunch the night before and store it in the fridge, ready to grab as you leave the house in the morning. Do a weekly shop and stock up on essentials so that you have plenty of choice for your evening meal. Try to maintain as balanced a diet as possible to guarantee yourself the energy and nutrients necessary to maintain the lifestyle that you lead.
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Social Life
Social media makes it appear as though we have more friends and contacts than ever. But when it comes down to it, most of us feel relatively lonely from time to time. After all, a “like” may be nice, but a hug or a smile is so much better. So try to keep physical contact with your closest friends and arrange regular meetups. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy but will ensure that you both get to spend quality time together, bonding in person and strengthening your ties. Remember that while social media is great for keeping in touch with long-distance friends or casual acquaintances, it doesn’t quite have what it takes to beat a special day out in real life with your nearest and dearest.
Keeping on top of these few areas of your life may sound like a lot of effort, but it really isn’t, as you’ll be enjoying every moment of the process. Ensuring that you take the time to ensure that you get sufficient sleep, monitor your emotions effectively, eat a healthy and balanced diet, and meet up with your pals will give you the best quality of life possible.