How To Upgrade Your Lifestyle
We spend our whole lives trying to upgrade our lives. We get further in our careers, invest money in our houses, and are constantly trying to learn new things. But it’s easy to fall into bad habits and let yourself down.
You read articles online about people that must have superpowers. They get up at 4 am, work out five times a day, and only eat celery. But that isn’t realistic for most of us. And, even if it was, it wouldn’t be enjoyable. So, we put our heads together and thought about 10 ways to upgrade your lifestyle fast, without having to make your life a misery.
Wake Up Super Early
It’s amazing what a difference this will make to your life. If you’re a late riser, you probably only get up when you have to, whether it’s for work, school, or an appointment. Even then, you might get up at the last minute, rush around getting ready, and arrive just on time. Or even sometimes late. If this sounds like you, it’s time to make a change. While there’s nothing wrong with being a late riser, you need to realize that it’s a habit, not a character trait. The difference? You can break a habit.
Waking up early will give you so much more time in your day to prepare and you will be able to beat procrastination. Ever heard the expression: “the early bird catches the worm”? Well, it’s true. When you wake up early, you get a head start on everyone else. You are up earlier than everyone else, so you immediately feel like you are getting ahead. That means, by the time you start your day, you’ve already achieved a whole list of things. You get a chance to have a healthy breakfast, you can exercise, even small things like making your bed. Not only that, you’ll stop being late forever! You’ll never rush into work, with a coffee in one hand, and hair all over the place.
It’s not even like you need to go to bed earlier every night. In fact, many late risers go to bed at similar times, they just get more sleep. We know that the ideal amount of sleep is between 7 and 9 hours, so why are you getting 12 hours every night? Waking up early is a character trait that is synonymous with success, so set your alarm clock and be that early bird.
Buy an Alarm Clock
We know you already have an alarm clock on your phone. But how many times have you woken up to the sound of your phone, pressed snooze, and turned back in? Then, when you finally wake up on the third alarm, you start checking messages, emails, Facebook. Anything to stop you from having to get out of bed. It’s a huge problem that so many of us face, but it’s easily avoidable.
We already talked about the benefits of waking up early every morning and getting the right alarm clock will help you achieve that. Firstly, you want an alarm clock that doesn’t have a snooze function. The idea is that it is going to wake you up on the first go. Sure, some people kid themselves into thinking they’re having a lie in, but, in fact, you’re just making it harder to wake up.
Invest in an alarm clock that suits your personality. You can get them to tune in to your favorite radio station. Or play your favorite song. You can even find ones that are designed for heavy sleepers – they make an almighty racket that your smartphone would never be able to produce.
Meditate Daily
Meditation used to just be for Buddhists and hippies. But now, the world has woken up and realized the amazing benefits of yoga and daily meditation. Some people might read this and think they’re not the ‘type’ that would benefit. But it really can benefit anyone. Many successful entrepreneurs – like Jeff Weiner, Oprah Winfrey, & Arianna Huffington – meditate on a daily basis.
Just taking half an hour out of your day to meditate helps your brain deal with physical and emotional stress. It makes you better equipped to deal with negative emotions. Plus, it gives you a clearer mind and makes you sharper and more focused. It can start to help you immediately, but when scientists have monitored long-time meditators, they have noticed more significant brain changes. It can make you more empathetic and better at goal setting, whilst reducing the risk of anxiety and depression. If that doesn’t convince you, then nothing will. Basically, it makes you a much better version of you.
Meditation isn’t half as difficult as people think it is. Lots of people still associate it with Buddhist monks levitating off the ground, but it’s really much simpler than that. Type meditation into YouTube or download a meditation or mental health app like Headspace. These will provide guided meditations that make it possible for anyone. They steadily get longer and allow you to meditate with guided help.
Develop A Morning Routine
So, now you’ve woken up at the crack of dawn, you need a solid morning routine to get you ready for the day. Almost every productivity expert on the planet talks about the importance of having set morning routine tasks. It’s not hugely important what those tasks are, just that you have one routine and that it’s healthy. Doing something positive in the morning carries through the day with us.
The first step to creating and improving your morning routine is making sure it’s not too taxing and time-consuming. If you saw Mark Wahlberg’s workout routine, you’ll know what we’re talking about. You don’t have to wake up at 2:30 am, play golf, workout, and have a cryo chamber recovery session before 8 am. Instead, aim for something completely achievable. It shouldn’t take you much more than an hour and can include a quick exercise session, coffee from a home coffee machine, breakfast, meditation, etc.
Then, when you have worked out a routine that works for you, you need to the trial period it. Again, don’t make this too taxing. Maybe try it for 14 days. If you like it, carry it on. If you don’t, make some changes. You should attempt to commit to this routine on the weekend as well. Remember it takes a lifetime to create a habit and one moment to break it.
Read More Books
If you are one of those people who never seem to find the time to sit down and read a book, you are definitely missing out. Reading is one of the oldest and most beneficial pastimes we have. It’s survived the invention of the radio, TV, and now the internet. You know why? Because there’s no better way of getting information into your head than reading it. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading complicated science books, biographies of your favorite musicians, or a dishy romance novel, reading will benefit you. Here’s a few of the way that reading will improve your life:
- Improve focus and concentration – unlike watching TV, reading is a great way of improving your focus and concentration. In a world where there are so many things demanding our attention, it’s a great skill to be able to concentrate.
- Stimulates your mind – Not only will this make you smarter today and help you learn anything faster, but it also reduces the risk of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
- Knowledge – The more you read, the more you know. Knowledge is one of the only things that can never be taken away from you.
- Increases your vocabulary – Being able to speak confidently and articulate yourself well is a great skill to have. It will help you at work, at home with your family, and even in social situations. When you know how to talk, people will listen.
- Helps you relax – Reading a book is one of the most tranquil and relaxing things you can do. Whether you need it to escape the noise of the city or help you fall to sleep at night, reading a book will bring some peace and quiet to your life.
You Are What You Eat
This is a huge piece of advice for anyone wanting to upgrade their lifestyle fast. Eating well is the easiest and biggest change you can make to your life. It will improve your mood, health, energy, and general well-being. Having a consistently balanced diet is essential to success. But how do you do it? It starts by making your own food and not buying food when you are out and about. Part of your morning routine could be making your lunch for the day. This will give you great control over your health.
Invest in some healthy snacks and food that you can rely on every day. Protein shakes and protein powder are a perfect way of getting the nutrients you need, without having to prepare and make a complicated meal. You can even get vegan protein powder now, so you don’t have to worry about your conscience. Investing in a high-quality juicer or blender will make this much easier. Not only can you make quick and healthy snacks, but you can also put fruit in and make delicious and wholesome smoothies. Maintaining a great diet is all about preparation. If you buy the right equipment and ingredients, it’s really easy. Take the time and plan out your weekly meals before you buy the ingredients, and factor in some healthy snacks to stop you eating sugary treats. You just need the strength to stay away from those chocolate bars and cookies.
Improve Your Office Set Up
In the last few years, there has been a lot of research conducted on the office set up. It has become clear how sitting at your desk all day is actually really bad for your health. Sitting down all day creates curvature in your spine and can lead to health problems when you’re older. It affects your body’s ability to regulate blood pressure and has even been linked to heart disease and cancer. But if you’re a busy professional, you can’t get up and take a walk every five minutes. So how do you tackle the problem? Well, there are two main investments you need to make that will make your office day better for your health:
Ergonomic Office Chair – There are hundreds of different options here. You can spend thousands on office chairs and find all sorts of interesting features that are designed to improve your posture. There have even been studies into the benefits of sitting on a bouncy ball because it forces you to use your body to stay in position. There are also active sitting chairs that work on the same principle. We would recommend finding a chair that is recommended by doctors because you know the ergonomic function will work.
Standing desk – Standing desks have started to become popular in the last few years and you get the best results if you combine them with a standing desk mat. The best ones are adjustable so you can choose whether to sit or stand. This allows you to continue with your work when you need to stretch your legs. Standing whilst working improves your focus and allows the blood to flow throughout your body. Many famous writers – Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens, & Winston Churchill – chose to stand up to work, so you would be amongst some of the greats.
Exercise Every Day
We know you’ve heard this one a thousand times before, but this list really wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the importance of fitness. It’s amazing what a huge difference this will make to your life. Getting the blood pumping and the sweat pouring out on a regular basis is going to make you a more rounded, energetic, and happier person. It’s been proven to improve the symptoms of depression and the list of health benefits is endless.
So, how do you find the motivation to get out there and start exercising? First, making it a part of your daily routine is a great way of committing to it. You don’t have to do a lot, even 15 minutes of exercise every day will make a huge difference. So, get on that folding treadmill every morning and do a quick 15-minute jog. Secondly, finding a workout partner will help you stay motivated. Pick someone who is likely to drag you out of the house when you really can’t be bothered. You might hate them for it, but you’ll definitely be thanking them in the long run. Most people that commit to exercise for six months will get addicted to it. And once, you’re addicted, it’s the easiest thing in the world to get out there.
Show Your Family Some Love
Most people reading this will be thinking: “But I already love my family!” Of course, you do, but we are talking about showing them that you love them on a daily basis. This will improve your life to no end. You must have heard extremely successful people say that money didn’t bring them happiness. The love of their family was the thing that they wanted most in the world. Anita Baker famously said: “You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family.” So, why not show them love now instead of waiting for the right time.
Take them out, tell them you love them, listen to their stories about their days. After all, they are the ones that will be there when no one else is. They will still be there if you run out of money and they’ll be there if you if win the lottery. Show them some love!
Start Investing Your Money
It’s easy to focus on your monthly paycheck and spend it as soon as it comes in. Most people do this without ever thinking about investing their money because they don’t think they have enough to invest. But actually, you can gain a lot by investing a small amount of money. Famous Scottish entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne is a huge advocate of investing small amounts of money. He spent his 20s doing menial jobs for small amounts, then, when he turned 30, he started saving and bought an ice-cream truck. This soon grew into an ice-cream business. Now he’s a multi-millionaire. So, you don’t need a lot of money to make smart investments.
The best way to start is the piggy bank method. Start by putting a small amount of money regularly and wait for it to build up into something substantial. You should put all your change in the jar and never touch it. Then, when you’ve got a decent amount, research ways to invest it. There are apps for making money that let you practice investing in stocks and shares with fake money, so you can start to understand the way things work. If that doesn’t float your boat, why not start an eBay or Amazon business. Find a product you can get cheap, dress it up a little, and sell it for more. These simple business premises are a great way of building your investment. Or, just put it into a bank account with a high-interest rate and let your money build up.
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