Amongst the chaos of our everyday lives, it’s easy to develop bad habits or throw good ones out the window before we know it. By pausing and creating an intentional daily routine, we can combat the chaos and live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. That’s why we created this list of healthy habits that can easily be incorporated into every daily routine. Keep reading to learn more.

Sleep Well

Technically, this part of a daily routine starts the night before—but that’s because good sleep plays a fundamental role in any health-conscious daily routine. A good night’s rest can kick-start a successful day by reducing stress levels, improving mood, increasing energy levels, decreasing anxiety and improving focus and memory. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night—the doctor recommended amount.

7 Tips for Better Sleep:

1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and night, even on the weekends.
2. Avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime. 
3. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption—and don’t drink either for at least a couple of hours before going to bed.
4. Read a book, drink a cup of non-caffeinated herbal tea (try one of these bedtime teas) or take a bubble bath to promote relaxation and send signals to your body and brain that it’s time to go into sleep mode. 
5. Invest in a comfy bed and pillow/sheet set and wash your sheets regularly. 
6. Sleep in a dark and cool environment with a temperature around 65°F.
7. Use a sleeping mask and earplugs to limit exposure to light and noise while you rest.

Come Prepared

Prepare for the day ahead of you the night before so you don’t have to rush in the morning. Here’s how to do it: make breakfast or lunch the evening before. Pick out your clothes for the next day so you don’t have to spend time thinking of what to wear in the morning.

Wake Up with Intention

After you wake up and before getting ready, set a simple intention and affirmation for the day. Here are some examples of daily intentions to get you started: “Today, I will practice gratitude,” “Today, I will focus on the positives,” and “Today, I will be kind to myself and to others.”

After deciding on a daily intention, choose an affirmation, which is a positive statement used to boost self-esteem. Some favorite affirmations include: “I am worthy,” “I am strong,” and “I am right where I’m supposed to be.”

Keep a journal by your bed so you can easily write down your daily intention and affirmation first-thing in the morning.

Write It Down

Either the night before or in the morning—but before you dive straight into work—write down a to-do list of all the things you need or want to accomplish that day. This should include both work tasks and personal tasks.

Eat a Nutritious Breakfast

As the saying goes, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” A healthy breakfast can give us the energy we need to take on the day, while also boosting our mental health and focus. Some easy, delicious and nutritious breakfast foods to try are fruit (such as bananas or berries), oatmeal or overnight oats, eggs and yogurt. Homemade smoothies are another great way to get essential nutrients on the go.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water throughout the day not only helps with energy, but also helps with cognitive functioning. Start your morning off by drinking a glass of water, and keep a large reusable water bottle with you throughout the day. Make it a goal to drink the recommended daily water intake every day, which is 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of water for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) for women.

Practice Morning Meditation

Meditation has many positive benefits for both our physical and mental wellbeing.

Some of these benefits include:

• Reduced stress
• Decreased anxiety levels
• Better emotional health
• Enhanced self-awareness
• Improved attention span
• Increased positivity + kindness
• Improved sleep
• Reduced physical pain
• Decreased blood pressure

Even 5-10 minutes of morning meditation can provide positive mental health benefits. Check out this blog post to learn more about different types of meditation and ways to practice.

Set Aside Time for Self-Care

Make sure to schedule some “me time” every day. Use your designated “me time” as an opportunity to rest, unwind and reconnect with yourself. 

Here are some ways to practice “me time”:

1. Take a coffee or tea break outside. Drink your beverage slowly and take time to really enjoy each sip, breathe fresh air and watch your surroundings. 
2. Read a good book.
3. Have a dance party with yourself.
4. Watch an episode of your favorite show.
5. Take a nap.
6. Paint or make a craft.
7. Journal your feelings.

Whatever you do with your “me time,” it should be centered around self-care. For additional ways to practice self-care, click here.

Final Thoughts

In order to successfully change our routines and form healthy habits, it’s best to add one or two new practices at a time. As these become second nature, gradually add more healthy habits to your routine and do regular self check-ins where you can reflect on the impact and success of these new habits. 

By slowly incorporating positive habits into our daily routines, we can drastically improve the quality of our lives, leading to positive, long-term change.

For more support with developing and sticking to healthy habits and improving your mental wellbeing, therapy is a great option. At Valera Health, we offer virtual individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatry and medication management so you can receive the care you need from the comfort of your own home. To request a free consultation with a Health Connector who will match you with a provider, click here or visit www.valerahealth.com/consult-today/.

2024 is almost here! Each new year brings an exciting opportunity for a fresh start, and New Year’s resolutions are a great way to improve our lives by inspiring us to strive for positive change. However, many of us set lofty and unrealistic resolutions that can lead to frustration and self-doubt when left unmet. 

This new year, set yourself up for success with realistic resolutions that keep your mental wellbeing in mind.

Define What’s Realistic For You

Rather than jumping into creating huge goals for yourself right off the bat, it’s important to reflect on the past year through a positive lens, celebrating wins throughout the year. In what ways did you improve last year? How have your values changed? When were you most proud of yourself over the course of the past year? When did you feel your best? What times brought you the most joy? 

Reflecting on these questions can help us define areas of our lives that could use improvement, while also focusing on what went well over the past year—and how we can incorporate that into the year to come. 

Being optimistic coming into the new year creates positive momentum that can help us achieve our goals. 

Challenge yourself while also honoring your limitations. Creating unrealistic goals is a sure-fire way to lead to disappointment. Contrary to popular belief, it’s okay to not “shoot for the stars.” In order to create resolutions that will positively affect our mental health and contribute to our wellbeing, they should also be achievable and take our limitations into mind. This may include physical limitations, mental health limitations, financial limitations, resource limitations and time limitations. Rather than pretending these limitations don’t exist, create resolutions that accommodate your reality.

Set SMART Goals

One tried and true way for creating healthy and doable goals is by using the SMART goals method. “SMART” stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

The SMART Method:

1. Specific 

• Specific goals—as opposed to broad or vague goals—clearly define what it is you want to achieve.

•  Important questions to ask when coming up with the “S” portion of your goal include: “What needs to be accomplished?” “Who is responsible for completing the goal?” “What steps need to be taken to achieve this goal?”

• Example: A specific goal vs. a non-specific goal would be making the goal of going on a walk for 30 minutes a day, rather than setting a broad goal to walk more. 

2. Measurable

• After creating specific parameters for your goal, figure out how to measure your progress. 
• Example: You set a goal to save $1,500 in a year. That means that each month, you need to save $125 to reach your goal. You can further break this number down by saving $31.25 per week (assuming, for example sake, there are 4 weeks in a month). Each week, count your savings, and once again, count your total savings at the end of the month. To track your progress, create a spreadsheet for each week, month, etc.

3. Achievable

• Goals should challenge you to grow or improve, while also being realistic. Ask yourself if your goal is something you can actually accomplish.
• Example: It’s probably not achievable to become a famous author in a year, however setting the goal to improve your writing skills is. 

4. Relevant

• Think about the bigger picture around why you’re setting this goal. Make sure the goal is important to your values, dreams and desires. If you set a random goal that isn’t related to something you actually care about, you probably won’t be motivated to accomplish it.
• Example: If you set a goal to become a famous equestrian, but you are allergic to horses and hate riding them, then that goal isn’t relevant.

5. Timely

• Choose a specific timeline for accomplishing your goal to help create a sense of urgency and prevent procrastination. This also helps you clearly picture accomplishing your goal which will help motivate you to get to the finish line.
• Example: If you want to learn Italian, set a goal to spend an hour per day learning Italian for the next six months.

Start Small

Once you’ve decided on your New Year’s resolution and have broken this resolution down into a SMART goal (or goals), you can establish routines that will help you achieve your goals and monitor your progress. 

Make a plan to incorporate the steps needed to incorporate your resolutions into your everyday routine. Using to-do lists, journaling or using a planner can all help you track your progress and remind you of your goals. Break down your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. 

Focus on one goal, step or resolution at a time before moving on to the next one, because taking on too much at once can lead to overwhelm and burnout. 

If you’ve set multiple goals for yourself, prioritize each one by your needs, realistic timelines and how important each is to you.

Embrace The Journey

Let others know your goals so they can both hold you accountable for them, and support you on your journey. Healthcare providers—such as your therapist—can help you with your goals, resolutions and overall self-improvement. 

Hold yourself accountable, but also be patient with yourself and readjust your goals, priorities and timelines as needed. 

Seek extra help and resources as needed as well. If you make a mistake or face setbacks during your journey, give yourself grace and be patient with yourself. Focus on all the great things that have accomplished so far, and adjust goals as needed. If you feel like you need to quit, instead take a break and make a plan to get back on track afterward. 

Reward yourself for accomplishing smaller steps to achieving your primary goal, as well as reward yourself when completing your larger goal. 

Remember: Change is a process and setbacks aren’t permanent. Keep moving forward one step at a time. 

For more mental health support, Valera Health offers virtual individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatry and medication management from the comfort of your own home. Visit https://www.valerahealth.com/consult-today/ or click here to speak to a Health Connector who can help match you with a provider tailored to you.