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I am always looking for ways to improve my day to day activities so it’s rare that I ever have a routine that lasts very long. I try new things, test new schedules, pick up new habits and am constantly working towards having the best day I can have every day.
Even then, I’ve found there are a few things that stay constant in my daily routine. Things that I’ve come to find help me have a happier and healthier life on a daily basis. So I thought I’d share my top five ways to make your daily routine healthier with you today!
WORK WHEN YOU’RE MOST PRODUCTIVE | For the longest time, I tried working during all hours of the day. It took awhile, but I finally realized I hardly accomplish anything in the evening. I may be “working” but it’s not real, productive work. My golden time is definitely in the morning so I save my most important tasks for this time. The afternoon is reserved for the medium importance tasks and if I work in the evening at all, it’s usually on tedious or less important work. This has helped me sleep better, focus more, and made my work day much more enjoyable. To figure out which time is your best time, try to figure out when you’re most able to focus and work on things that matter. (IE: not just browsing Facebook or BuzzFeed for an hour.)
ADD IN EXTRA STEPS & TIDY UP | I love working from home. But it doesn’t do much in terms of getting me extra steps. There’s no elevator here so taking the stairs instead doesn’t really yield more steps. And the bathroom isn’t that far away from my desk. It’s easy to add steps in an office, but at home? Not so much. So what I like to do is take a break every hour for ten minutes and I usually spend this time cleaning up our house. Putting away laundry, doing dishes, vacuuming, wiping down counters, etc. I may not finish the task, but I probably will in my other ten minute breaks throughout the day. Plus our house gets clean in the process. Bonus!
GET ORGANIZED | This is a big one for me. I’m not a neat freak, but I do like a clean house and a clutter-free workspace – especially at the end of the day. It makes it easier to relax and walk away from the stresses of the day. There are two things that make getting organized 10x easier for me: a planner and having a spot for everything. While you may not need a planner, do have a place to jot notes/tasks/ideas down. Having a place to go to when you have something important to remember is crucial to keeping my mind clutter-free! And having a spot for everything is a must-have to keeping organized! If things don’t have a spot, they sit. On your counter, your couch, your closet, wherever. If it doesn’t have a spot, make one or get rid of it to make organization easier.
DO SOMETHING THAT BRINGS YOU JOY | When I was working all hours of the day, I rarely did something that brought me joy. Sure, I enjoyed my work but I really wanted something that wasn’t work to be enjoyable. It would have made those long days much more enjoyable if I knew I had something to look forward to. It can be journaling, reading, cooking, exercising, watching a movie, calling a good friend, learning a new skill – doesn’t matter. Just choose something – one thing – that brings you joy every day. It does wonders for a good mood and generally encourages other good habits!
SNACK SMARTER | Speaking of things that bring me joy, snacks do! I like having snacks throughout the day because I don’t work well on an empty stomach. And I always trying to snack smart as I need to make sure I can still be productive afterwards. Outshine Bars make the perfect Summer snack. Not only do they make delicious frozen fruit bars out of fruits and vegetables, but their other ingredients are simple, too. They taste as good as they make you feel which is exactly what I want in my snacks on a hot day. Especially their new Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars!
The great thing is that hey have something for the entire family! While I’m a huge fan of the new Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars (the peach one is to die for!), Nathan loves the Peach Fruit Bar. These are definitely our must buys when we head to the store. If you’re feeling like trying something different, there’s also the Coconut Water Bars along with the Fruit and Veggie Bars. SO many choices! And so many yummy flavors! If you’re looking to try them all, Walmart’s got you covered!
Outshine is all about feel-good snacking. That’s why they’re helping provide 1 pound of produce to local food banks and sharing cool savings when you take our snacking quiz. To help contribute and get you your $1 savings, take their snacking quiz by 7/31/2015!
Plus, until July 31, every specially marked box of Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars purchased helps get 1lb of fresh fruits and veggies donated to a local food bank with a 50K lb. cap. Their bars are a great reason to love the brand, but this is an awesome reason as well. I really love how Outshine is committed to Feeding America in providing fresh fruits and vegetables to communities in need. Need more Outshine inspiration? Check them out on Facebook + Pinterest.