Sarah Yu | On 09, Jan 2015
To different people, having a healthy lifestyle means different things.
Most of the time, good health is determined by physical fitness. However, this is not the case.
Of course your physical health is important. But there are non-exercising habits that can drastically change the condition of your body.
We think of our emotional and physical health as two separate parts of our body, when in fact, both of them are connected. That’s why when we’re sad or heartbroken, we lose our appetite, which in turn, causes us to lose weight and become malnourished.
But our emotional health doesn’t necessarily revolve around or focus on our feelings. Yes, our feelings play a part in it, but it’s more about mentality and perspective.
Here are some habits you need to learn or build on and practical ways to keep them in order to have a healthy lifestyle.
Have A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Every person’s body is different and it’s unfair to say that going to sleep early is always good and going to sleep late is always bad. Having said that, having a consistent sleep cycle is vital for staying healthy.
Getting enough sleep is different from having a good night’s rest. Eight hours of sleep doesn’t equate to being well-rested.
Practice: Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on the weekends. Even though sleeping in feels awesome, waking up at a different time will throw off your body’s sleep cycle and make it harder for you to get back on track.
Let Go Of Grudges
This is a difficult one, but it’s necessary.
Holding grudges not only makes you unhappy, but it’s bad for your health. It’ll invite in more negativity and keep you from having healthy relationships with the people in your life.Forgiveness is hard, but you cannot have fulfilling relationships with people if you refuse to allow yourself to accept and let go of wrongdoing.
Practice: Start off with small things before you move on to serious issues. For example, if your friend is running late to meet you, don’t get mad or dwell on it—simply accept it.
Spend More Time With Yourself
Alone time is important for everyone. It may seem weird and lame doing things by yourself, but it’s actually very soothing and can bring peace. Spend time doing things you love and picking up new hobbies. Embracing alone time helps recenter your body and mind, which will improve your relationship with yourself and others.
Practice: Do what you need to or want to do one day a week by yourself. Whether it’s running errands, going shopping or eating, do it alone. If you cannot do an entire day, spend at least 10-15 minutes going on a walk or another solo activity.
Limit Binge Eating & Drinking
Food and drinks are the best, and I appreciate the emotional bond we have with them. But just because you can eat and drink excessively doesn’t mean you should.
Our emotional bond with food can make it easy to overeat when we feel down and anxious. Therefore, it makes sense to limit binge eating and drinking in order to be healthy and keep the pounds off.
Practice: Instead of binging on a bottle of alcohol or drowning yourself in junk food, call a friend or co-worker for dinner. I don’t suggest exercise because when people are stressed out they tend to take it to the extreme, which is not healthy.
Cut Negative People Out Of Your Life
Unhealthy and meaningless relationships, whether they are familial, platonic or romantic, can affect your health and your life. Not only will it give you a negative perception of people, but it will also make you unhappy.
Practice:
Family
Of course you can’t completely cut off your family members, but if there is anyone who has a negative effect on you, it’s best to limit your interactions.
Friends
Narrow down your number of friends by focusing on people who motivate you, encourage you and make you a better person.
Hook-ups
If you’re in a friends with benefits relationship with a guy and you want more, as harsh as it may be, you need to end it. Settling for less will gradually make you unhappy. You deserve to be in a loving and genuine relationship with someone.
Stop Trying To Manage Your Time & Learn How To Prioritize
There will always be 24 hours in a day, no matter what. Time management doesn’t exist because life is spontaneous and there is no definitive way to make sure everything goes according to plan. What does exist is prioritizing.
Practice: Make a to-do list based on what needs to be done immediately and what you can do later on. Use your deadlines as a guide.
Prioritize Your Relationships/Social Life Over Your Professional Life
Work is important and you need to have a job to survive, but you do not need money to experience life. After all, Oscar Wilde once said, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
Relationships make up a huge part of who you are, while money helps you to just survive. Work to live, don’t live to work. There will always be jobs available, no matter how crappy or how great they are. Instead, focus on cultivating relationships.
Practice: Unless you absolutely need to work overtime, don’t. Don’t bring work problems or work home. In fact, train yourself to not check your work email after you get home. Every time you choose to work over spending time with your loved ones, you lose chances to put your energy into what actually matters.
Instead of making a long list of resolutions, make one of these tips a habit by doing it on a daily basis. See how it changes your lifestyle, good or bad. Try documenting it through photography, art or words, depending on how you like to express yourself.
Feature Photo via Glamour