Changing habits is not an easy process. But if you start with a small goal, like a week, it can be easier to maintain, and it allows you to sample all the best habits and decide which ones you want to keep for the long haul.
Here are seven small changes that can make a radical difference in your life and that you can try for just a week.
1. Having cold showers
Cold showers can wake you up and stimulate your body. They can help you feel more engaged, more awake, and ready to face whatever the day has in store for you. Cold showers can even make your body more alert and ready to take on any problems, boosting your immune system. A cold shower can help you feel more productive.
This habit takes a bit to adopt because it doesn’t feel that nice at first. But give it a go and see how your body feels with cold showers for a week. You might notice yourself being more alert and more focused throughout the day.
2. Don’t complain
There are times for complaining, but when we do it too much, it becomes a source of negativity for ourselves and the people around us. It can also lead to a situation where we easily see the negatives in every situation, but have a hard time recognizing the positives.
Try to avoid complaining for a week. Focus instead on the positives in each situation, and try to offer praise when and where you can. Avoid sharing negative ideas and thoughts with others, and also being too centered on a negative situation. See how your mood changes after a week of no complaints.
3. Dress well at home
If we work from home or get to stay home, we might dress in a very comfortable and relaxed way. While you should not be uncomfortable, a good tip to try is to dress well and groom yourself when you are at home. This will help you be more productive and give you a boost of energy.
Besides, if you go outside looking better, you might feel better about yourself as well.
4. Keep away from the phone in the morning
If you are like most people, the first thing you do when you wake up is check your phone. Try to change this habit for a week. You might instead make yourself breakfast, meditate, read for a bit, or do any other activity you enjoy before plugging into the daily grind.
Checking your phone can make you feel stressed and worried immediately after waking up. If you put it off for a while, you get a calm space in your mornings to take care of your emotional well-being.
5. Meditate for a few minutes
The benefits of meditation are scientifically proven. You can feel better emotionally and physically and get more control over your mind and your emotions.
To reap the benefits of meditation, you don’t need to dedicate hours to it. Instead, you can do it for just five minutes for a week and see how it influences your emotional well-being.
Try any type of meditation that appeals to you, guided or by yourself, and see how you feel on the other side of the week.
6. Be grateful
Another habit to try out involves feeling and expressing gratitude. Find at least one thing you are grateful for every day, and make a point of showing this gratitude.
If you loved the food at a cafe, say so. If you want a friend to know how much they mean to you, say it. Find ways to express your gratitude to other people and share this. But even if you can’t express it, make a point of feeling grateful every day.
7. Drink water
You might not be drinking enough water. Try to drink more water for a week and see how it changes the way you feel.
Make a point of drinking enough to stay hydrated and to feel good, and add water to your priority list for a week.
Take a bottle with you and steer clear of soda and sweet beverages in favor of plain water, so that your sugar intake doesn’t increase dramatically.
