3 Low-Effort Ways To Improve Literally Every Single Area Of Your Life, According To Experts
amin naderloei | Pexels Everybody wants to be better, but few have the time to devote to separate self-improvement plans to improve all aspects of their lives. We live in an age of quick fixes, which is appropriate considering the amount of energy we have to expend to stay active, motivated, and productive. It seems like one missed step can bring all our efforts crashing down around us.
What we need at times like these is a quick fix shortcut. The one solution to all our problems. Though it sounds a bit like magical thinking, there are a few ways to improve your whole life with low effort, according to life coaches and therapists who know.
Here are three low-effort ways to improve literally every single area of your life, according to experts:
1. Focus on your breath and laugh
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Intuitive life coach Ronnie Ann Ryan wants you to inhale, hold, exhale. Breathe deeply and laugh more. Both of these super-simple acts will undoubtedly improve every area of your life. When you breathe, you relax your body and your mind. Relaxation helps you heal better and handle more.
Laughing is about enjoying something and having a sense of humor. There have been many studies about the healing power of laughter. Even smiling at a flower or the sunshine, or sharing a smile with someone you pass on a walk, is an uplifting yet low-effort act that can uplift your energy in the moment!
2. Sleep like it's your job
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Therapist and best-selling author Dr. Gloria Brame, Ph.D., doesn't joke around about getting eight to nine hours of sleep every night. I know, it doesn't sound realistic, but it's your job to make it a reality. Sleep is the secret sauce in high-performing people.
Sleep deprivation has been studied and, believe me, you want to avoid it. Sleep scientists have found that lack of sleep weakens your immune system, lowers cognitive function, makes emotional regulation irregular, and has negative impacts on decision-making, metabolism, and weight. Good sleep is the single cheapest, most effective intervention for whole-life improvement. Be warned, catnaps don't make up for loss of a good night's sleep (and the REM stage it provides). If you can only change one habit in life, this is the one.
2. Develop a solid core
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Dr. Brame knows you want more, so another core improvement you can make is to build a strong core!. Building your body's core is all about developing strength that allows you to carry heavy things without killing your back, helps you retain reproductive health and have better intimacy, and prevents mobility problems and falls in later life.
Try to add simple exercises to your daily routine. You could do some squats or jumping jacks before every shower. Studies suggested that even 20 minutes of daily exercise makes a measurable difference in balance, bone density, cardiovascular health, and mental clarity. You don't even need equipment. Just move your body deliberately. It can be walking, stretching, jogging in place, or anything that gets your muscles moving and your blood pumping.
Ask yourself: Is it worth 20 minutes a day, every day, to invest in your future health? Do you want to retain bone and muscle strength when you're old so you can pick up your grandkids easily? Want to do your part to avoid doctor visits? Take care of yourself, friend. You are worth it.
Will Curtis is YourTango's expert editor. Will has over 14 years of experience as an editor covering relationships, spirituality, and human interest topics.
