With it being the first of March (and the end of winter woohoo!) I was reminded that now is the time to plant spring bulbs, even if it is in a pot, because in a few weeks time you will start seeing those green shoots coming through and the world will seem a better place.
So I thought I would give you 30 ways to slightly improve your life – my little bits of useful advice, just like Baz Lurhmann did back in the 90s.
But without the music. And the royalties.
- Plant spring bulbs! Even if they’re just in a pot. In a few weeks time you will start seeing those green shoots coming through and the world will seem a better place
- Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night).
- Take some fruit to work.
- Since we are talking work, consider going down to four days a week. That fifth day is disproportionately taxed more, so you’ll lose way less than a fifth of your take-home pay.
- Send a voice note instead of a text; they sound like personal mini podcasts and your voice will convey a meaning that gets lost in texts.
- Feeling stagnant at work? Try the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes on, five-minute break, and repeat.
- Put your favourite children’s drawings and paintings in frames and hang them on the wall.
- Set aside 15 minutes a day to do something you really enjoy – be it reading a book or playing Wordle
- Laugh at your own jokes.
- Listen to some classical music on the radio for a change – you will feel instantly calmer
- Spend more time listening and less time talking. Ask more questions and take in the answers.
- Take the stairs.
- Switch one meal a week from a meat to a vegetarian option.
- Go for a walk without your phone.
- Make it a habit to spend five minutes a day doing simple stretches or floor exercises. It is probably the same length of time that you spend cleaning your teeth and the benefits to your body will be great.
- If you’re going less than a mile, walk or cycle. About half of car journeys are under two miles, yet these create more pollutionthan longer journeys as the engine isn’t warmed up yet.
- Send postcards – you don’t have to be on holiday to send postcards.
- Try deleting Twitter/TicToc/Snapchat from your phone (you can always reload it!)
- Say hello to your neighbours.
- Sign up to you local Saturday Park Run. It’s a great way to start the weekend and it will make you feel great even if you can only walk it.
- Call an old friend out of the blue. Or if you aren’t that brave, just text them.
- Go to bed earlier. Like most people you could probably do with more sleep.
- Don’t save that bottle of champagne for a special occasion – drink it now!
- Respect your elders – and your youngers.
- Always book an extra day off after a holiday.
- Listen to music outside your usual taste. If you are struggling for inspiration then try the Guardian’s 100 Best Albums Ever
- Cook something you’ve never attempted before
- Don’t look at your phone at dinner.
- Do that one thing you’ve been putting off. If you are really struggling getting started then try Mel Robbins’s five second rule.
- Give compliments widely and freely. You will be surprised how much of an impact you can make.