It's said that it takes just 28 days to change your habits and embed new practices, beliefs and norms. Here are 30 things you can do to make life happier, more balanced and all round better. Nothing hugely life changing perhaps, just small changes that are easy to implement but add up to a big difference. Take a few minutes to do one each day, and by the end of the month you will definitely feel happier and more balanced.
1. Adopt the 10 Minute Tidy. Set a kitchen timer and tidy as much as you can in 10 minutes.
2. Spend 20 minutes doing just as you please. Take a bath, read a book, go for a walk, sit in the garden, take a nap, whatever you like.
3. Ask your child/ren what they would like to do this week and month, and put their ideas into the calendar.
4. Do not criticise anyone today. Don't gossip, complain, whine or join in with anyone else doing so.
5. Eat a good breakfast with plenty of protein, slow release carbs and fruit.
6. Cancel something that is crowding up your calendar and you are not really looking forward to. Your time is precious, keep some for yourself.
7. Figure out your next big goal and plan baby steps towards it.
8. Have proper conversations with the important people in your life. Sit down, make eye contact and really listen.
9. Don't watch any TV today.
10. Take a 20 minute walk and plan to make 20 minutes a daily habit.
11. Go the whole day without shouting or raising your voice at all.
12. Plan a family night. Take a picnic out for dinner, play board games, watch a film or play together.
13. De-clutter. Give 3 things you don't use to charity.
14. Go offline for a whole day. Switch off social media, e-mail etc etc. Turn off your phone for the day, and experience the freedom that brings.
15. Make a really nutritious, healthy meal.
16. Refuse to worry. If something concerns you, do something about it or ask someone else to.
17. How do you want your child/ren to remember you? Be that mummy today.
18. Have a proper, uninterrupted conversation with your husband/wife/partner.
19. Bake a cake.
20. Be kind to your child, forgive and don't blame. Tell yourself he/she is only X years old, and treat them accordingly.
21. Lay out everyone's clothes, bags and other possessions the night before.
22. Unsubscribe from 5 e-mail lists.
23. Stop being sarcastic. Replace every sarcastic thought or word with patience and kindness.
24. Have a family meeting to make plans for the summer and address any problems.
25. Read a book.
26. Evaluate your goals for next month: 3 for work, 3 for family and 3 for the home.
27. Don't look at social media. At all. Not once.
28. Go to bed early.
29. Tell the people you love that you are so glad they are your child/parent/partner.
30. Make three lists. One of your best qualities, another of all your achievements, and a third of all the great things in your life, from the sound of bird song in your garden to the love that surrounds you.
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1. Adopt the 10 Minute Tidy. Set a kitchen timer and tidy as much as you can in 10 minutes.
2. Spend 20 minutes doing just as you please. Take a bath, read a book, go for a walk, sit in the garden, take a nap, whatever you like.
3. Ask your child/ren what they would like to do this week and month, and put their ideas into the calendar.
4. Do not criticise anyone today. Don't gossip, complain, whine or join in with anyone else doing so.
5. Eat a good breakfast with plenty of protein, slow release carbs and fruit.
6. Cancel something that is crowding up your calendar and you are not really looking forward to. Your time is precious, keep some for yourself.
7. Figure out your next big goal and plan baby steps towards it.
8. Have proper conversations with the important people in your life. Sit down, make eye contact and really listen.
9. Don't watch any TV today.
10. Take a 20 minute walk and plan to make 20 minutes a daily habit.
11. Go the whole day without shouting or raising your voice at all.
12. Plan a family night. Take a picnic out for dinner, play board games, watch a film or play together.
13. De-clutter. Give 3 things you don't use to charity.
14. Go offline for a whole day. Switch off social media, e-mail etc etc. Turn off your phone for the day, and experience the freedom that brings.
15. Make a really nutritious, healthy meal.
16. Refuse to worry. If something concerns you, do something about it or ask someone else to.
17. How do you want your child/ren to remember you? Be that mummy today.
18. Have a proper, uninterrupted conversation with your husband/wife/partner.
19. Bake a cake.
20. Be kind to your child, forgive and don't blame. Tell yourself he/she is only X years old, and treat them accordingly.
21. Lay out everyone's clothes, bags and other possessions the night before.
22. Unsubscribe from 5 e-mail lists.
23. Stop being sarcastic. Replace every sarcastic thought or word with patience and kindness.
24. Have a family meeting to make plans for the summer and address any problems.
25. Read a book.
26. Evaluate your goals for next month: 3 for work, 3 for family and 3 for the home.
27. Don't look at social media. At all. Not once.
28. Go to bed early.
29. Tell the people you love that you are so glad they are your child/parent/partner.
30. Make three lists. One of your best qualities, another of all your achievements, and a third of all the great things in your life, from the sound of bird song in your garden to the love that surrounds you.
Remember to leave only positive marks on other people's lives.