Do you want to form healthy habits, but have little time or energy to do so? Here are the tips our team follows.
Maintaining long-term habits can be one of the most important factors in protecting your health. However, thinking about your diet, activity levels, stress management, sleep, and any number of other health areas all at once can be overwhelming for many people.
Starting with manageable habits is a great way to make them sustainable in the long run, allowing you to focus your resources where they’re needed most.
We asked our Healthline editorial team what small steps they take to boost their general health without extra time, money, or disruption.
fill in the pauses with simple movement
“A few times a day, when I’m not busy or doing anything simple – or just sitting on my phone, try to sit in one place! I think of it in yoga as Malasana, or Garland Pose, or several other names. I do it mainly for flexibility and some muscle strength; it’s great to move around as long as we’re all used to sitting, as long as there are no restrictions on mobility. Yes.”
-Justin, Associate Director
Find more easy exercises to eliminate periods of sitting.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
Identify a favorite superfood or two
“Superfoods can sometimes be over-hyped (and expensive), but some really deliver results. I’ve recently become a fan of chia seeds — adding them to your breakfast cereal is a really easy way to get a boost of fiber, omega-3s, calcium, and iron.”
– Amy, Editor
Read more about superfoods and their benefits.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
Make a change for better sleep
“Never underestimate the impact that turning off all screens for 2 hours before closing your eyes at night can have on the quality of your sleep. I’ve seen it in just a few days!”
-Katy, Editorial Director
Read more about proven tips for better sleep.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
stack of habits
“Habit stacking is an underrated hack. When I want to add something to my routine or streamline something, I always go back to this, linking a new habit to a habit you’re already doing without fail. For example, if you want to do more stretching, choose three stretches that you do every morning immediately after brushing your teeth. It also helps me with my daily routine (which, in many ways, helps my mental Helps health).”
– Katherine, Editor
Learn about the Wellness StackOne has to take a step forward and create a routine.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
Don’t Underestimate Frozen Fresh
“I always have spinach, broccoli, and chopped bell peppers in my freezer. If you’re forgetful like me, these are great because they don’t rot on you and can be thrown into a pan or microwaved in just a few minutes. I have a rule of at least one vegetable per meal, and this makes it easy to meet that requirement!”
-Sarah, Associate Editor
Find more ideas for easy but balanced breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
Main ingredient of preparation, not a complete meal
“As soon as my grocery order arrives, I try to chop or dice my vegetables and store them in a container in my fridge. I find that part tedious when I want to eat quickly, so if they’re already chopped, I’m more likely to throw them into my meal!”
– Victoria, Senior Influencer Marketing Manager
Check out this beginner’s guide to meal prepping.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
Remember the role happiness plays in health
“Saying ‘yes’ to an enjoyable activity can be a huge mental health boost. Like many people, I feel like I need to be productive every waking minute, to the point where I’ve stopped reading for pleasure. I’ve recently been allowing myself a little reading at the end of each day. I’ve found that this has helped my mental health during the day, knowing I have something to look forward to every night.”
– Amy, Editor
Find more habits to promote mental health.
Quotes represent personal opinions. All content is purely informational and should not be considered medical advice.
In many cases, and for many reasons, it can be difficult to implement several major self-care approaches at once.
However, our team highlights that not all impactful health changes have an impact on your life.
Keeping low-maintenance hacks in mind along with any of your bigger health priorities can help you balance multiple wellness goals, or make sure no health areas are overlooked.
