15 Golden Tips to Start Living a Better Life
The modern rat race can cause us great
stress and leave us with little or no time to take care of ourselves.
However, there are quick and easy ways to improve our lifestyle, mood
and health, and they only take about 60 seconds each. Even if you only
turn some of these into habits, you’ll still enjoy a happy and healthier
life with little effort and time.
1. Take a deep breath
We all get nervous and stressed, whether it be because of work, traffic
or even household chores. In our most stressful moments, it’s vital to
remember that we have an innate relaxation mechanism. Taking deep,
controlled breaths for 60 seconds when feeling stressed or tired can
completely alter your state of mind. Deep breaths lower your blood
pressure, slows down the production of stress hormones and helps to ease
anxiety and internal disquiet.
2. Hug someone you love
Hugging feels great on its own, but it also has scientifically-proven
health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and stabilizing the
heart rate. Hugging releases dopamine - a natural painkiller and can
reduce cortisol levels (a stress hormone). A hug can give you more
mental energy, and help you handle most obstacles.
3. Laugh and smile
There’s a reason laughter has a reputation for being the best medicine.
It’s one of the body’s natural painkillers and shares several
physiological functions with exercising. William Fry, one of the
pioneers in laughter research, claims that using a rowing machine for
ten minutes exercises the heart to the same extent as one minute of
laughter. Laughter also improves your memory and burns calories. If
you’re feeling down or even somewhat depressed, a little smile (even a
fake one) can change your mood.
4. Eat some dark chocolate
Isn’t it great to know that some delicious treats are actually good for
us (in moderation)? Dark chocolate is beneficial for your health, it
lowers blood pressure, raises the levels of “good cholesterol” (HDL) and
reduces the levels of “bad cholesterol” (LDL). Dark chocolate is also
known to be beneficial to the cardiovascular system, and some evidence
indicates that it can prevent diabetes and even keep your skin
healthier.
tips for a better life
5. Stand up whenever you can
Most of us spend our days sitting down: working, driving and watching TV
are just a few of the things we do while sat in a seat. A recent
research paper found that prolonged sessions of sitting can induce
psychological distress. Another study has found that women who sit for
10 hours a day or more are at a higher risk of heart and cardiovascular
disease when compared to those sitting for only 5 hours a day. Even
standing up for a few seconds will improve your circulation
significantly.
6. Wash your hands
You may think it’s obvious, but this simple and quick action can protect
your health more than you can fathom. Most people wash their hands
before eating or after visiting the restroom, but washing your hands
with soap more times a day will reduce your chances of getting sick by
20-30%. Remember to moisturize your hands from time to time too.
7. Wear a seat-belt
As trivial as it may seem, this easy action takes about five seconds and
saves thousands of lives every year. Think about it: you’re not
climbing Everest or running a marathon. You’re simply reaching back, and
pulling on a belt. This is particularly important when you have
children in the car. So don’t be lazy and think about comfort first,
it’s better to “waste” ten seconds than risk your life.
8. Add cinnamon to your breakfast
Cinnamon has a variety of medicinal properties, including helping with
diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is also beneficial in
fighting obesity, lowering bad cholesterol levels, and it even warms up
the body on cold days. You can add cinnamon to your breakfast by mixing
it in your yogurt, oats, cereals and even your coffee.
tips for a better life
9. Wear sunscreen
It doesn’t matter if you live in a sunny place or not, UV light is still
there, and it’s still harmful. Avoiding the #1 cause of skin cancer
takes no effort and very little time – simply put on sunscreen before
you leave the house.
10. Use the stairs
It doesn’t matter if we’re late, busy or even just lazy, most of us
don’t engage in physical exercise in our free time. The modern world
doesn’t give us many chances to walk: we get in the car or on the bus,
use the elevator and sit at our desks. This is why it is vital that we
take every opportunity to exercise. Instead of waiting for the elevator,
take the stairs and burn some extra calories. It will also help you
avoid stiff muscles and joint pain.
11. Take a break from staring at the screen
If you have a desk job or are just an avid technology lover, it’s safe
to say you spend a lot of time in front of a screen. Staring at the
screen for so many hours is bad for your eyes, so it is crucial to take
frequent breaks. The best method is the “20-60-20”: every 20 minutes
look away from the screen at an object 60 feet away for 20 seconds. If
you can, take a moment to walk around the office.
12. Add lemon to your water 
Adding a slice of lemon to your water is not only refreshing, but also
has many health benefits. Lemons are a super-food and are considered to
be one of the most efficient detox agents, making them a great addition
to your diet.
tips for a better life
13. Clean up your desk
It doesn’t matter how tidy you keep your desk, it still gets covered
with germs. Take a minute to wipe down leftovers and crumbs, which are
the main source of bacterial contamination in your workplace. Use an
antibacterial wipe on your keyboard and mouse, they are the most used
items on your desk that come in contact with your hands regularly.
14. Elevate your feet 
60 seconds of lying down with your legs raised up and leaning against a
wall energizes the body as much as a half-hour nap. Rest your arms at
the sides of your body and remain in that position while taking slow,
deep breaths. Studies have shown that this position helps the blood in
your legs to flow back to your chest and head.
tips for a better life
15. Chew some gum
Researchers from the University of Swinburne, Australia, found that
chewing gum improves your levels of alertness and reduces stress.
Behavioral specialists recommend chewing gum before an important
meeting, a job interview, and while driving. The reason is that chewing
gum tricks the body into thinking it’s eating, something we associate
with being safe and having nothing to fear.