To improve your life a little every day, focus on six small habits: spend time outside, move your body (a 30 minute walk counts), protect your sleep, write in a journal, practice gratitude, and make room for laughter. The National Institute of Mental Health lists exercise, sleep, gratitude, and relaxing activities among its everyday self care steps.
Key takeaways
- Per the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), just 30 minutes of walking every day can boost your mood and improve your health, and small amounts add up.
- The CDC recommends 7 or more hours of sleep a night for adults ages 18 to 60.
- In a study of 19,806 people, spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature was associated with good health and wellbeing.
- Journaling, gratitude, and laughter are low cost ways to ease stress that Mayo Clinic and NIMH both describe.
- If low mood, worry, or stress lasts 2 weeks or more and feels severe, NIMH advises seeking professional help.
What Are 6 Things You Can Do Every Day to Improve Your Life?
If there were simple, research backed ways to improve your life, would you try them? The good news is that there are things you can do every single day to make life at least a little bit better, and the good feelings build over time. None of these habits require a gym membership or a big budget. They require a few minutes and a willingness to start small.
1. Spend time outside
We spend much of our lives indoors, and many of us feel it. In a large study published in Scientific Reports (White and colleagues, 2019), researchers surveyed 19,806 people in England and found that the likelihood of reporting good health or high wellbeing was significantly greater for people who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature. It did not matter whether those minutes came in one long visit or several shorter ones. The authors are careful to note that the data are observational, so the study shows an association rather than proof of cause. Still, a park bench at lunch, a backyard coffee, or a weekend trail in Northern Colorado is an easy place to start.
2. Go for a walk
Time outside does even more when you add movement. According to NIMH, just 30 minutes of walking every day can boost your mood and improve your health, and small amounts of exercise add up, so you do not need to do all 30 minutes at once. The CDC adult activity guidelines recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking, and note that some physical activity is better than none.
The mental health payoff is real. The CDC notes that a session of moderate to vigorous activity can reduce short term feelings of anxiety for adults, and that regular activity can reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better. For more, see our guide to how walking helps relieve stress.
3. Protect your sleep
The importance of a good night's sleep is hard to overstate, yet it is often the first thing we sacrifice. The CDC recommends 7 or more hours of sleep for adults ages 18 to 60, 7 to 9 hours for ages 61 to 64, and 7 to 8 hours for adults 65 and older. CDC healthy sleep habits include:
- Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day
- Keeping your bedroom quiet, relaxing, and at a cool temperature
- Turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime
- Avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime, and caffeine in the afternoon or evening
- Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet
NIMH adds that blue light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep. Our post on what sleep hygiene is walks through building a routine that sticks.
4. Keep a journal
Journaling is one of the simplest tools I recommend. As Mayo Clinic puts it, writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent up feelings. You do not need to worry about grammar or spelling, and you can keep the pages or throw them away. Try five minutes at the end of the day: what happened, how it made you feel, and what you need tomorrow. Over time, patterns show up on the page that are hard to see in the moment.
5. Practice gratitude
Gratitude can feel odd at first, but it is a skill you can practice. NIMH lists practicing gratitude among its everyday mental health steps: remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for, be specific, and write them down or replay them in your mind. Whether you jot three things in your journal, tell someone you appreciate them, or name one good moment at dinner, the point is to train your attention to notice what is going right, not only what is going wrong.
6. Laugh at life
This one might sound counterintuitive, but hear me out. Finding humor in both the good and the hard parts of life is good for you. According to Mayo Clinic, laughter can activate and then relieve your stress response and soothe tension in the short term, and over time it can help relieve pain and increase personal satisfaction. Watch a favorite comedy, swap funny stories with a friend, or simply let yourself laugh at the small absurdities of the day.
How Do Daily Habits Help With Stress, Anxiety, and Low Mood?
Each of these habits works on stress from a different angle. Movement and sleep steady the body. Time outside and laughter interrupt the stress response. Journaling and gratitude change what your mind dwells on. NIMH also recommends two habits that pair well with the six above: stay connected by reaching out to friends or family who can provide emotional support and practical help, and focus on positivity by identifying and challenging negative and unhelpful thoughts.
If you want to add a calming practice, NIMH suggests exploring relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may include mindfulness style meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Mayo Clinic describes meditation as focusing your attention and quieting the stream of jumbled thoughts. Our stress management therapy uses these same tools, including relaxation methods and cognitive behavioral techniques, tailored to your life.
How Do You Make a Daily Habit Stick?
The best habit is the one you will actually do. A few principles help:
- Start smaller than you think. A 10 minute walk you take every day beats a 60 minute walk you skip.
- Attach it to something you already do. Gratitude while the coffee brews, journaling right after you brush your teeth.
- Pick one or two at a time. Add the next habit once the first feels automatic.
- Expect missed days. Missing one day does not erase your progress. Simply start again tomorrow.
| Habit | A small daily version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Spend time outside | About 17 minutes a day adds up to 120 minutes a week | Scientific Reports, 2019 |
| Go for a walk | 30 minutes, in short pieces if needed | NIMH; CDC |
| Protect your sleep | Same bedtime and wake time, screens off 30 minutes before bed | CDC |
| Keep a journal | Five minutes of free writing | Mayo Clinic |
| Practice gratitude | Name three specific things | NIMH |
| Laugh at life | A comedy, a funny story, a friend who makes you laugh | Mayo Clinic |
When Are Daily Habits Not Enough?
Daily habits support mental health, but they are not a cure for everything. NIMH advises seeking professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted 2 weeks or more, such as difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning because of mood, difficulty concentrating, or loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable. Mayo Clinic notes that professional counselors or therapists can help you find the sources of your stress and learn new coping tools.
If you are struggling with persistent worry, our anxiety therapy can help. If heaviness and low motivation have settled in, depression counseling gives you a place to work through it. Questions about medication are a conversation for your physician; Foundations Counseling provides talk therapy. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time.
Where Can You Find Counseling in Northern Colorado?
Foundations Counseling offers in person counseling in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor, plus online sessions. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. We are a private pay practice, and sessions are about 200 dollars. Same day and 48 hour appointments are often available, and our Counselor Match Guarantee means you can keep looking until the fit feels right.
Watch: six daily habits that can improve your life
Prefer to watch? This short video covers six small daily habits that can improve your life, one steady day at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest thing I can do every day to improve my life?
Take a walk. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, just 30 minutes of walking every day can boost your mood and improve your health. Small amounts of exercise add up, so three 10 minute walks count. Walking outside adds time in nature, which is another simple habit linked to wellbeing.
How much sleep do adults need?
The CDC recommends 7 or more hours of sleep a night for adults ages 18 to 60, 7 to 9 hours for ages 61 to 64, and 7 to 8 hours for adults 65 and older. A consistent bedtime, a cool and quiet bedroom, and turning off screens 30 minutes before bed all help.
How much time outside is enough to make a difference?
In a 2019 study of 19,806 people published in Scientific Reports, spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature was associated with good health and wellbeing. It did not matter whether that time came in one long visit or several short ones. The study was observational, so it shows an association, not proof.
How do I practice gratitude every day?
The National Institute of Mental Health suggests reminding yourself daily of things you are grateful for, being specific, and writing them down or replaying them in your mind. Many people pair it with an existing routine, such as naming three good things over morning coffee or adding them to a journal at night.
When should I see a counselor instead of relying on self care?
The National Institute of Mental Health advises seeking professional help if severe or distressing symptoms have lasted 2 weeks or more, such as difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, or loss of interest in things you usually enjoy. You do not need to be in crisis to start. If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988.
Does Foundations Counseling offer counseling in Northern Colorado?
Yes. Foundations Counseling offers in person talk therapy in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor, plus online sessions. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. We are a private pay practice, sessions are about 200 dollars, and the Counselor Match Guarantee helps you find the right fit.
Clinically reviewed by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC.
Small daily habits can change how your life feels, and you do not have to build them alone. Our caring therapists help people across Northern Colorado manage stress, anxiety, and low mood with proven talk therapy. We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. Schedule your free consultation or call 970.227.2770.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
