Now that winter has come and gone, it’s time to bask in warm weather and the feeling of renewal that comes with spring. This means long walks in the park, joyful family activities in the outdoors, and fresh new decor to match your current aesthetic. (Let’s not forget capturing those springtime moments you can cherish and preserve as glass prints.)
If you’re looking to make positive and refreshing changes in your life this season, we’re sharing 9 healthy habits to renew yourself this spring. This includes focusing on your physical, mental, and spiritual health—parts of yourself that you should always take the time to check in on and uplift whenever needed. And while habits can be difficult to stick with at times, staying consistent and finding ways to motivate yourself to make those changes will only propel you forward to sustain those healthy habits forever.
1. Start your spring cleaning (and keep it up)
The first thing you can do to renew yourself this spring is take the time to declutter your living space of the things you no longer need. A clean and organized space can give you that invigorating feeling to promote the positive changes you want to make in your life. At times, your living space is a reflection of how you’re feeling internally. If you’ve been building up stress or negative emotions from work and everyday life, you might find your room has been left in a distressed state—a parallel to how you felt in the moment. However, since you’ve entered a new season and chapter of your life, let one of your first changes be to refresh your space to help maximize your productivity.
But don’t let it stop there. Once you’ve cleaned and arranged your space with a new look, do the easier tasks to upkeep the new feel; make your bed every morning before you start your day. Also, make sure your laundry is washed at a reasonable time to avoid overflow. Even taking one day out of the week to make sure your humble abode is crisp and clear of mess will decrease the time and pressure that may come with spring cleaning.
2. Go to bed and wake up early
There is an array of benefits that come with waking up early: You have more time to enjoy the sun and the day. Moreover, you’ll be able to focus on the smaller things you may enjoy such as reading, writing, or watching a few episodes of your favorite show before you commute to the office (or work from home). Not to mention, it gives you a few extra hours to get ready and give your body the extra care it needs before officially starting the day—exercising included. And if you start going to bed early, it’ll be easier to wake up during those target times you may have considered impossible. If you need more convincing, it’s also been shown that those who wake up early sleep better, while staying up late weakens your immune system.
3. Start taking morning walks this spring
Waking up earlier opens the door for for many other possibilities to renew yourself this spring. For example, you can use this extra time to get fresh air. Take a nice long or short walk around your neighborhood, or commute to the park for a morning jog or run. It’ll feel great being outside and basking in nature and the sun before your day takes on its course. It’s also a great chance for you to clear your mind and increase your energy and motivation. Plus, morning walks are incredibly beneficial for your physical health; they lower your risk of heart disease and blood pressure as well as help boost your immune function.
4. Designate one day a week to self-care
Life seems to always be go, go, go. So it’s completely normal to feel you don’t have enough time every day to truly focus on what your mind and body needs. A great option to renew yourself this spring is to designate one day out of the week as your time for full-on self-care (weekends might be the best time for this). This means using that day to do everything you may have missed (your hair wash day included). You can even go out for professional care such as massages, facials, or mani-pedis that will last 1-2 weeks.
Consistently taking one self-care day per week also gives you the chance to focus on any passions you may not have had time for during the weekdays. This can include captivating yourself with your favorite novels, Facetiming with friends you haven’t talked to in a while, or binge-watching sitcoms on your watch list. What’s more, your self-care day doesn’t only need to involve your physical appearance; it can also be an ideal time to do activities that stimulate your mind in a positive way.
5. Minimize your constant phone checking
Let’s admit it: You love your phone. (Don’t we all?) Without it, you may not know what to do next. It can also seem like it’s your only connection to the world outside of your small bubble. And while this may be the case for some, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you look at when you wake up or the last thing you look at before you sleep. Research showed that 84% of respondents’ time is spent on the phone communicating throughout the week (texts, social media, and emails included). Based on the study, nearly 80% of smartphone users check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up.
It’s an unhealthy habit you can work to end as one of the ways you’ll renew yourself this spring. If you decrease your phone use, especially throughout your mornings and nights, you’ll be able to decrease stress and soothe anxiety. It’ll also help you sleep better, since your eyes won’t be so stimulated by the light.
6. Make time to read every day
When was the last time you read a book or actually finished a new series after a spontaneous trip to the library or bookstore? Reading is great for your mental health and can help improve your memory, focus, and communication skills. These are all great aspects that will only benefit you in every part of your life. So to renew yourself this spring, start taking time out of your day to read—and this doesn’t mean trying to finish a novel in one go.
There are plenty of literary materials to choose from. You can read one chapter of a novel per day or read an article from your favorite magazine online. You can pick up a newspaper on the way to work or during your commutes, and scan through the articles to pass the time. Fifteen minutes of reading per day is a great starting point, and as the habits start to form and stick, you may find yourself yearning to extend your reading time to a few more minutes (or even hours).
7. Journal your thoughts
As a society, we’ve become so used to typing on our computers and smartphones that writing seems almost outdated. While this is something that may bring you back to your teenage years, journaling can be done at any age. Writing down your thoughts and reminiscing about your day by physically writing it down can be a great stress reliever. It can also help to unscramble your thoughts and pinpoint the highs and lows that may have taken place.
Journaling is also something you can cherish as you get older. Just imagine how amazing it would be reading your journal years from now and remembering all the fun times you’ve had throughout your life. Your journal can be somewhat like a time capsule—full of memories you may have forgotten but will love remembering and coming back to.
8. Exercise and get your body moving this spring
Exercise can be done in many different ways and doesn’t have to take all of your time or effort. For example, make sure to always stretch for five minutes in the morning before getting out of bed or leaving your room to freshen up. Also, take walks or jogs at least once a day to get your blood pumping and body refreshed. Participating in outside group activities such as yoga, dance, and even aerial silk can give your body the twists and turns it needs to stay healthy despite our yearly increase in age. Exercise is also known to combat health conditions such as diabetes and arthritis, along with helping to improve your mood and boost your energy.
9. Drink more water (because you’re probably not consuming enough)
The adult human body consists of up to 60% water. And because we sweat and take bathroom breaks throughout the day, we lose the water we need to stay hydrated. While you may think you’re drinking enough water, there’s a high chance you’re not (especially if it’s only one or two bottles per day).
Experts recommend the 8×8 water rule, which states that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water (aka half a gallon) each day. Some even recommend sipping on water constantly even if you’re not thirsty. And while you may struggle with increasing your daily water intake, don’t worry. There are fun and delicious ways to spruce up your H2O routine and renew yourself this spring. From making fruit water using strawberries and cucumbers to investing in a portable bottle that’s stylish enough to motivate you to start sipping, you can make drinking water something you want to do, instead of something you feel forced to do.
Spring is an incredible time of growth and renewal, and that doesn’t just apply to the planet. As you can see, there are plenty of healthy habits you can implement in your daily routine to renew yourself this season. And while you’re at it, capture those special moments with either your smartphone or SLR camera and preserve those images as Fracture glass prints. With several different options for sizing and layout, you can tell your springtime story in a way that showcases your authentic self. Whether it’s a single glass print on your wall, an elaborate Photo Wall, or a compelling Storyboard, there are plenty of options to display your unique moments.
Let a Fracture glass print be the thing to add a touch of personality to your home.
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