The percentage of Americans considered to be “thriving” is on the decline while the number of individuals classified as “suffering” is higher than ever before. While this isn’t a positive trend, the good news is that people who want an improved quality of life can achieve this goal.
If this sounds like a monumental task, it’s worth noting that it’s possible to improve life quality, along with happiness and well-being, without having to make drastic changes.
Here are six steps that, when taken, help work toward this effect.
1. Maintain Healthy Relationships
Our interactions with others can affect our mental health. Research shows that not only do healthy and supportive relationships increase happiness, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being, but they also reduce the risk of suicide.
Conversely, negative relationships can create toxic situations filled with conflict and stress. Disconnecting from these unhealthy interactions and fostering healthy ones is vital to personal well-being.
Ways to maintain healthy relationships include:
- Engaging in positive thinking
- Being open about our thoughts and opinions
- Assuring the other person that we care through both our words and actions
- Developing our own relationships with friends of people we care about
- Sharing tasks to help reduce each person’s responsibilities
2. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can negatively affect our productivity levels, emotional balance, creativity, and even our weight. Yet, getting a good night’s rest is often lower in priority than other things we have going on.
Even if we’re tired, bedtime may be pushed back to get more work done, catch up on social media, or watch our favorite TV shows. But sleep is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, making it a priority if we want an improved quality of life.
Ways to get a better night’s sleep include:
- Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day
- Creating an environment that promotes good sleep (quiet, dark, and the right temperature)
- Not eating big meals right before going to bed
- Avoiding drinks with caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime
3. Get Moving
Regular exercise has a positive impact on both physical and mental health. Not only does it trim the waistline, but it can also curb depression, relieve stress, improve memory, and contribute to better sleep—all of which improve mood.
Research indicates that even 30 minutes of exercise a day can make a difference.
If sticking to regular daily exercise is difficult, joining a group fitness class, working out with a friend, and scheduling a consistent workout time are a few ways to stay motivated and inspired.
Forms of exercise to try include:
- Brisk walking
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Pickleball
- Tennis
- Yoga
4. Find Meaning at Work
Working in a job that feels meaningless or directionless can be physically and emotionally draining, no matter how much it pays or the title it carries. The career we choose even affects our identity and shapes how we feel about ourselves.
If work no longer has purpose or meaning, taking these actions can help:
- Offer to mentor younger or less experienced co-workers
- Look for opportunities to do tasks that feel more meaningful
- Show appreciation and gratitude for colleagues who make the workday more enjoyable
Changing careers is another option. But if this isn’t possible, that doesn’t mean that we can’t still find meaning in our lives. Taking part in other gratifying activities, such as charity work and hobbies, can also help.
5. Plug Energy Drains
Several things can drain our energy throughout the day. For some, it may be a disrespectful co-worker or an unresolved conflict with a family member. Even small, seemingly inconsequential things like a cluttered table or a task we’ve been putting off can lower our energy stores.
These types of stressors have a way of accumulating and weighing us down. Learning how to identify and eliminate them or, at a minimum, reduce their effects leaves more energy for doing things that we enjoy.
To reduce energy drains:
- Pay attention to people or things that tend to create feelings of fatigue and reduce interactions with them if possible.
- Take care of tasks that have been piling up, aiming to complete at least one small ‘to-do list’ item each day.
- Learn to accept situations that cannot be changed or controlled.
6. Make Time for Leisure
Many of us have enough work to occupy all our time—times two. But if we’re not allowing ourselves to relax and have some fun in addition to taking care of our responsibilities, we could be doing ourselves a huge disservice.
Research shows that engaging in a leisure activity not only lowers stress levels and improves mood, but also enhances problem-solving skills. It may even leave us feeling more energized and excited about the things we have to do.
This makes learning to embrace leisure time important for an improved quality of life. Ways to do this include:
- Giving ourselves permission to slow down and not be productive every second of the day
- Including leisure activities in our schedule regularly
- Doing some leisure activities alone and some with others
