Guys, I get it. Life is hard. It’s filled with duties and responsibilities and to be honest, often the daily monotony of going to work at a job that may not entirely excite you. But, you gotta pay the bills, and if you want to travel the world, eat good food, and buy that new pair of shoes, well, you’ll need money for that also. I’ll admit, I dread the roll around of the work week as much as the next person, and I find myself desperately wishing the weekend’s arrival as soon as I wake up Monday morning. But, the weekend days only make up a finite amount of time in our lives, and what kind of life are we living if we’re constantly urging it to move faster?
I know we’re all busy with obligations, so it’s not always easy to schedule that happy hour with friends or enjoy a leisurely breakfast during the week, but if you look, I promise there are little pockets of time where you can squeeze in some happy – where you can add a touch of joy to the mundane tasks of your life.
- Play the soundtrack to your life. This one, I’ll admit, is new to me. I’ve never been one to keep up with current album releases, and I generally don’t play music unless it’s for an intentional purpose. But I got myself a pair of Beats by Dre headphones (they’re rose gold, no big) and have been listening to music on repeat: when I take my dog out, when I ride the train, when I walk to and from my job or a workout class. It’s unreal how happy this makes me – putting a literal skip (or jig, let’s be real) in my step. It may sound cheesy, but hearing music as I walk through this world makes me see it a bit differently. Music is an instant mood lifter and takes no additional time out of your day. It’s like I’m living my own musical, and I’m pretty dang happy about that.
- Take advantage of your lunch break. We all have to eat, and if you work an 8 hour day job, I’m pretty certain you’re legally allowed to have a break. TAKE IT. Do not sit at your desk to eat. Even if you bring your lunch, heat it up and go sit outside – anywhere. A park, a bench, a staircase, a random patch of grass. Being outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine never fails to lift my mood. And that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with? She has to eat too. Invite her along during the week and kill two birds with one stone.
- Always carry a book with you. Anyone who says they don’t have time to read is most likely not telling the whole truth. How much time do you waste scrolling your phone, zoning out as you open web page upon web page upon web page? Next time you find yourself unlocking your phone, take out a book instead. While you’re waiting in line for coffee, as you ride the train to work in the morning, when you’re dining alone. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes – the time will add up, and eventually you will have read a whole book. I can almost guarantee you reading will make you happier, more knowledgeable, and more fulfilled than spending another 30 minutes on Instagram. I always keep one in my bag for those free moments in time.
- Help your chores be less annoying. Another certainty in life we can’t avoid (unless of course you make millions and can pay others to do them for you – in that case, good for you!). I abhor washing dishes (we haven’t had a dishwasher in 4.5 years), but also, I am not an animal and can’t stand a sink piled with dirty dishes. Since I can’t wave a wand and magically wash ’em, I try to find other ways to make the chore the slightest bit more bearable by lighting a candle and listening to a podcast. You’re getting to actively experience something you do enjoy, which will hopefully out-shadow the very task you hate doing. Having your mind engaged usually makes time seem to move faster too, so those apparent “hours” of cleaning will feel more like 15 minutes.
- Turn your desk into a friend, not a foe. Many of us can’t (at least not right now) avoid the 8-5 office grind. I wish we could all work from home or from the patio of a café , but alas, that is not often the case. Since you’re going to sit at your desk space five days out of the week, help it lift your spirits. Add a cute plant to your space to greet you every morning. Buy a small desk calendar that will provide a funny joke or happy note each day you tear off a page; last year I had this one, and it never failed to put a smile on my face. If you sit next to a window, keep the blinds open. Have a stockpile of snacks in your drawer – because nothing is more of a mood killer than hunger – and a cardigan in which you can cozy up. Don’t let yourself sit in discomfort for 8 hours a day.
So, there you have it. Five easy and actionable steps you can take to make your day-to-day life a little bit brighter, a little less grinding. They don’t take a lot of money or a lot of your (precious) time, but they do make a big impact.
What do you do to make your happy each day?
P.S. If you must stare at a screen, why not make it easy on the eyes? Here is a pretty wallpaper for your phone.
P.P.S. The solution is simple and how to make fitness a priority.
-wonderland sam
Great ideas. I need a new soundtrack that is upbeat and I think a pretty Himalyan lamp on my desk would be great.
I’ve been listening to one of the Regina Spektor playlists on Spotify – her music never fails to put me in a good mood. 🙂
I’ll check it out..Thanks
So true about the music!
On point! These tips really do make a difference. Especially when carrying a book with you and really make the most of your spare time instead of surfing the Internet – a good read in between is like a short vacation and so inspiring! 🙂
Also, I like to keep a note book in my bag in case I have an idea evolved by something that happened at work: it creates a feeling of pleasant anticipation when writing down plans to pursue after work 🙂
Thanks for this post! x Selly
http://www.enchantingnotions.com
I always use songs to feel good.
Such a simple thing really but can be such a mood booster!
At this point in my life, I really but really needed to read this!! Thank you ❤️
Oh you are so welcome!! I’m happy I was able to help in any small capacity. ❤
I love this post! It was surprisingly helpful and with new ideas I haven’t read before. Thank so much! I love your blog!
Thank you – that means so much to me!! 🙂
Indeed life is hard my dear
And you just provided the right tips to make it lighter
I enjoyed reading this
Thank you Ngumabi! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Yes, life can be hard and the actionable steps you provided are certainly a great to get that “happy place”. I too love my beats by dre to listen to my music especially gospel.
I think so often people (myself included) wish the week away to get to the weekends, but that’s no way to live! Always looking for those small things I can implement to make my day-to-day more enjoyable. The Beats By Dre are SUCH a welcome addition to my life. 🙂
Great Post! So agree about having a planned out desk, it makes such a difference to productivity!
Thank you!! Yes, we spend SO much of our times at our desks – we might as well make it “homey”. 🙂
I love this. I like the idea of a soundtrack.
I keep my kindle slid in my purse.
I also need to try and stop to eat instead of eating while driving haha!
Haha, that #hustle though. I’m really trying to slow down to eat a good meal instead of grabbing a protein bar for breakfast or shoveling food in my mouth for a quick dinner. So much more enjoyable when you actually – gasp – stop to enjoy it. Plus, better for the body. 😉
Loving those suggestions and the office based advice is spot on. Using lunch breaks to practise some meditation can be a great way to bring about mindfulness and quieten down the busy thoughts that can carve into our happiness. At the very least take short 5min breaks from the desk/screen – your brain will thank you for it! And podcasts are great, I’m a new, albeit slow, convert to audio books and they are a great way to make a dull bit of housework more enjoyable (kinda lol) 🙂
I still need to try meditation! I really want to go to a guided meditation class, and there’s a studio near me I’ll need to pop into sometime. I just started listening to the S Town podcast and am already so intrigued – it’s been a while since I listened to a good podcast. I haven’t listened to many audio books, but they sure help make road trips more bearable, haha.
They certainly do! Hope you find a class so you can enjoy the benefits. If you don’t get the time then there’s Headspace and Calm, both apps designed for guided meditation and both worth trying out as they have trial/free sessions to download. 😊
Love this, and I totally agree with you on 2,3, and 5 !!!
Thank you Claire!
Love this post! 🙂 Music is definitley the most important point for me 🙂 I always listen to my favorite songs when I’m in the subway on my way to school, a party or work 🙂
Love your blog btw!
xo Laura
http://www.theseoulitelife.com
Thanks so much Laura! I don’t know why music has always been an afterthought for me – reminding myself to listen to it more. 🙂
Music always puts me in a better mood! And as for books, I usually have a bunch of ebooks on my phonethat are funny. Basically anything by Chelsea Handler which are great because each chapter is like a short story so if I have to stop reading then it’s no biggie. My office is a plane so I don’t really have a desk. Lol.
Yes, having a device full of e-books is a great solution! I LOVE Chelsea Handler. I have several of her books on my shelf at home. 🙂 Are you a flight attendant?? That’s so cool!
Such an awesome post! I love these tips!
Thank you Melinda! Hope they work for you. 😉
Love it! I think we all need to be reminded how to add some HAPPY! The desk tip is spot on. Since I changed my work space around it has made a HUGE difference in my mood and outlook.
xoxo Christie
http://icanstyleu.com/blog/
Thank you Christie!! It’s so easy to get bummed out during the week – having to deal with all that “adult stuff”. But we should strive to celebrate every day as much as we can! 🙂
I love the making chores friendly tip! I enjoy rocking out to my favorite music to make it palatable. Nice job!
Love this! These are all great ways to make your day and tasks you don’t want to do more enjoyable. I usually treat myself to some tea or chocolate as an evening perk to my day 🙂
I’m so glad you liked these suggestions! Chocolate is a great treat at the end of the day – I often treat myself as well. 😉