Today’s lifestyle is hectic and busy. Many of us don’t have time to hit the gym each day or follow a strict diet. But that doesn’t mean we should neglect our health. Here are 10 simple daily habits that can make a huge difference in your overall health and wellbeing. Best of all, they won’t take up a ton of your time or cost you a lot of money to pull off. In fact, you’ll probably even enjoy doing them!

Eat a Balanced Diet and Take a Multivitamin

There’s no getting around it! Proper nutrition is absolutely essential for your health. Stay away from extreme or fad diets and focus on eating a balanced that diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats like avocados and olive oil. 

Even with the very best intentions, it’s nearly impossible to meet all of your nutritional requirements through diet alone every single day. Try taking a high-quality supplement like SmartyPants organic vitamins to fill in any nutritional gaps in your diet.

Eat Breakfast Every Morning

Eating breakfast every morning is important for a number of reasons. First, it gives your metabolism a jump-start and stops you from snacking and overeating at lunchtime. Eating a healthy breakfast is also important for regulating your blood sugar levels. 

People who eat a nutritious meal in the morning are also able to focus better at work or school. If you can’t stomach a big meal when you wake up, try a nutritious smoothie with a scoop of protein powder blended in.

Plan and Prep Your Meals

Planning and prepping your meals not only saves time and money, but it also ensures that you always have a healthy meal ready to go. When you plan your meals, do it with your personal goals in mind. If you’re trying to lose weight or cut out sugar, planning and prepping your meals in advance will give you more control over what you’re eating. 

You can prep your meals once a week or simply prep the next day’s meals the night before. Either way, be sure to include snacks and lunch for work, too. It will be much easier to skip unhealthy take out or fast food if you’ve got a delicious and nutritious meal and snacks from home ready to go. Don’t forget to include beverages in your plan because grabbing a soda or some other sugary drink will undo all your hard work.

Take Mini Exercise Breaks

When that midmorning or afternoon slump hits, don’t just go grab another cup of coffee. Take a mini exercise break instead. Try some stretches or lunges, or head outdoors for a brisk 10-minute walk. Short bursts of exercise are great for getting your blood pumping and boosting your mood.

Unplug for a While Each Day

Checking your social media and email is one of those mindless habits that burns up your free time. And, the truth is, all those updates from your friends and family aren’t doing a whole lot to improve your quality of life. Try to unplug for a while each day and read a good book, take your dog for a long walk, meditate, or do some yoga. Your mental health will thank you for it.

Exercise Your Brain

Practicing a new skill every day will exercise your brain and help to keep it healthy. Try taking a dance class, learning yoga, or attend a writer’s workshop. Or, maybe you want to learn a new language. Giving your brain a daily workout can keep you sharp and slow down the cognitive decline that comes with age.

Make Sleep a Priority

Getting the right amount of quality sleep each night has so many benefits. Instead of squeezing in a nap when you have the chance, make it a priority to get a good night’s sleep every night. You will be more focused and be in a better mood the next day. 

Even more importantly, the benefits accumulate over time to lower the risk of heart disease, anxiety, and depression. Aim for eight hours each night and try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day for the best sleep quality.

Take Up Strength Training

The immediate benefit of strength training is that it builds muscle mass and burns fat and calories. Over time, strength training is good for your heart and keeps your bones strong. You don’t have to head to the gym and lift weights if you don’t want to. You can just do some lunges and pushups at home each day to reap the same benefits.

Get a Little Sun

All it takes is a few minutes in the sunshine each day to increase your vitamin D level, and that’s fantastic for your mood, heart, and bones. Take a stroll or simply sit and relax in the sun for 10 or 15 minutes each day.

Practice Yoga or Tai Chi

No matter what age you are, yoga and tai chi are great ways to maintain good posture and balance, improve your muscle tone, and keep your heart healthy. Both practices encourage mindfulness, relaxation, and focus while reducing stress and anxiety, which is crucial for overall health and wellbeing. As you get older, maintaining your balance is important for reducing falls and potential injuries. 

Incorporating these habits into your daily routine can make a huge difference in your health and overall wellbeing. While you may not have time to do every single thing on the list each day, many of these activities can be combined, and none of them takes up a lot of time. You might be surprised to find that even a few little changes can make a difference in how you look and feel!