175 easy ways to fit wellness into your day

Everyone wants to feel happier and healthier, but where do you start? Thankfully, the little things really can add up when wellness is your goal.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of 175 wellness tips, focussing on the following important areas:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Morning routine
• Mental health
• Family
• Self-care
• Hobbies
• Winding down & sleep

Whether you incorporate a few or lots of these daily wellness tips into your day or make some healthy swapa, you can feel great knowing you’re looking after you and your health.

Diet

What you eat (and don’t eat) can have a big impact on how you feel. Nourishing your body on the inside with nutrient-packed foods, as well as treating yourself to foods you really love can impact all areas of your life.

1. Allow all foods – restricting foods can lead to binges, it’s better to enjoy what you like in moderation.
2. Ditch the diet – a lot of diets = future weight gain, focus on eating healthy instead.
3. Listen to your body – hungry? Don’t ignore it. Feeling full? Stop eating. The more you practice listening to your body, the easier it will be.
4. Find foods you love – don’t force yourself to eat foods ‘just because’ find foods you truly enjoy.
5. Learn to cook new dishes – cooking should be fun, especially when you experiment and learn new recipes.
6. Try new things – don’t get stuck in a rut, always be on the lookout for new flavours and foods.
7. Stay hydrated – it’s not all about food, water is important too – make sure you stay hydrated with 7-8 glasses of water a day.
8. Limit processed foods – processed foods like burgers and hot dogs should be limited as they can contain a lot of salt and saturated fats.
9. Choose healthy snacks – swap unhealthy snacks like crisps to healthy snacks like nuts and fruit and your body will thank you!
10. Meat free Mondays – we don’t need to eat meat every day - it’s not good for us or our planet, try going meat-free or vegan on Mondays.
11. Fuel your day right – eat a healthy balanced diet of healthy carbs, proteins and fats to have you feeling great all day long.
12. Meal prep like a pro – if you plan healthy, tasty meals you like you’re less likely to cave and order a takeaway last minute.
13. Grow your own herbs – having a windowsill herb patch can add extra health benefits and flavour to all of your meals.
14. Start with a healthy breakfast – first things first, get a healthy breakfast in you like oats, wholegrains, fresh fruits and healthy protein.
15. Consider a multivitamin – think of a multivitamin as a fail-safe to help keep your body nourished every day.
16. Eat more plant-based meals – plant-based meals tend to contain a wider variety of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Here are some easy vegan food swaps.
17. Get enough protein – protein is important for maintaining and growing muscle.
18. Improve your presentation – it has been proven that you’re more likely to eat more and enjoy your food more when it is presented attractively.
19. Limit your takeaways – takeaways as a treat – go for it! But try not to rely on them too much as they are often packed with calories, saturated fat and salt.
20. Dine alfresco – try eating outside to mix up mealtimes and to keep your vitamin D levels topped up in the sunshine
21. Eat more fibre – eating foods full of fibre like wholegrains, vegetables and fruit support our gut bacteria and help us feel fuller for longer.
22. Choose healthy fats – fat is often demonised, but healthy fats like olive oil, nut butters and avocado shouldn’t be – they are essential for good health.
23. Use caffeine to your advantage – enjoying tea, coffee and other caffeine sources can help keep your energy levels up.

Mental health

Maintaining good mental health is essential for feeling good and leading a happy life. Here are some tips to help keep yours on track.

24. Try meditation – meditation has been proven to help you manage stress and anxiety, as well as improve your attention and focus.
25. Breathe better – focusing on your breathing can help you feel calmer and more in control in stressful times.
26. Get some fresh air – breathing in fresh air can help clear your mind and help you to relax
27. Light up your life – make sure to get some sunlight in your life whenever you can, e.g. working by a window.
28. Stroke an animal – giving your dog or cat a fuss releases the feel-good chemical oxytocin in both you and the animal in question.
29. Hug it out – hugging a fellow human works just as well as stroking a pup for oxytocin.
30. Make time to socialise – we humans are social animals, so it is essential we make time to socialise with people we like, whether that’s every day or every few weeks.
31. Let it all out – if something is worrying you, don’t hold it in, try and confide in someone you trust or reach out to organisations that can help.
32. Write it down – if you’re not quite ready to share problems out loud, try writing them down so it’s out of your head at least.
33. Challenge yourself – most of us thrive with a challenge, whether that’s running a marathon or simply perfecting your cookie recipe.
34. Get organised – an organised mind is usually a more satisfied mind, so try and stay organised where you can.
35. Sleep well – sleeping enough is key for mental health so aim for a good 7-8 hours a night every night.
36. Find ways to relax – different things are relaxing for different people, so find the activity that works for you whether its walking, painting or writing short stories.
37. Identify 5 things – when you feel stressed or overwhelmed, try to focus on 5 things you can see, hear, smell, feel and taste to help you calm down.
38. Stop comparing – comparison is the theft of joy, so try not to compare your life to anyone else’s, remember- we only usually get the highlight reel anyway.
39. Practice gratitude – it can be easy to focus on the negatives, which is why it is essential to remind yourself of all the things you have to feel grateful for.
40. Appreciate the little things – being able to afford hobbies, educate yourself or simply being able to walk down the road is a blessing, so remember all the small things you enjoy every day.
41. Embrace the endorphins – exercising and completing tasks makes our body release endorphins that make us feel great – embrace this free way to feel really good.
42. Make exciting plans – we all need something to look forward to after all!
43. Keep B vitamins topped up – B vitamins are essential for good mental health, so keep yourself topped up.
44. Get to know yourself – it’s easy to people-please and try to fit in, but you must get to know yourself to find out what truly makes you happy.
45. Appreciate alone time – the best way to get to know yourself is to spend time alone enjoying your hobbies, trying new things, or simply relaxing.
46. Turn negative thinking around – try and think of a positive to every negative thing that happens, it may help you to process it.

Morning routine

If you start your morning off right, it can positively affect your whole day. Try and find what makes you feel good in the morning and make it a routine.

47. Start your day grateful – instead of waking up to social media news feeds and 24hr news, try and start the day thinking about what you are grateful for.
48. Rise early – setting your alarm and hour or two earlier than usual frees up some time before work to do things, e.g. having a cooked breakfast, yoga, working out, reading, or walking the dog.
49. Consider a vitamin D supplement – even if you have a healthy diet, vitamin D supplements are recommended to everybody in the UK in the colder months. 
50. Have a good breakfast – a good breakfast is fuel for your day ahead, try to include fruits, healthy carbohydrates and protein, e.g. overnight oats .
51. Move to feel awake – if you struggle to wake up in the mornings, try light movement like stretching, yoga, or walking to wake your body up.
52. Try the Wim Hoff method – one very refreshing way you can start your day is to blast cold water at the end of your shower (or the whole shower), which is certainly one way to wake up!
53. Leave your phone alone – at the time of the day when you need to get things done, it’s best to save looking at your phone for after you’ve gotten ready for the day.
54. Block news notifications before 10am – literally waking up to terrible news constantly is no good for our mental health, try putting a notification blocker on your news apps until 10am or later.
55. Get dressed – it seems silly to say, but the act of getting dressed from your pjs to normal clothes often brings an attitude change too, helping you get things done.
56. Delay caffeine for a few hours – there are other ways to wake up other than caffeine like light exercise, meditation, getting outside, eating breakfast, etc. Leave the coffee till about mid-morning to feel its effects better.
57. Set your skin up for the day – washing your face, moisturising it and applying an SPF is a good place to start.
58. Make your bed – you’re much less likely to creep back into bed if you’ve made it, and it’s also much nicer to come back to sleep in it later.
59. Try a light alarm clock – you can get alarm clocks that wake you up with a warm natural light that gradually gets lighter before your alarm to help wake your body up with natural signals.
60. Use a ‘happy’ lamp – waking up on cold, dark winter mornings can sometimes be helped with a ‘happy’ lamp that emits a bright light to signal your brain to wake up and feel good.
61. Take your multivitamin – taking a multivitamin with your breakfast is a great way to pack in the nutrients before you properly start the day.
62. Write a to-do list for the day – using lists helps a lot of people to get through their day and plan accordingly + you’re much less likely to forget things if you have them written down.
63. Set your intentions – identifying what you want out of the day in the morning makes it easier to achieve, however big or small, e.g. completing a certain task or eating 8 portions of fruit and veg.
64. Try to start your day relaxed – if you’re one of those people who sleep to the very last minute and shoot out the door, you’re starting every day with stress, try to enjoy slower mornings.
65. Get some fresh air – whether it’s a morning stroll or breakfast al fresco, the natural sunlight will also help your body make vitamin D.
66. Avoid reading emails before work – just don’t do it!
67. Make your commute work for you – try listening to a podcast or your favourite music to set you up for the day nicely
68. Watch the sun rise – sun rises are often overshadowed by sunsets, but why not enjoy both? Going for an early morning walk to watch the sunrise is a dreamy way to start the day.
69. Get outside while most of the world is still sleeping ­– for a relaxing start to the day.
70. Morning meditation – mornings or before you go to bed are the best times to meditate.
71. Get your brain juices flowing – whether you meditate, read a newspaper, or, listen to a podcast, it’s good to wake up both your body and brain.

Exercise

Getting your body moving and keeping fit is essential for good health – both physically and mentally.

72. Take the stairs – try taking the stairs where you can instead of the lift to increase your daily activity.
73. Park further away – you’ll get a space easier and increase your step count- nice!
74. Try something new – slogging it at the gym or going for a jog aren’t your only options, there are tons of new exercises waiting for you to try.
75. Get outside – exercise and enjoy nature at the same time by walking, jogging, cycling, hiking or other outdoor pursuits.
76. HIIT it – high intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by a short rest period and is known for it’s fat-burning effectiveness.
77. Dance it out – love to dance? Great news! It’s an amazing exercise too! Learn a new dance, follow videos online or simply make up your own dances to music you love.
78. Remember to stretch – stretching before exercises can warm up our muscles and stretching after helps them to cool down.
79. Fuel your body – make sure you eat or drink enough carbs before your work out, so you have enough energy to power through.
80. Help your body recover – replenishing glycogen stores with carbohydrates and supporting muscle mass with protein is essential.
81. Avoid burnout – if you are really tired with achey muscles and really just don’t want to work out. Just don’t. Over-training can leave you feeling fatigued and sometimes even ill.
82. Move in ways that feel good – Don’t just suffer through a spin class if you hate it or go swimming when you hate getting wet, find a way to move that feels good.
83. Warm up – Try to get your heart pumping before a strength workout.
84. Cool down – Stretch your muscles after your workout to avoid excessive stiffness or injury.
85. Take it outside – feeling fed-up of home workouts? Try working out outside to see if it gets you motivated again.
86. Lift some weights – lifting weights regularly increases muscle mass, helps you get stronger and increases your daily calorie burn.
87. Get your mates involved – find a running buddy or get yourself a whole volleyball team, exercising with other people can be fun.
88. Set your goals – if you have a set goal like being able to cycle 50 miles or lift a certain weight, you’re more likely to stick to your training.
89. Soak in Epsom salts – mixing some Epsom salts into your bath can help soothe sore muscles.
90. Massage sore muscles – another way to combat sore muscles is to massage them – try using coconut oil to moisturise your skin at the same time.
91. Prepare your snacks – know you get peckish immediately after a jog? Have some healthy snacks ready and waiting.
92. Have a protein shake or protein bar – a protein shake or protein bar is a quick and easy way to give your body what it needs to repair.
93. Plan your rest days – rest days are essential for fitness success; your body needs them to recover.
94. Find a pre-workout that works for you – a little extra energy before a workout can help improve your performance, whether that’s coffee or a pre-workout powder.

Family and home

Home is where most of us spend our free time, so it makes sense to love it and make it work for our families. Here are some home and family wellness tips.

95. Dish out the chores – no one person can do everything, so make sure to share out household chores
96. Organise your cupboards – spend more time rummaging through cupboards to find ingredients than time cooking? It might be time to organise your cupboards.
97. Give the fridge a clean – it feels good to finally tackle those tasks you’ve been putting off forever, and fridges tend to make it on that list quite a lot.
98. Have a spring clean – spring cleaning can help you feel less stressed in the long run, there are also lots of eco-friendly cleaning products you can use to help the planet while you do.
99. Communicate long distance – don’t forget about relatives that live long-distance, plan in a video call and get the family back together.
100. Arrange family days out – if you do the same old things every week it can start to feel a little mundane. Pop some fun family days out in the calendar that you can look forward to.
101. Try essential oils – diffusing essential oils at home can be a great way to de-stress and relax.
102. Games night – cracking out the boardgames or card deck can be a fun family games night and keeps screen time to a minimum
103. Cook together – try making a special meal where you are all responsible for one dish one night.
104. Weekend baking – get your whisk out and get the whole family baking at the weekend.
105. Movie night – a movie night is a free and easy way to spend time together.
106. Learn about nature – fun, free and educational, take your kids out to local wildlife to teach them about the natural world.
107. Make your garden wildlife-friendly – make some birdfeeders and plant some bee-friendly flowers to help fill your garden with wildlife.
108. Grow your own food – try growing your own veg in the garden or an allotment and making delicious dishes with them.
109. Get out in the sun – when the sun is here, make the most of it and let it shine on your skin so your body can make vitamin D.
110. Learn about healthy eating – discovering healthy eating as a family can be fun with all the flavour experimenting and new foods to try.

Self-care

You need to take care of yourself, especially if you want to take care of others too. Show yourself some love by trying some of these self-care tips.

111. Find time every day for something you love – everyone should be able to make time for at least 30 mins of ‘me’ time, whether it’s cooking, reading, a bath, working out, or anything else you love.
112. Know when to say no – try not to people-please too much and do things you don’t want to do just to make others happy. It’s fine to just say no, thank you.
113. Treat yourself – life’s too short not to treat yourself when you can, whether that’s a meal from your favourite restaurant, new clothes or planning a day out in the future.
114. Invest in high-quality skin care – nourishing your skin with natural ingredients can help keep your skin looking great and you feeling even better.
115. Use a face mask – treating yourself to a face mask every week or so can really help look after your facial skin.
116. Give yourself a break – being on-the-go all the time can leave you fatigued, so make sure to take regular breaks from work, in the week and throughout every day.
117. Check in with your mental health – one of the reasons some of us stay busy is to ignore what’s going on with our mental health. Make sure to check in every so often and see how you’re feeling. Keeping a journal can be great for this.
118. Use a hair mask – our hair can go through a lot day-to-day, with colours, cuts, heat, products, weather, etc. One great way to replenish tired hair is by using a hair mask every so often.
119. Read more – fiction or non-fiction, reading is great for our mental health so make sure you set some time to read every week if you enjoy it.
120. Achieve a healthy work-life balance – even if you love your job, you need to remember that your leisure time is precious, so make sure you don’t work too much.
121. Make your own beauty products – some beauty products like skin scrubs, hair masks, face masks, etc. can be made quite easily, try it out for yourself. If the ingredients are new to you, remember to perform a patch test before applying fully.
122. Learn how to look after your skin – different types of skin need different types of care, so you need to learn what works for you.
123. Get to know your hair type – the same goes for your hair, e.g. thick curly hair usually loves coconut oil, but it can be a little heavy for very fine hair.
124. Write down your feelings – sometimes it can feel like there too many thoughts flying through your mind at once, so getting them out on paper or phone notes can help.
125. Learn a new skill – there are so many new skills to learn if your hobbies are becoming a little monotonous, always be on the lookout for new things to try.
126. Keep your brain active – making your brain work by solving problems, completing challenges, etc. benefits your mental health.
127. Get stronger – training your body for strength can be very satisfying as you will have to set goals and meet them, and let’s face it – look good doing it!
128. Make a bucket list – there’s a big old world to explore with plenty of things to do and a bucket list can be a great motivation to tick experiences off.
129. Keep challenging yourself – accepting challenges and completing them is a sure-fire way to build and maintain self-esteem, and it can be whatever you like! From baking the perfect souffle to running a marathon.
130. Get creative – we’re always encouraged to be creative as kids, so why not as an adult? Writing, painting, drawing, taking photos, crafting or any other artistic pursuits can be fun and relaxing.

Hobbies

Having personal interests help you keep your mental health on track and often help you stay physically healthy too. Here’s some hobby inspo!

131. Get baking – whether it’s healthy bakes for the family or indulgent treats for your friends, baking is fun for you (and your favourite people!)
132. Try painting – start simple with a paint by numbers or get stuck straight in with a blank canvas – it can be great for relieving stress and taking your mind off things.
133. Learn a new language – one of the hardest yet most rewarding hobbies you can have is to learn a new language – then test it out on holiday!
134. Join a sports team – make friends and exercise at the same time by finding a sport you enjoy in your local area.
135. Sign up to fitness classes – working out solo is difficult for a lot of people, which is why fitness classes are so great. Enjoy the social aspect, motivation and always having the instructor there to help.
136. Go for a swim – swimming is an amazing low-impact, full body workout that lots of people can enjoy.
137. Join your local gym – fed up of at-home workouts? Maybe joining the gym will help get you into a routine – not to mention all the extra equipment you can use.
138. Explore local nature – local parks, woodlands and hiking spots are a free and relaxing way to get outside and moving. Walk, run, cycle, it’s up to you!
139. Cook new cuisines – learning how to cook different cuisines can be fun, challenging and very, very delicious!
140. Get in the garden – if you have a garden or open space available to you, enjoying breakfast, lunch, a cup of tea or simply the sun can help you relax and recharge.
141. Hike up a mountain – or a nearby hill… walking uphill is great cardiovascular training for your body to help keep your heart healthy.
142. Take up cycling – once you have a bike, you can enjoy free workouts that also help you get around. See if your workplace has a cycle to work scheme.
143. Join a yoga studio – some people love the calming atmosphere of a yoga studio more than plonking their mat down in the middle of the living room or doing their yoga outside – see what works for you.
144. Assemble a quiz team – pub quizzes or games nights are a fun way to get together, so form a team and start thinking of your team name!
145. Join a book club – talking about books you’ve read can be nearly as fun as reading the book itself – one great way to enjoy both is by joining a local book club.
146. Give running a go – running can seem difficult at first but even doing a beginner’s programme like Couch to 5K (C25K) can help improve your fitness a lot as well as your wellness.
147. Practice gymnastics – you might feel a bit silly, but playing around with headstands, handstands, cartwheels, backbends are a fun way to get moving and feeling good.
148. Volunteer – helping those less fortunate than you is an amazing way to spend your time and knowing you’re helping can make you feel great too.
149. Try a martial art – get fighting fit with a martial arts class! They can help with strength, coordination, general fitness and even mental health.
150. Learn an instrument – one way to get your brain working is by learning a musical instrument – it’s never too late to try!
151. Start a blog – passionate about a certain subject, love to share your opinion, or simply want a place to vent? A blog can be the best place for it.

Sleep and relaxation

Sleeping is very important for our health. Getting enough good quality sleep each and every night can help us feel in all aspects of our lives, including our mental health.

152. Avoid screens 1-2 hours before bed – the lights from phone, laptop and tv screens late at night can affect how well we sleep. Try and limit or avoid them a few hours before you sleep.
153. Have a bath – people who bathe or shower in warm water an hour or two before bed tend to fall asleep faster, as your body’s temperature naturally dips a few hours before bed, so you’re helping it feel that sensation.
154. Dim the lights – dimming the lights in your room gradually before you sleep could help you feel more sleepy
155. Get comfy – even the heaviest sleeper will enjoy better sleep when they’re comfy, so always choose comfy nightwear and bed linen.
156. Spray lavender on your pillow – lavender essential oil has natural soothing and relaxation qualities that can help some people fall asleep. Try a lavender pillow spray to see if it helps.
157. Avoid heavy foods – our digestive system slows right down while we sleep so our bodies can conduct their nightly TLC, so consuming a heavy meal near bedtime can cause some digestive discomfort and is worth avoiding.
158. Avoid caffeine – it goes without saying really, but consuming caffeine before bed can be a recipe for disaster if you struggle to sleep – leave it for the mornings or afternoons!
159. Leave the TV out of the bedroom – if your body gets used to watching TV in bed, it can struggle to feel sleepy in that same room, so try and keep the TV out of your bedroom.
160. Develop a routine – going to bed at a similar time every night can help you naturally get sleepy around that time, so you don’t always feel in a battle.
161. Love your bedroom – if you don’t like being in your bedroom, you probably won’t enjoy sleeping in it either. Make sure to decorate it how you like (if you can) and choose comfy bed linen.
162. Invest in high-quality bed linen – you sleep in it every night, so don’t scrimp on bed linen if you can afford it.
163. Get the temperature right – if your room is too hot or too cold, this may be contributing to sleep problems, try to keep it around 18°C.
164. Avoid drinking 1-2 hours before bed – unless you’re happy getting out of bed multiple times a night to visit the toilet, try and limit drinking before bed.
165. Plan for 7-8 hours of sleep – most adults need around 7-8 hours of sleep a night to feel good and healthy, so plan this time in and try to get to bed in time.
166. Try magnesium for better sleep – magnesium may help you to sleep as it plays an important role in your nervous system, which helps to soothe you.
167. Avoid exercising right before bed – when you exercise, your body releases endorphins that make you feel amazing and energised- but can also interfere with your sleep.
168. Try meditation or light yoga instead – stretching, meditating or doing light yoga before bed can be more helpful for sleep.
169. Put your phone on airplane mode - or leave it out of the bedroom all together!
170. Write down your thoughts before bed – expressing how you feel before bed can help you feel calmer and less anxious before sleep.
171. Avoid falling asleep on the sofa – waking up disorientated with the TV still on is no way to spend a good night’s sleep. When you’re too sleepy to keep your eyes open, take this as a sign to get to bed.
172. Try an essential oil diffuser – some essential oils like lavender, chamomile and bergamot can help you to fall asleep, why not try them out? At the very least, you’ll have a wonderful-smelling room.
173. Consider an eye-mask or black-out curtains – especially when you live in a brightly-lit area
174. Try a weighted blanket – snuggling up with a naked blanket near bedtime can help you feel calm and ready to sleep.
175. Get up - if you really cannot sleep, lying there worrying about it could make matters worse. Try getting up and doing something that helps you to relax until you’re feeling sleepy again – then get back into bed and give it another go.

Last updated: 5 May 2021