If you’ve found yourself stuck in the same old routine and need to break out of your rut, there are things you can do to brighten up your day. Changing your environment and your perspective gives your system a much-needed jolt. You don’t need to go skydiving to jumpstart your engines; even small tweaks can make big differences in your demeanor. Whether it’s an incredibly cozy new sweater, a new skill, or a newly cleared living space, you only need to adjust your daily regimen by a fraction to see significant differences. Here are nine novel ideas on how to inject new life into your daily routine.
1. Shower First Thing in the Morning
It’s a small step, but it may be the most crucial. If you find yourself staring at the ceiling, dreading getting up and engaging in the same old schedule, force yourself to the shower. Once you’re in there, you may feel a lot more optimistic. If you’re still feeling sleepy, invest in some body wash with tea tree or eucalyptus essential oil as one of the ingredients. These oils add a lovely tingle across your skin when you wash and invigorate your senses. It will wake you up as much as a strong cup of coffee.
2. Get Some New Music
It’s hard to feel down with a new tune in your head. Download or buy some new music to shake yourself out of a well-worn groove. Even when you’re still engaged in the same old routine, you’ll have a new soundtrack. It doesn’t necessarily matter if it’s happy, sad, or angry music; whatever your groove, a new hit is sure to spice things up.
3. Play with Your Wardrobe
Sometimes wearing something new or original can put a different spin on your day. Buy yourself a jazzy pair of socks or a super-comfy housedress. The change to your outward demeanor may help alleviate the gray feeling inside. Alternatively, explore the clothes you already have in your closet. A fun way to do this is to pull out your entire closet full of clothes and organize them to find out which ones you wear. Add your wardrobe staples back to your closet, along with a handful of pieces you haven’t worn in a while.
Mix and match your well-worn favorites with new items, so you wear a new outfit each day. If you find something you don’t like or which no longer fits, you can stash it in a Goodwill bag for donation. You may accomplish two tasks: cleaning out your closet and finding hidden gems you’d forgotten you had.
4. Learn Something New
Whether it’s the middle name of your favorite
pop singer or a new instrument, learning something creates new synapses and
neural pathways, changing your brain chemistry for the better. If you are
mostly homebound, the internet makes it easy to take a virtual trip to the
south of France or take an online tour of the MOMA in New York City. Even using
Google Maps to stroll around a new town gives your imagination a workout.
5. People Watch
The ever-changing landscape of people’s faces can positively alter your mindset if you feel stuck in the doldrums. People are empathetic creatures and like to imagine what is going on in others’ lives. Thinking about others can do wonders for you if you’re feeling a little tired and blue. Head to a roomy but well-peopled locale like the local waterfront or a museum or grab a cappuccino at a sidewalk café and enjoy watching the people passing by.
6. Enjoy Some Comfort Food
If cooking is your passion, fire up your cooktop and explore some new culinary adventures. However, if you find cooking tedious and often find yourself delegated to cook in your family or group, you may want to order out. Whether it’s Great Aunt Jane’s cheese grits or the Rogan Josh from the Indian place down the street, treat yourself to something satisfying and delicious. Or, maybe opt for a dish that’s entirely new, giving your tastebuds something they’ve never tried before.
7. Get Outside
Just the act of changing your physical locale can break you out of tired routines. Exercise releases endorphins, which provides you with a natural mood boost. Even if it’s only a moderate walk, fresh air and exercise can help liven up gray moods. If the weather is cold, it’s thrilling to bundle up in all your winter woolens and get into the chilly air.
8. Declutter
Probably the least favorite on a lot of people’s lists is decluttering. Much like exercise, once you start to declutter and organize your space, you’ll feel almost immediately better. It’s a fact that your mental state reflects your physical condition and vice versa. As you clear your physical space, you will start to feel the benefits mentally and emotionally.
9. Get Some Light
There’s nothing like vitamin D to give you a new mood. You don’t have to sunbathe to feel its effects—just open up the curtains. An enlightening way to change the way your environment looks is to redo the window treatments. Swap out the venetian blinds for lighter, gauzier curtains to let more natural light into your space.
If you’re a renter or live in a dorm room and don’t want to make any significant changes to your place, opt for treatments that can drape over existing shades or blinds. Getting light doesn’t necessarily mean sunlight, either. If you are affected by seasonal changes, some ingenious lightboxes can help balance you out. Even adding twinkle lights or a Himalayan salt lamp creates a warm glow and a feeling of wellbeing.
The Final Word
Everyone gets stuck in a rut at one point or another. It may not be that you’re feeling depressed, but only that the days are stretching out in front of you, and they all look exactly the same. Sometimes you need a little jolt to your system to make you feel alive.
Small changes like swapping out your lighting, buying new curtains or throw pillows, or wrapping up in a snuggly blanket can change your mood just enough that you start to feel better. It’s all about tuning in to how you’re feeling and shaking things up so you feel something new.
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