When was the last time you looked at your phone? Scrolled through some social media? That’s probably how you ended up on this page, right? What about the time before this? 10 minutes ago, half an hour? We spend way too much time flicking through social media, watching hilarious yet pointless youtube videos and perfecting our Insta profiles. I myself am guilty of it too. You don’t need to stop. You just need to cut back.
Here are 18 ways to spend the next five minutes (after you finish reading this) that will be much more productive than staring at your phone screen and will be good for your mental health too!
- Meditate – find some headspace outside of cyber-space.
2. Pamper yourself with a DIY mani or pedi.
3. Prepare a healthy dinner, packed lunch for tomorrow or snack, you’ll thank yourself for this later.
4. Tidy up, whether it’s the clothes that are scattered across your bedroom, the jewellery that you’ve worn for the past week and never put away or the make-up that rarely makes it back to it’s case, put it away. Tidy home equals tidy mind.
5. Call your Mom, your Grandma or the Aunt you haven’t spoken to in 3 months. Connect with them verbally, catch up and give them your time.
6. Go for a short walk, get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors.
7. Write in a journal, get your thoughts in order by penning them on some old fashioned paper.
8. Do a yoga or HIT workout – a healthy body is the first step on the road to a healthy mind.
9. Read a chapter of a book – lose yourself in someone else’s world for a brief time.
10. Water your plants and use your energy to nourish another living thing.
11. Play with your pets (if you’re lucky enough to have some!).
12. Throw out all the old food from your fridge and take the garbage outside so it doesn’t stink up the kitchen. Tackling those small jobs that you generally avoid is a great way to feel productive.
13. Make some ice cubes because it’s always good to have them in.
14. Write a shopping list so that you actually pick up everything you need when you go to the store.
15. Check your calendar and mentally note any upcoming birthdays or events, then actually take the time to send a card – it means so much more to people than an online message.
16. Write a list – of all the things you want to do that weekend, or month, or year, of all the places you want to travel, or all the ideas you have for decorating your home – warm up your brain cells by mapping out your ideas.
17. Write down five things you have achieved so far this year and why they make you proud.
18…Or five things that you are grateful for in that moment.
Whatever you choose to do, use your time wisely, and try to avoid reaching for your phone every time you have a spare few minutes. The small changes you make to your routine can have a huge impact on your mental well-being in general, so it’s good to remind yourself of that once in awhile!
Featured image via Pexels
