Australians share the “simple” changes they made to their everyday lives that have had a huge positive effect on their overall health and wellbeing.
From limiting screen time to changing the clothes they wear to work from home and even scheduling half an hour of silence into their day, Australians said even the smallest change can make a difference.
In a Reddit post, someone asked, “What simple change to your daily routine had an unexpectedly large impact on your life?” The question received hundreds of responses.
One man said brushing his teeth earlier before bed has made his nights more relaxed.
‘It’s a psychological trick I play on myself. “I feel much more relaxed being able to go to bed whenever I want, rather than having one last task to do beforehand,” he said.
People are revealing the seemingly insignificant changes they made to their daily lives that made a big difference to their overall health and well-being.
Many said they have stepped away from screens and technology at night to feel calm and sleep better.
“Try to fall asleep by reading instead of looking at a screen,” one user suggested, and another agreed: “Reading before bed helps with insomnia much more than watching movies on Netflix before bed.”
‘I keep all my notifications on silent. Except calls. If it is important they will call, the break can wait,” responded a third.
‘Notifications are among the most useless things we’ve ever invented. “We don’t need to know everything that happens 100 percent of the time,” another agreed.
An Australian found a useful way to keep them on time for meetings and commitments.
“Scheduling to arrive places 15 minutes early means I’m (mostly) on time,” they said.
‘I schedule myself half an hour each morning to sit and have a cup of tea. “I start the day on a relaxed and calm note and it sets the tone for the rest of the day,” another added.
“Try falling asleep while reading instead of looking at a screen,” one user suggested, and another agreed, stating that it helped them fall asleep more easily.
Someone said they turned off all notifications on their phone: ‘They are among the most useless things we’ve ever invented. We don’t need to know everything that happens 100 percent of the time.
“It’s so silly, but making my bed in the morning is a small thing that makes me feel more motivated to stay productive throughout the day,” a third explained.
Others had some tips to make their weekly house cleaning less overwhelming.
“Clean a little every day instead of cleaning a lot once a week,” one person responded.
‘Clean while you cook. A lot of cooking is waiting. “Just loading the dishwasher and putting away the ingredients makes a big difference to your mood,” another commented.
‘All housework and errands are done during the week, so my weekends are completely free. Yes, it sucks to go shopping on a Thursday after work or stay up until 8pm preparing food on Monday, but having the weekends free just for me is life-changing,” said a third.
Some said they had made an effort to disconnect from work after clocking in for the afternoon.
‘Master here. Not bringing work home at all. “All qualifications and preparation are done during contractual hours,” said one woman.
One employee recommended putting on their normal work clothes instead of sweatpants or pajamas to work from home.
“Delete Teams and Outlook from my phone,” another explained.
One employee recommended putting on their normal work clothes instead of sweatpants or pajamas to work from home.
‘I found that when I work from home in sweatpants I’m in ‘weekend mode’ and my productivity is almost non-existent. Even jeans and a t-shirt help me get into ‘work mode,’ they said.
Many talked about how much a little extra physical activity each day has helped them sleep better and reduce their stress levels.
‘Walking half an hour every day. Physical activity/exercise is the most efficient and effective way for our body to complete the stress cycle so that we can get rid of the cumulative effects of stress. 20 to 60 minutes a day is ideal for most people,” one user responded.
‘Stretch for 10 minutes every night before bed. It relaxes my body so that when I go to bed I don’t suffer extreme pain. My average daily pain level has also been reduced with this. I couldn’t recommend more,” she replied a second.
One man said he even now plays video games while walking on a treadmill to keep moving, and another said tracking his daily step count can help him reach a productive goal throughout the day.