Spring brings new growth and inspires us to shake off the winter blues and reinvigorate our lives. It puts us in the mood to make changes.
Here are five steps to feeling lighter and brighter this spring.
1) Take advantage of the longer days
Now the clocks have gone forward we can enjoy longer days. After the cold, dark evenings of winter, many of us will choose to spend that extra time outdoors.
Being outside lifts the spirits. Whether it’s pottering in the garden or taking walks in the park or countryside, it’s important to enjoy green spaces. Studies have shown that being closer to nature improves wellbeing and reduces stress.
2) Do some voluntary work
These extra daylight hours could be used to help others. There are many good causes to support and a wide variety of volunteer work on offer. Think about what would be of interest. For example, looking after children or chatting with older people in the neighbourhood.
There are plenty of conservation activities going on for those with an interest in the environment. Or a love of animals could lead to helping out with dogs or horses.
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and learn new skills – at the same time, making a difference in the community.
3) Spring clean the home
Traditionally, when fires heated our homes, we cleaned in spring as the warmer, drier weather was the first chance to air the house after the confines of winter. It provided an opportunity to clear away soot and grime that had gathered in the colder months.
Nowadays, most of us have central heating. But that hasn’t stopped us from wanting to clear away clutter, open the windows and refresh our homes. A good spring clean does wonders for the spirits and makes us feel rejuvenated.
4) Set an exercise goal
The warmer weather and longer days of spring tend to act as a stimulant for people to become more active. This makes it a great time to kickstart an exercise routine with the motivation to get fit for the summer.
There are many different ways to enjoy exercise. For example, join a walking group, book a dance class or go swimming. If losing weight is part of the plan, then it helps to set goals. Decide how many pounds to shed or inches to drop from the waistline – then do a little each day to work towards it.
5) Learn a new skill
A healthy exercise or diet programme can be combined with learning a new skill. For example, taking dance or swimming lessons or joining a football or netball team.
By doing something new, the brain receives a workout as well as the body. Tests have shown that learning a new skill improves cognitive function and memory.
Whatever the plan, set some objectives. Writing down goals helps to achieve them. Whether it’s losing weight, training for a sporting event or just boosting energy levels, milestone targets act as an incentive as improvement can be easily monitored.
Measure success with Waistchecker
Waistchecker is a simple, colour-coded tape measure designed to help keep track of weight loss – showing progress at a glance.
Make a start… Buy Yours Today