10 Simple Lifestyle Habits Every 20-Something Should Partake In For A Better Life

1. Set a soothing alarm

What is the first thing we hear when we wake up? Let’s start with that. Pick an alarm that will wake you up gently rather than startle you. Starting your day off with a pleasant experience will allow for better focus and a happier mood.

2. Take a deep breath

We know you are having a rough day, we have all been there. The best thing to do is stop for a minute and think about why you are mad. Is it really something worth worrying about? Will it still be a problem tomorrow? Sometimes a simple 10-second breather can change the entire situation.

3. The boredom binge

DO NOT overeat when you are bored. To be honest, this is a problem I am still dealing with, but the truth is, fighting the urge to stuff your face with that bag of Tostitos Lime potato chips and the big jar of salsa can keep you focused on more important goals. Replace the binge with a workout or if you are really craving a snack, eat in moderation.

4. The one week money rule

From the wisdom of my grandfathers. In order to successfully start a savings account that you won’t have to dip into every month for rent, use the “one week rule”. The amount of money you make in 1 week should cover all of your required expenses for the month. And by “required” I mean: rent, wifi, cable, electric, food, etc. Of course this may seem unrealistic (especially if you trying to live in a big city) but this also means you should try and have a realistic mindset when looking for a place to live. Don’t lease an apartment that you can’t afford.

5. Buy nice clothes

Bargain shopping can be great and you could end up leaving the store with 4 bags full of awesome new clothes….. that will rip or fade over the course of a few months: oh well off to buy more! I cannot stress this enough. Pay the extra money for quality clothes. Sure you may only come home with one shirt, but that one shirt will last a lot longer and prevent you from having to buy more just like it. It is always better to splurge on one really high quality item than to have a ton of really shitty clothes that you have to replace all the time.

6. The $5 mason jar savings plan

This may be my favorite tip. What can $5 really buy you? 1 tall pumpkin spice latte that you really don’t need? Well what do you do with that $5 bill that your barista gave you back after buying that first latte of the day? Answer: combine it with other $5 bills in order to buy better things. Now what if every time you came across a $5 bill in your wallet you took it out and stuck it in a mason jar? Months later you have jar full of money that you can use for whatever you want! I used this trick la few years ago when I was planning a trip to Disney. Every time I got paid for babysitting (about $45 a day) I would take that $5 and stick it in a mason jar. Within 2 months I had $120 to spend in Disney however I wanted. Trust me. It works. And you feel pretty money savvy.

7. Lose the cell for the night

I know it seems almost impossible to do. How will my friends contact me? What if there’s an emergency? I can answer those two questions for you. 1. I would hope that you are out with friends who interest you enough to talk to them. Focus on the people you chose to be around, otherwise what is the point of even spending time with them? And as for emergency… most likely there won’t be… most people use this a an excuse/ justification for them to be on their phone. Usually the emergency is that they are too addicted to whatever is on their screen. Seriously 3 hours of no outside contact won’t kill you. What did you all do in the 90’s? #TalkToTheHand

8. Take a mental health day

You work all week, you party all weekend, right? Give yourself at least a day of relaxation every week. Netflix it up!, Take a nap, stay in your pjs all day, “forget” to check your email. you deserve it. In fact… that’s what I’m doing right now!

9. Watch the news

No, I don’t mean E! News (although that certainly is my guilty pleasure). Take the time to catch up on current events. Expand your national and worldly knowledge, listen to what the politicians are saying (even if a lot of it is BS like we are dealing with presently, how will you know what to look for in a president?). Take your knowledge and show off at work, or with friends: and look at that, you are suddenly the “smart” one of the group.

10. Set goals and actually work towards them

It is so easy to have a list of goals, but if you don’t actively take the steps needed to reach them, what is the point? Try the goal ladder technique: draw a ladder on a piece of paper, next on the top step, write your goal and the date you wish to achieve it by. On the bottom step, write the date that you plan to start your ascend up the ladder. Plan out what each step along the way is, and try to reach each one in a reasonable amount of time. You may find that extra steps are needed along the way, that’s totally fine, embrace them!