#8: On doing the little things

Improving my well-being would require drastic changes to my daily routine. I’m too busy/too tired/too weak (insert your own) to make those changes. Therefore, I give up (before I even start). Does that sound familiar?

It is familiar to me. I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes us start taking our own well-being seriously and take action and what gets in the way. I believe that one of the main obstacles is our tendency to believe that little changes to our routines cannot have a significant impact on our lives. It justifies our inaction.

It is unfortunate because it is wrong:

1) Little things do add up and make a difference. You can see that for yourself if you have a screen time tracker on your phone. Have you ever been shocked by the number of hours you mindlessly spend on your phone (I’m talking about your personal phone)? This shows that you do have more time than you think and that you might want to better plan how you use that time.

2) Many of the things that will improve your well-being, like training your awareness or your attention or doing breathing exercises to help you relax, require practice. A daily practice, even if it is short, is more beneficial than a once-in-a-while kind of thing. Not only will you feel better every day from practicing, but the more consistent you are in your practice, the longer you will feel the benefits after you are done practicing.

3) Many studies show the benefits of short bursts of physical exercise, or short meditation and yoga practices. It is a fact.

Conclusion: Do the little things.