Behind three winter months, the days are getting warmer , I want to shake myself up and become more active – but this does not always work out. Anything can interfere: fatigue after a long winter, monotony around or lack of clear plans. We have collected ten life hacks that will help you get out of hibernation, better organize your everyday life and be inspired for new things.
1
Make awakening comfortable
If you are one of those lucky ones who do not have to use an alarm clock, then the longer the day gets, the earlier you will wake up – in general, everything is under control. If office life requires you to get up earlier than you would like, you should try the light alarm clock. About half an hour before the set time, the brightness of the lamp will gradually begin to increase, simulating dawn. Alarm clocks have been shown to have a beneficial effect on the levels of important hormones (cortisol and melatonin) and even to be effective in treating seasonal depressive disorders.
2
Think about New Year’s promises
The year, it would seem, has just begun, but two months have already passed. It’s time to look at the list of promises to yourself and start fulfilling your plans. According to statistics, only 9% of people achieve the goals set at the beginning of the year. It’s not about their perseverance or discipline, but about the fact that they set understandable, feasible and clearly formulated goals, and they also carefully plan the process. If you haven’t made a list of tasks for the new year, or you don’t like it, there is nothing stopping you from updating it – and starting to work on them in the remaining ten months.
3
Buy vegetables at the market
The market is much more likely than the supermarket to buy local vegetables and fruits. They are tastier, healthier (due to the absence of preservatives, for example, in the form of a wax coating) and often cheaper. Of course, it will not be possible to replace exotic fruits with local products, which do not grow in our country at any time of the year, but you can try adding seasonal vegetables to the diet. For central Russia in spring, these are rhubarb, sorrel, watercress and asparagus. You can even grow rosemary, parsley or mint on your own windowsill.
4
Plan your vacation
Even if right now you do not have the opportunity to fly to a place where it is warm, the very fact of having tickets and hotel reservations warms and improves your mood. There are still three months until summer, and you can have time to buy tickets not at inflated prices, plan a route and postpone the required amount without getting into debt. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, can’t stand the August heat in the city, or regularly get discouraged in November, it makes sense to divide your vacation days into these periods and think about exactly where you would like to go.
5
Disassemble your wardrobe
It’s time to change your winter clothes to light ones. Dry clean your down jackets and cashmere sweaters and then put them in vacuum bags, containers or suitcases. Pack your boots and warm boots neatly, fold gloves and hats so that you can easily find them in the fall. When sorting things out for the new season, you can put things in order in the closet to get rid of unnecessary things , for example, by giving something to those in need. It remains to understand what is missing in the wardrobe, especially if it is important for you to keep up with the trends and go for a thoughtful shopping.
6
Refresh your apartment design
It is not necessary to make a serious rearrangement or buy new curtains: replace the photos in the frames with recent ones, swap the sofa cushions, screw in the light bulbs that are waiting for their time and finally bring out the Christmas tree. Fresh tulips on the coffee table will definitely create a spring mood, and the cleaning process itself will give you an opportunity to move once again and escape from current problems.
7
Organize your desktop
Rather, on desktops – physical and screen. Old checks and to-do lists can probably be thrown away for a long time, and the wires must be carefully secured so that they do not get in the way. The computer desktop usually accumulates screenshots and random files that you planned to put into folders someday. Do it now, and at the same time get rid of unnecessary things and change the wallpaper and screensaver; even such a program will at least slightly change the routine course of affairs and, possibly, inspire new projects.
eight
Take care of your hair
Winter is a test for hair: it is also affected by the sharp change in temperatures between the frosty street and the heated apartment, and the dryness of the air warmed up by the batteries. After the cold season, they can be dry, dull and brittle. It’s time to tackle your hair: buy a good mask and leave-in conditioner, ask the master to choose a gentle paint. A new haircut, not even the most radical one, will help get rid of split ends and renew your look.
nine
Rest your eyes
We spend more and more time looking at the screens of computers, tablets and phones. Constant communication online not only tires the eyes, but can also lead to neck problems . Try walking down the street at lunchtime, leaving your phone at the office. Switch to audiobooks while traveling on the subway and train yourself not to take any gadgets to bed, except for the reader; Ophthalmologists agree that the electronic ink system (eInk) is not harmful to eyesight, because it mimics the pages of a paper book.
Although the desire to learn something new usually appears out of habit in September, interesting courses are available all year round. On the well-known Coursera website, you can find many university programs in a variety of specialties. The Lynda project differs from Coursera in that classes do not require teamwork and are available at any time, that is, you do not have to worry about the deadline. What to learn in the spring, from the history of Russian theater to writing electronic music, in our selection .