How To Be Happier
Everyone has an off day now and then, even those that seem like eternal optimists, and if you’re just not feeling in the mood or don’t know how to lift yourself out of your slump don’t worry. We’ve got a few handy tips to help brighten your day and help give you a quick pick-me-up!
Try and Cut Out Stress
Everyone has some element of stress in our lives, whether it’s a busy job, a long commute you wish you could avoid or balancing university with a social life and enough sleep, but the important thing is knowing how to manage it.
Stressful Job
If you feel like you’ve got a lot on at work, see if you can get more organised and allocate your time more wisely to different projects, or cut down on how much procrastinating you do before starting a task. Don’t leave projects to the last minute and block out your calendar so you know exactly what you’ve got on this month.
Busy Commute
No one likes commuting to work, especially if you have to battle traffic or get busy public transport, but there are ways you can make it a little easier. Try downloading an interesting podcast to listen to in the car or on the tube, put on your favourite feel good songs that lift your spirits and make you feel more energetic, or if you’ve got a long ride on the bus, buy that book you’ve been meaning to read and get stuck in!
Juggling Studies and Social
People say university is a great experience, and it can be, but it can also be hectic. If you want to make the most of it, don’t skip lectures tempting through it may be – you’ll end up having to catch up on old work and learn new. Keep on top of your coursework and start revision early for any exams so you’re not trying to cram in the week before. Make sure you do at least one fun thing a week so you’ve got plans to look forward to, and if you can try and get a good night’s sleep (at least a few times a week!)
Get Some Exercise
Exercise never sounds like the ticket for instant joy, but it triggers the release of feel-good chemicals which will boost your mood, and if you find a sport you love such as swimming, kick-boxing or even something a little wilder like pole-dancing, you’ll be boosting your mood and helping your health as well!
Improve Your Self-Esteem
It’s easy to view yourself negatively when you compare how your look or your life to other people on social media or what they get up to, but a key way to make yourself happier is to boost your self-esteem. Every morning count 5 blessings in your life, whether that’s good friends, supportive relatives, a job you enjoy or your health, and try to focus on other blessings when you experience them. Never compare how you look to people you see on Instagram – the photos are photoshopped, filtered, taken 100 times to get the perfect angle and posed in front of perfect lighting, so even those being pictured don’t actually look like that. Remember that people on social media always try to show off a ‘perfect’ life, because others don’t want to see them full of a cold on a rubbish day, and everyone thinks the grass is greener elsewhere.
Talk It Out
It’s crucial to know that you’re never alone, even if you’re not close to your family or don’t have a huge group of friends, but there are always people you can talk to about what’s getting you down. See if there are any local groups that you might be interested in meeting up with, join a club or get in touch with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. A problem shared is a problem halved, and you’ll feel happier knowing someone can give you advice and support.