Small Things I Changed that had a Big Impact on my Lifestyle

It’s difficult to maintain your health and wellness in college. You’re busy, wanting to experience new things, and ultimately just not really worried about your diet or exercise.

For me, I like having a fitness routine and strict diet, but it’s not always feasible. So here are a few small things I switched up in my day-to-day routine that have had tremendous impact on my lifestyle.

Diet Soda

I used to LOVE a Coke. However, something as small as a sugary soda can actually have detrimental effects to your health. I switched to Coke Zero and it changed a lot. Taste wise, it’s not much different and wasn’t hard to get used to. Health wise, there’s a huge difference in my daily productivity simply because I’m intaking much less sugar day-to-day.

Eating Breakfast

I used to never eat breakfast. The most I would have was a banana that I would grab sometimes before rushing out of the house. I have found, though, that a good breakfast before ending your morning can be the difference between a good day and a bad day. Not only does it fuel you for the day, having that extra time to yourself in the morning can be beneficial to your mental health. I hate the feeling of waking up and immediately leaving the house, so having time in the morning to really enjoy myself and eat a good meal has improved all aspects of my health.

Fresh Air

I thrive off time outside. Being stuck inside all day working is like my biggest nightmare. I’ve recently made it a point to have even a few minutes of fresh air each day. Physically, it hasn’t changed much unless I’m taking long walks or going on runs. But mentally, it keeps me sane. I highly recommend enjoying a short walk or some form of fresh air every day to break up your work and school. The change you’ll see in your mental health and productivity will be clear.

Doing Dishes as I Use Them

Doing the dishes is my least favorite chore ever. But now that I live alone, it’s got to get done by me. I’ve found that if you do dishes as you use them, it’s much less of a chore. It sounds worse because theoretically you’d be doing the dishes every single day. And you are. But to me, having three or four to do after a meal is much more enjoyable than a pile at the end of the week. This goes for other chores too. Doing it little by little as you go about your days can prevent things from building up and overwhelming you to the point you don’t want to do any of them.

Not Limiting Myself

I think it’s easy for us to limit ourselves whether that be food, social media, relaxation time, or anything else that brings us joy or comfort. I used to limit my screen time and consciously watch the meals I’d eat in a day. But forcing yourself to fit inside of a mold or routine is only going to make it harder to do so. Once I started letting myself watch as much TikTok or TV as I wanted and eating when I was hungry, I found I don’t actually overdo any of it. For some reason when we limit ourselves, it only makes us want to do something more. So, stop telling yourself you need to be less of one thing or need to stop doing another. I think you’ll find it much easier to live when you aren’t restricting yourself.

These are all very small changes I’ve made over the last year that I think have positively affected my mental and physical health. Next time you want to switch up your lifestyle or focus a little more on your health, start small. It doesn’t take much to live a healthy college life, as long as you’re committed to becoming a better person.

Be Well, Auburn.