9 Ways To Improve Yourself In 15 Minutes

15 minutes. It’s the time it takes to make and drink a cup of tea. It’s a walk to the local shop. It’s taking the family pet out. A lot of people believe they don’t have any spare time, but let’s be honest there’s always time.

We’ve collated 10 things you can do in 15 minutes to de-stress, track your health, finance or emotional well-being.

Put it simply – 15 minutes is all you need to improve yourself each day.

1. Go for a walk

Walking is free and can help you get active and moving – something that is massively overlooked (if you work in an office, you’ll understand the importance of moving!). Walking allows you time to yourself to take in your surroundings rather than being stuck indoors and the health and mind benefits of going for a walk are astounding.

2. Take a nap

Winston Churchill used to take afternoon naps and if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for you. Sleep is important, but if you had a bad night’s sleep, you can trick your mind into thinking you haven’t by simply telling yourself you have slept well. Even just ‘turning yourself off’ and closing your eyes for 10 minutes can wake you up and make you more alert.

3. Have a glass of red wine

We know what you’re thinking… “how can wine help me improve?”. We’re not saying drink bottles and bottles of it but studies show that small amounts of red wine can help lower the risk of heart disease. Find your favourite bottle of red and pour yourself a glass after a long day. Have it with certain meals to release flavours you perhaps didn’t know existed.

4. Pay your bills

Paying bills in full (or as much as possible) and on time can have a positive effect on both your mind and your credit score. Paying them off can instantly de-stress you and you won’t be worrying about finance. Set yourself a budget and stick to it once you’ve paid off bills.

5. Wake up at the same time every day

Having a set routine can stabilise your sleep patterns. You’ll start to get tired at the same time each evening and your ‘body clock’ (circadian timer) will start to function correctly.

6. Put the phone away

In today’s society, we can get distracted very easily by what’s happening on our phones. Try turning your phone off for 15 minutes to see the benefits and increased work activity.

7. Give

Giving to people releases more oxytocin (the chemical that makes us feel good) in our brains. It’s a quick-fire way to make you feel a little bit better and it helps out others in need.

8. Learn a new language

It hasn’t been easier to learn a new language than it has today. There are apps out there that can teach new languages in 10-minute intervals each day. Within a year, you could be near fluent in any language.

9. Drink more water

The body is composed of about 60% water. The water inside our body helps with everything from digestion to cramps so it’s important that we keep ourselves topped up. Studies say we should drink about 2 litres of water a day or around 4 pints. Try having one of those pints when you wake up and one before you go to sleep.

Bonus! Say yes

Say yes to things you normally wouldn’t. Help friends out when they least expect it. Attend events you have been avoiding and meet new people. Saying yes can open doors and make you feel better about all the times you might have said no! You don’t know what can happen when you say yes to something you wouldn’t normally – it could be fun.