40 Simple Ways to Make Life Better in 2024!

Can you believe it’s almost 2024? It feels like just yesterday, we were setting our resolutions and making plans for a fresh start in 2023. Now, here we are a year older, wiser, and perhaps even a bit jaded from the struggles of this past year. But have no fear. With some thoughtful planning, hard work, and dedication to self-improvement, you can be well on your way to making life better in 2024!

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I don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I prefer to make simple lifestyle choices that will make a difference in my life at any time of the year. However, as we approach the new year, many of us will start to reflect on the year gone by and ask ourselves how we can make life better in the next!

If you are one of those people, then you have come to the right place! Whether you want to make some healthy New Year’s resolutions or implement simple lifestyle changes that will make life better in 2024, these recommendations will give you a great place to start!

40 Ways to Make Life Better in 2024

Financial:

One of the most important steps you must take to improve your life in the future is to get in control of your finances! If your finances are not kept in check, you’re at risk of living above your means, resulting in unwanted stress and anxiety, which can ultimately affect your health and well-being!

Create a budget

The first step in controlling your finances is to understand your income and expenditures and then create a realistic budget that you can stick to. Creating a budget can shed light on bad spending habits and ensure you have enough money to live on. Following a budget will also help you pay off debt and save for the future.

Pay off debts

If you have a lot of debt, you should plan to pay it off as quickly as possible. Being in debt made me feel like I was carrying a rock around my neck for several years. However, when I finally faced my debt and made plans to pay it off more quickly, I started to feel a lot less burdened!

First, you must create a budget and determine how much you can put aside for extra debt payments. If you have a lot of debt, start paying the higher-interest-rate debts first. This way, you will also save money on interest payments. Also, concentrate on paying surplus money off one particular debt at a time. As you pay off each debt, you will feel a sense of achievement, which will spur you on to continue until you are finally debt-free!

Even if it feels like a mammoth task, paying off debts will do wonders for your mental health and well-being! Your future self will thank you for it later!

If debt is a real problem, various debt organisations can help you move forward. In the UK, you can contact Citizens Advice, National Debt Line, Step Change and The Debt Support Trust.

Don’t waste money

How many of you spend a lot on things you don’t need or want? I used to constantly waste money on all sorts of things, mostly buying things entirely on impulse. 

However, after getting divorced several years ago, I found myself in quite a bad financial situation. So much so, I had to face my financial problems head-on and look for ways to reduce my outgoings. When I finally sat down and looked at where my money was going, I realised that a big chunk was just getting wasted! I was spending a fortune on takeaway coffees, snacks, and expensive canteen dinners at work! 

So, instead of spending nearly £20 a day at work, I started making my own lunches, buying a reusable cup, and making coffee at work. This saved me an absolute fortune and significantly impacted my ability to pay off my debts! 

Now, you may not have any debts you need to pay off, but implementing a few changes to your spending habits can help you save a lot of money! How much better would you feel paying for that new car or luxury holiday if you could just pay cash instead of using credit cards or finance options? 

Don’t overuse credit cards

I used to have several; however, after paying off all my debts, I prefer to save up and buy in cash instead. 

Credit cards can be beneficial, especially for emergencies. However, they can also be too tempting when feeling impulsive and lacking self-control. Now, if you use credit cards and pay them off in full or utilise interest-free offers, that’s not too bad. Unfortunately, most people spend far too much and end up with spiralling debt!

Research also suggests that buying things on credit leads to more spending! If you think about it, you buy an expensive laptop, and all you need to do is sign a receipt; you’re not thinking of the cost implications. However, how differently do you feel about the transaction if you saved the same amount of money? Like me, most people will usually think harder about buying a product in cash as you see this money physically disappear from your bank account, making it feel much more real!

It’s also quite satisfying to know that I’ve saved up and bought something with my own money without needing to pay for it in the months and years ahead.

Have an emergency fund

Having an emergency fund is essential! None of us knows when some unexpected expense is going to wreak havoc on our lives! Whether it’s an urgent trip overseas, medical bills, a car breakdown, or a leaking roof, you can guarantee these things usually happen when you least expect them! By having an emergency fund, you can relax knowing you have the funds already covered. 

An emergency fund also gives you freedom, if your relationship breaks down or your job becomes unbearable, it can give you the means to do something about it. You will have savings to pay for a deposit on a new home if you need to move out quickly or allow you to leave a job whilst you look for another.

Learn to meal plan

One way I have found to improve my life is by meal planning! Not only will you save money, but it can also save you time and make meal times much easier and far less stressful. 

By spending an hour or so at the start of the week, I can plan the week’s meals in advance. No more getting home from work and rummaging through the fridge freezer, trying to decide what to have for tea. Those of you with a big family or picky eaters will find this makes meal times so much easier. Just remember to get the whole family’s input before you start; that way, everyone knows what to expect!

Career:

Assessing your professional life and what you want in your career is vital when looking to improve your life. We spend so much time at work, and what we earn plays a massive role in our lives. Therefore, we should do a job that we enjoy, pays adequately for what we do, and offers us mental stimulation. It doesn’t mean that we all have to be career crazy, but those of us who want to be successful in our professional lives must take steps to make it happen. 

At the end of the day, there is nothing worse than having to face a job that you despise! I know, I’ve been there! You may not be able to leave a bad job immediately, but by making plans, you can at least look forward to a better, more enjoyable professional future.

Set goals

Without making goals, how will you know what to do to reach your true potential? Setting goals gives you a long-term vision with short-term motivation. It focuses your mind on what you want to achieve and provides a road map of how to achieve it!

I used to be in a job that I hated! Even though I had wanted to become a registered nurse for many years, I never planned how to make this happen. Instead, I wasted years plodding along in a job that made me miserable.

Eventually, after my marriage breakdown, I was forced to reevaluate my life, and I made myself a 5-year plan to become a qualified nurse! Only four years later, I graduated from university with a first-class honours degree in Nursing and started my dream job! 

If you want to change your life for the better, get that promotion or start a new career, all you need to do is make a plan and follow it! Create the main goal and then split that goal into smaller chunks that, over time, help you get to the finish line. It may be challenging, and you may encounter obstacles along the way, but if you have a proper plan, you will eventually get to where you want to be.

Setting goals isn’t just for building your career; you can use them for all aspects of your life. Whatever you want to achieve professionally or personally, setting goals will help you get there!

Take risks

Far too many of us stay in our comfort zone, afraid to take risks for fear of failing or looking stupid! However, most successful people will have taken several risks at some point in their lives. 

Without risk, we don’t fail. However, failure gives us a chance to grow and learn, giving us the experience to see first-hand what works. Taking risks also allows us to stand out and present ourselves as leaders.

It doesn’t mean you have to live recklessly! It means we should sometimes take a leap of faith, believe in our abilities more, and think outside the box. Of course, we may fail, but we may also succeed. If we do fail, we can learn from the process, which may even give us new perspectives or opportunities. 

Have a morning routine

Having a positive morning routine can set you up for a more productive mindset, promoting positive feelings and thoughts!

Getting up early ensures you have the time to prepare properly, have a healthy breakfast and focus on the mind and body for the day ahead. 

Without a good morning routine, you set yourself up for failure and unnecessary stress. I’ve lost count of the times I was too lazy to get out of bed in the morning, only to eventually get out of bed at the last minute and then rush around like a mad woman trying to get ready and get to work on time! This left me stressed and anxious even before my day had even started! Does this sound like you?

I started using my self-care morning routine a few months back. At first, I found it hard to get up earlier, but I kept at it. Today, I’m much more of a morning person and love my morning routine. I feel so much more energised and productive which has even been noticed by colleagues. Give it a try. What do you have to lose?

Think more positively

Negative thinking gets us nowhere except giving us plenty of self-doubts! It’s not the best mindset for success, is it? 

Instead, we should try and think more positively. However, it can be more challenging than it seems. We have so many thoughts running through our minds. The negative ones are sometimes easier to believe! This is especially true for those of you who have had negative relationships or toxic people around you, thus making it hard to overcome.

However, to make life better for ourselves, we must have a positive mindset that encourages and motivates us to achieve our dreams. Without one, we are likely to be met more often than not with failure, further damaging our self-belief!

If you are struggling with negative self-beliefs and self-doubt, I suggest focusing more on the positives in your life, writing down your achievements, what you are good at, and what you are thankful for. Tell yourself that you can achieve your dreams, use positive affirmations, surround yourself with positive people, and read and listen to positive podcasts or books. The more positivity you see, the more you subconsciously start to believe! 

Learn to say NO!

Learn to say NO to situations, events, or anything that makes you uncomfortable. 

We tend to take on far too much in the work environment, leaving us feeling unmotivated and a failure. If you know you don’t have time to complete something, or it’s something outside your ability, say so or delegate it to someone who can. 

At the end of the day, we’re not robots and can only complete so much at a time. Don’t be tempted to work late or take home work when you aren’t paid for it; understand your worth! After all, the more you try to do, the more you will likely be put upon! It’s a surefire way to end up stressed and anxious when all you need to do is say no in the first place.

Saying no also works wonders in your personal life. Stick to your guns, if you don’t want to do something, say so!

Also, learn to say YES! –

On the other hand, don’t be afraid to say yes too!

Sometimes, we put off things due to feeling stupid or anxious, especially if it involves trying new things or meeting new people. But by moving out of your comfort zone, you will be surprised at what you can achieve!

Health:

Being healthy is an important aspect when thinking about improving one’s life. After all, if we aren’t healthy, how can we make life better for the future? Of course, some of us will already have illnesses or chronic conditions that won’t just disappear by being healthier. But by looking after ourselves better, we could make those conditions less debilitating or help our bodies less susceptible to developing such conditions in the first place. 

As a nurse, I see far too often how an unhealthy lifestyle can hurt people’s lives. A poor diet alone can lead to an increased risk of some cancers, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and even some mental health conditions. Plus, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and excessive drinking can also contribute to other serious health conditions. 

So, if you want to live a longer, active life, having a healthy lifestyle is essential!

Eat better

Food fuels the body, so what you put in is generally what you get out of it. Proper nutrition provides the body with all the nutrients and energy needed to function properly. Without it, we can feel lethargic, run down and susceptible to illness and disease. 

You don’t have to completely transform your diet; instead, pay attention to portion sizes and gradually increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables you eat daily. 

You should also try limiting the amount of red meat, processed, fried, and calorie-rich foods such as takeaways and fast food you eat. Most of these items contain huge amounts of saturated fats and excessive amounts of salt and sugar, all known to contribute to ill health.

By filling your body with the correct foods, you will start to feel more energised and focused and have better, younger-looking skin and hair quality.

Start the day with a healthy breakfast

One of the best ways of fuelling your body for the day ahead is to start the day with a healthy breakfast. 

Start with some delicious porridge oats or muesli with wholemeal toast, fruit, and fruit juice to swill it all down. Not only are you getting some of your recommended five pieces of fruit and veg portions a day, but you’re also filling your body with energy-rich nutrients that will keep you going until lunchtime. 

Other options I love include poached eggs on toast, fruit, oat smoothies for when I’m in a rush, and delicious overnight oats!

Exercise more

Regular exercise alongside a healthy diet is essential for keeping weight under control and lowering the risk of certain diseases and conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as reducing the risk of early death by as much as 50%.

Exercise also helps strengthen bones, build muscle, give you more energy, help with relaxation, and aid in better sleep quality. 

To stay healthy, adults should aim to be active daily, with at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week. For most of us, something as simple as walking or cycling instead of taking the car is the easiest way to get more exercise. 

However, it’s not as simple as doing more exercise each week. Modern life means more and more of us are living a sedentary lifestyle. For most of us, work means sitting up to 7 hours a day behind a desk, then getting home and sitting in front of the TV. This means we are moving around less and less, burning less energy and gaining weight more than people used to. 

Instead, try to move about more throughout the day, take the stairs instead of the lift, take regular breaks from the desk, walk about or do some stretches. You could also reduce time watching TV or social media at home and use the time more productively around the house or start going out for nightly walks.

Drink more water

Many people don’t understand the importance of drinking more water. Our Bodies are made up of around 60% water, and without adequate supply, we are in danger of becoming dehydrated and suffering its detrimental effects!

Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than what you take in. It can make you feel thirsty, dizzy and light-headed, give you headaches and make you feel tired and lethargic. In extreme circumstances, it can even lead to seizures, urinary and kidney problems and the need for urgent medical attention!

The average adult needs to drink around 7-8 glasses daily to maintain fluid balance, even more, if exercising or in hot weather. This amount includes milk, flavoured drinks, sodas, tea, and coffee. However, we should be mindful of the types of fluids we are taking. Most sodas and flavoured drinks contain vast amounts of sugar, and even fancy coffees can contain sugar-rich syrups!

As part of a healthy diet, we should all try to replace some of these calorie-rich drinks with water. Not only is water good for us, but it’s also cheap and easily accessible. 

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is an essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whilst we sleep, our bodies can heal, repair, and give us some much-needed rest. It is recommended that adults have around 8 hours of sleep each night.

Any less than this means you will likely wake up feeling grumpy, tired and unable to focus properly. Regular poor sleep also puts us at risk of developing severe health conditions and mental health issues and lowering the immune system.

If you want to improve your life, getting adequate sleep is a must! To help aid better sleep, try to make your bedroom a comfortable and relaxing space with comfy bedding and no noise or light disruption. Introduce some calming scents, such as lavender, renowned for its sleep-promoting properties.

Other tips for getting a better night’s sleep include avoiding bright lights such as mobile phone screens, limiting caffeine intake, and cutting back on sugary and refined carbs before bedtime. You should also take time to wind down, disconnect from social media, and listen to relaxing music or do light stretches or yoga instead.

Keep stress in check

Stress is one of the major factors responsible for developing severe health conditions. 

Stress is the body’s biological response to a perceived threat or situation. Normally, this stress response can help us get through the normal demands of home, work, and family life. However, when stress hormones are activated in the body regularly, it can take its toll on health. 

Symptoms of stress include irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches and insomnia.

Experiencing a lot of stress over a prolonged period can also lead to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, otherwise known as burnout!

If you want to get the most out of life and make life better, you need to keep on top of this stress and incorporate ways to reduce it and its effects. There are lots of ways to reduce stress, such as exercising, meditation, making time for self-care, listening to music, or spending time with family and friends. However, the important thing is to find something that helps you. 

Stop smoking

The dangers of smoking are well known, although as a past smoker, I know how hard it is to break the habit. For those who want to make life better for the future, now is the time to give up! Not only will it benefit your health, but you will also save yourself a considerable amount of money!

For help giving up, check out the NHS’s ten self-help tips to stop smoking.

Reduce alcohol intake

Just like smoking, drinking to excess can have a detrimental effect on your health. The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, equivalent to six pints of beer or seven glasses of wine. 

Wellbeing:

Smile more

Even if fake, smiling can trick the body into lifting its mood. This is due to the body’s physiological response to smiling; it signals the brain to release endorphins, triggering positive feelings, lowering stress levels, and improving mood. 

Stop worrying about what others think

If you want to perform at your best, you must stop worrying about what others think of you. Our fear of other people’s opinions may be holding us back in today’s world. 

Instead, focus on what’s important to you and the person you want to be. This will help you care less about needing external validation. Remember, you can’t control what others think and how they react to you, so why let it control what you do with your life?

Watch less TV

Instead of wasting your day or evening watching the same old rubbish on the TV, do something more productive. Not only will it be better for your health, but you can concentrate on activities that are good for the soul. Maybe indulge in your favourite hobby or even find a new one. You could also find time to learn something new, do some exercise or spend the time writing a journal.

Be thankful

You only have to read a newspaper or turn on the TV to be bombarded with sadness and bad news. In today’s world, it’s far too easy to get wrapped up in all the unpleasantness and forget that there is still so much to be thankful for. 

Many of us reading this will have been born into a privileged world with freedoms, access to healthcare, freedom from persecution, and the ability to live a prosperous life. These are all things we should be grateful for, and we should never forget how lucky we are to have been born into such circumstances.

Even daily, it is so easy to get wrapped up in the smaller things that go wrong in our lives instead of focusing on the things that have gone right. However, practising gratitude can help us all have a positive outlook and make better life decisions. 

Spending time each day to think about what we are grateful for can help us handle stress, improve overall health and well-being, make us feel more secure and inspire you! 

Each day, write down what you are grateful for and the good things that have happened throughout the day. Keep it in a gratitude journal, or write each item on separate pieces of paper and put them into a gratitude jar. On the days when you are feeling down and demotivated, you can then read back all the things you are grateful for, helping to refocus the mind.

Be kind

Often, one act of kindness leads to another. Being kind to others benefits the recipient and helps us feel better about ourselves. Why not take this thought one step further and do some random acts of kindness, maybe donate your time to a charity or check in on your elderly neighbours?

Don’t let life pass you by

Life can move pretty fast! How many of us reach a certain age and wonder how we got there so fast? We spend so much time working and looking at other people’s needs, such as children or relatives, that we forget to make the most of our time and live the life we want. Now, I’m not saying we should forget all our responsibilities. It’s more about effectively using our time to do what we enjoy.

Instead of spending our spare time watching TV or playing video games, spend quality time doing something you love. You only live once! So why not make the most of it before you get too old or frail to do everything you ever wanted to do?

Get out into nature

Getting out into nature has been proven to help reduce stress and anxiety and make us feel calmer. Getting outside in the winter months has also been linked to helping reduce the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). 

When outside in nature, the body produces endorphins, which naturally make you feel good, help you have better quality sleep and enhance overall cognitive function. Studies also suggest that outdoors in nature helps us shrug off social pressures, allowing us to focus more on what’s important to us.

Spend quality time with loved ones

For those of you who spend time with family regularly, how many of you can say it’s quality time? Is spending every evening in front of the TV watching soaps quality time? I would say no! Instead, try to plan activities that get the whole family involved. Have a group cooking session, a movie or a games night. It doesn’t have to be expensive; just something that can get you all interacting and enjoying each other’s company.

I currently live with my parents, and we decided to start a cook-from-scratch challenge at the start of the lockdown. We take turns each Friday to cook an entire meal, including sides and dessert, from scratch, have a few drinks, and watch movies. It has become a tradition and something we all look forward to each week.

Don’t keep up with the Joneses

Stop wasting time buying or doing things to look good. I see it so often: people spend money they don’t have on things they don’t need just to impress friends. The same can be true for what we post on social media. I know so many people in bad relationships who are unhappy yet portray relationship bliss on the internet. 

Instead of focusing on what other people think of you, focus on what matters in your real life. If you haven’t got the money or don’t need something then why buy it? If you’re in a bad relationship, ask yourself why. What can you do about it? How can you make it better?

Read more

Reading not only improves your language skills and knowledge but can also give you mental stimulation, improved memory, and stronger analytical thinking. 

Reading can also transport you to another world, giving you a way to escape the constant demands of everyday life. A good book can keep us amused and entertained while helping us develop life skills at the same time. 

Start a journal

Journaling is writing down your feelings, thoughts and experiences about a particular subject. There are many different types of journals, such as travel, bullet, dream, pregnancy or self-development. However, there are no rules, and you can write about anything you want.

Many people choose journaling to understand their thoughts and feelings, both negative and positive. Writing down the day’s experiences helps us understand how we felt about a particular situation, a way of reflecting and learning coping strategies for the future.

Meditate

Meditation is well known for relaxing the mind and reducing stress levels. Try meditation or mindfulness for a few minutes daily to see how you get on.

Practice regular self-care

One of the best ways to improve your life is by managing stress levels and looking after YOU! Practising regular self-care is one of the best ways of doing this. 

Many self-care techniques, along with small lifestyle changes, can help manage many mental health symptoms and keep stress levels down, which can also help prevent physical illnesses from developing or getting worse. Taking time to enjoy some self-care activities can also give you a much-needed boost, especially after a bad day.

Personal:

Create a bucket list

Just like the way setting goals is essential for reaching our full potential. Making a bucket list works the same way, focusing on what we want to do and keeping us motivated and driven. 

Make a list of all your dreams and desires, essentially anything you want to see or do. Once written down on paper, you can start making these dreams a reality. 

Try new things

All too often, the fear of the unknown holds us back; trying new things helps us dismiss those fears and allows us to grow and learn new things. If you want to make life better, it’s time to commit to trying new things and engaging in fresh experiences that reinvigorate your life with energy and excitement.

Become more organised

Make life easier for yourself by becoming more organised. The more organised you are, the more productive you will be and the less likely you will waste time searching for items. 

Spend less time on social media

How much time do you spend on social media? Research suggests that the average person wastes around 400 hours a year on social media! What else could you do with these spare hours?

Declutter

Having too much stuff can weigh a person down. Clean and tidy homes help create a relaxed atmosphere and are proven to reduce stress, improve happiness, and even improve your eating and exercise habits. Make the time to get rid of unwanted stuff, organise storage and make your space less cluttered.

As the old saying goes, a tidy home means a tidy mind!

Let go of the past

Have you been beating yourself up over something you have done or not done in the past? If so, it’s time to let it go! Accept that you can’t change the past, learn from your mistakes and move on. Spending time dwelling on the past isn’t beneficial to anyone and will only give you unnecessary stress.

Plan days in advance

Instead of wasting free days or annual leave on having lazy days at home, make plans in advance to do something different. This could be as simple as visiting your local park or as exciting as doing a bungee jump. It is up to you!

Spend time alone

Most of us are social butterflies who love nothing better than spending time with loved ones and friends. Although this is important for our well-being, spending time alone also has benefits. 

Spending time alone can rejuvenate, inspire, and build mental strength. If you aren’t used to spending time alone, start small, like visiting a museum. Eventually, as you feel comfortable, you may even want to take things further, like travelling somewhere solo. If you want some great solo date ideas, check out this list!

Travelling solo offers even more positive benefits, such as being able to rely on yourself, making decisions, and building self-esteem and confidence. 

Final thoughts

Resolutions shouldn’t necessarily be things that you wish to stop doing; they should be changes that can help you embrace a new positive mindset. Yes, dropping negative habits is good, but we should focus more on what makes you happy and how you can get there! 

I hope some of these ideas have made you think about what you want to achieve in the year and months ahead and given you a little nudge in the right direction. After all, only YOU can make life better, no matter what time of year it is!

Remember to check out our related resources for more tips and guidance on this important topic. Take control of your life and embrace a brighter future!

Thanks so much for stopping by; I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read and make it to the end! I have lots of exciting new content in the next few weeks, so make sure you pop back to catch up!

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