Improve your life in just twenty minutes a day

The new school year always feels like time for a new start, even if it’s years since you were actually at school yourself. And perhaps there are things that you have always wanted to do but have just never got round to?

The problem is that life just seems to get busier and busier, and there never seems to be time to do something for yourself. But how about starting small and setting aside just twenty minutes a day to do something that you really want or need to do? Something that will improve your life.

In this article we take a look at how you might be able to find twenty minutes of personal time a day, and give you a few suggestions on how to get started making changes that will improve your life.

How to find twenty spare minutes a day

When you are really busy, the thought of trying to fit even more into your day is daunting. But here are five suggestions that may help you to find those precious twenty minutes:

• Get up twenty minutes earlier. If you are a morning person anyway, this should not be too difficult. Simply put the alarm on for twenty minutes before you normally would, and make that your own personal time. Early morning can be a peaceful and quiet time, and if you start the day focusing on yourself you are likely to feel energised for the rest of the day.
• Go to bed twenty minutes later. If you are more of a night owl then why not make the most of it? Grab twenty minutes to yourself when everyone else is getting ready for bed to do whatever you want to do. It’s probably dead time anyway : it’s amazing all the meaningless distractions we can find just before getting ready for bed! So put the time to good use instead.
• Limit the amount of time you spend scrolling on your phone or other digital device. It’s very easy to spend half an hour scrolling without realising how much time is going by. Much better to have a quick digital catch up then use twenty minutes of the time that you would have wasted on doing something more beneficial instead.
• Turn off the TV when your programme or movie ends. It’s all too easy to leave it on and just half watch whatever comes on next, even if you’re not really interested. Much better to turn it off and get twenty minutes of “me time” instead.
• Make positive use of waiting time. Our days are often broken up by periods of waiting. For example, waiting for a bus or train, to pick up your kids or for an appointment. Even at home you may be waiting for a delivery, a phone call, food to heat up, or the washing machine to finish. Any time you have to wait around for something to happen, why not use it to do something constructive instead?

What kind of improvements can you make in twenty minutes a day?

But even if you manage to find a twenty minute chunk in your day, are there really worthwhile things that you can do in that time? We definitely think that there are! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Exercise

Most of us need to do more exercise, but the thought of getting into it seriously and spending money on gyms or clubs and fancy sports gear is off putting. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Research shows that short, intense workouts of around twenty minutes can be just as effective as slogging away in the gym for a couple of hours. And in twenty minutes you could probably fit in either a brisk walk, quick run, or an online workout such as dance, aerobics or Zumba.

• Relaxation

Another valuable use of twenty minutes is to take the time to relax and just be. You may want to do some kind of structured meditation, perhaps combined with deep stretching such as yoga. Or just rest, relax and scribble down all the thoughts and ideas that come to mind at the time. Making time to clear your mind can be a tremendous boost to your mental wellbeing and can reap benefits in other areas of your life.

• Learn something new

Is there something that you’ve always wished you’d been able to do but never taken the opportunity? Whether it’s to play a musical instrument, speak another language, knit or crochet, paint a picture, bake a cake, make jewellery, or learn coding, why not give it a try? Even if you just spend twenty minutes a day doing it, your skills will soon begin to grow.

• Read a book

If you enjoy reading, there are probably many books that you have wanted to read but never got around to. And you never will, unless you set aside time to do so. So make a list of all these books that you can think of, pick one to start with, and set aside twenty minutes a day to read and enjoy. You will soon get into the habit and will gradually start working through your list. You’ll never get to the end of it though, as you will add more books all the time, but you will enjoy every minute.

• Declutter your home

Most homes need decluttering, but most people can’t face the thought of it. But the good news is that decluttering doesn’t have to be a mammoth undertaking. There are a lot of small tasks that you can achieve in twenty minutes, such as:

• Clear out one drawer or shelf;
• Make a pile of old clothes to get rid of;
• Take one bag or box to a charity shop;
• List one or two items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. 

If you consistently plug away at this for just twenty minutes a day, you will see a remarkable difference over a few weeks.

• Do some deep cleaning

Most people don’t like cleaning, but you’d be surprised at what you can achieve in just twenty minutes a day. Over and above what you already do, take twenty minutes to deep clean just one thing. For example a floor, skirting board, window, or kitchen appliance. You won’t notice much difference at first, but little by little your home will start to look brighter and cleaner.

• Find what needs fixing

In every home lurks a shameful collection of items that need fixing. Sometimes it’s just a case of replacing a bulb or battery, tightening a few screws, or glueing something into place. Or where clothes are concerned, sewing on a button, stitching a hem or making sure something is cleaned or ironed. All of these are little jobs that only take a few minutes, and can cause great inconvenience by not being done. So why not set aside twenty minutes to find just one thing that needs fixing, and get it sorted.

We hope that this article helps you to start taking the time to improve various aspects of your life. Most of the ideas we’ve shared above can be incorporated into your daily life and don’t need any financial outlay. But if you are planning larger changes at any stage, and are considering a personal loan as part of this, remember that Loans 2 Go offers online loans that may be able to help. 

Do visit us here again soon for more lifestyle and financial tips from Loans 2 Go.