20 Habits to Establish in a Self-Care and Wellness Routine

It's a fresh start to a new, beautiful year! We already mentioned how wellness and self-care aren't your typical resolution. Instead it's all about making a choice to establish a routine – small steps every day to focus more and more on your own health and wellness. To get you started, we've put together our Top 20 list of self-care and wellness habits our team wants to establish in this new year.

  1. Learn to meditate – Simply begin each morning with three deep, full belly breaths. Then keep exploring the world of meditation with a class at MNDFL or app like Headspace
  2. Plan your meals for the week - Order your Provenance meals ahead of time (Order deadline is Thursday each week!) or establish a cooking schedule for the week.
  3. Prioritize sleep – Get ready for sleep 30 mins before your target sleep time (brush your teeth, wash your face, moisturize, etc) so your body gets used to 'turning off' at the same time each night.
  4. Eat without distraction – Put down the phone and eat mindfully. Enjoy all the flavors and textures with every bite for a more satisfying experience.
  5. Schedule down-time – Rest is necessary so that your go-getter attitude doesn't burn you out. Choose a night in or take a 30 minute nap to rest and recharge on your days off.
  6. Fit more movement into your everyday – Take the stairs instead of the elevator... especially at 53rd & 5th. You can do it!
  7. Drink water – Bring a reusable water bottle with you and try to drink it all 3x each day. 
  8. Eat for the season – Try warming foods in winter and more cooling foods in summer.
  9. Take screen breaks – Get away from your phone and computer throughout the day. We love the Time Out App that reminds us to get up every 45 mins to take a quick stretch and rest our eyes for a few minutes. 
  10. Keep learning – Your mind and body yearns deeply for knowledge whether we realize it or not. Feed your thirst for curiosity and never stop learning. Google something you don't know, take a new class at the gym, start speaking a new language with Duolingo... the possibilities are endless!
  11. Declutter your home – Focus on minimizing all the things in your house with the KonMari Method. If something doesn't bring you joy, serious it-makes-me-happy-every-time-I-look-at-it joy, then toss it. 
  12. Bio-hack – Did you know there are easy ways to test your blood, gut microbiome, and genetics to understand your body better? It's true! Go to the doctor and start biohacking this year by testing your blood for vitamin deficiencies, hormone levels, thyroid, and more. Then check out Orig3n to dive even deeper into your next level of bio-hacking.
  13. Get more fresh air (and have houseplants in every room) – Oxygen is a critical nutrient. It helps increase your energy levels and boost your immune system.
  14. Make healthy food swaps – Get rid of canola oil in your house and use olive, avocado or coconut instead. Drink matcha instead of coffee. Choose grass-fed beef over grain-fed. 
  15. Detox each quarter – Help your body transition to each new season with a whole food cleanse that will rid your body of common toxins and inflammatory triggers like gluten, dairy, and sugar. Fueling your body with meals full of nutrient-rich vegetables and sustainably soured proteins will help reset your body and get it ready for changes in weather and life.
  16. Detox your makeup bag – Your skin is your largest organ and because it's porous, it absorbs everything you put on it. Clean, green beauty is as essential to good health as clean food.
  17. Detox your household products – Similarly, there is an abundance of natural cleaning products on store shelves. Ditch the chemicals and grab a natural alternative.
  18. Use less plastic – Bring your own re-usable utensils for lunch and buy in bulk to help reduce your plastic consumption and environmental footprint. 
  19. HIIT it – The days of hours on the elliptical or treadmill are gone. Woohoo! It's more effective to do high-intensity interval training (think short super intense workouts or strength training) versus long low-intensity cardio workouts.
  20. Laugh more – Whether it's watching cat videos on YouTube, hitting up a comedy show, or simply chatting it up with girl friends, laughing makes you happier. It increases endorphins, decreases stress, and helps boost your immune cells.