Making Every Day Count - How To Make Each Day Matter

Making every day count is the idea that our time shouldn’t be wasted. We should strive to make our waking moments meaningful and worthwhile.

It’s an ideal that reminds us that we only have so much time on this earth. So why not do everything we can to make the most of it.

As I pondered what exactly it means to do that, I realized that the meaning could be different for everyone.

We all have our own ideas of what matters in life and what doesn’t. But even with that in mind, I still think there are general things we can all do to have a purposeful day.

Here are 10 ways you can make every day in your life matter.

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Flowers, phone, pen, note that says make it happen making every day count

1. Plan the day

As I’ve started planning my days more, it’s given me more of a sense of purpose. Having a plan can help you with not letting your time be wasted.

You might be surprised to know it can also make you feel good. Northwestern Medicine notes the following benefits of having a routine:

Better stress levels

Better sleep

Improved well-being

Good example

You can start setting a schedule to make time for the things that are important in your life.

2. Wake up early

Waking up late means there’s less day to make count for something. I usually feel like I’ve done more with my days when I’m up early in the morning.

I know some people advocate waking up at 4 or 5 AM, but it seems just as fine to wake up at 7 or 8 AM too.

Sleepadvisor.org mentions seven benefits of waking up early:

Easier time dieting

Better looking skin

More time to exercise

Improved concentration

More productivity

Better quality of sleep

More joyful quiet time

I’ve struggled to get started with having a regular sleep schedule, but I’ve not given up on it. You shouldn’t give up on it either.

Here are some tips from HealthLine that you might find helpful: 20 Simple Ways to Fall Asleep Fast

3. Express gratitude

Beyond making the most of the time, remembering to appreciate what we have can give us more meaning.

Despite the challenges we may face today, we have so many blessings to be grateful for. It’s proven to make us feel good in study after study.

USC neuroscientist Glenn Fox noted the benefits of gratitude include social bonding, stress relief, and a better overall well-being.

It’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong in life, but it’s better to focus on what’s right.

Trying keeping a gratitude journal to note down what you’re thankful for each day. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a list that might be helpful: 2020 Gratitude List: 101 Things to Be Grateful For

4. Get most of your tasks done

Perhaps almost anyone would feel it’s a worthwhile day when they’ve gotten most of their tasks done. I know that’s definitely the case for me.

When I plan my day, I always set out to do three big things. I find this makes accomplishing things simpler than having a larger list.

Anything that gets done after my three big things is a bonus. But even if I just get two out of those three things done, I still feel like I’ve made something out of my day.

It also makes me feel good knowing that what I’m accomplishing on my to-do list is getting me closer to achieving my personal goals.

Try getting most of your big tasks done and see if it makes you feel happier too.

5. Spend time with loved ones

You probably don’t even need to know the research on the good of spending time with loved ones. You feel it when you’re with them.

But what the research tells us is how much benefit it does for us.

In a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, the strength of an individual’s social circle predicted self-reported stress, well-being levels, and happiness better than fitness tracker data.

As much as some of us may not like being around people sometimes, we do need it in our life. Try getting the best of social interactions in your life with making time in your day for those you love.

6. Do something that helps you feel well

Each day we do something good for our minds and bodies, it helps maintain us. But each day we do nothing good for them, and worse, do something bad, we speed up our own decline.

When you make your today matter when it comes to your well-being, you help give yourself many more tomorrows.

We all know the three main basics. Eat right, exercise, sleep well. Try to do one thing in your day to improve on doing these things.

7. Have a good laugh

As someone once said, laughter is good for the soul. Just recently, I had a good laugh that lowered the tense feeling I had about the work I needed to complete.

It made me feel more calm about life and gave me a little strength to push on. Help Guide published a really excellent article on laughter titled, “Laughter is the Best Medicine.”

8. Do something you enjoy

Our days should be enjoyed. We need moments where we can get to do exactly what we want to do. For me, those moments usually come in the evening.

When I’ve completed some of my big tasks, I can just spend time doing an activity I like or be with those I care about.

Make your days count with always giving yourself time to just enjoy yourself.

9. Rest early

It’s of course more difficult to wake up early if we don’t get our rest early. The benefits of resting early are numerous.

The biggest benefit I’ve noticed for myself is that I tend to have more energy. With more energy, I’m able to be more motivated to get things done.

Getting an early rest not only ends our day well, but sets us up to start it well too.

10. Learn something new

I find as I’ve expanded my knowledge of different ideas and skills, I’ve been more able to pursue my aspirations better in my day.

Knowing new things also apparently helps us to feel less stress too.

In a Harvard Business Review article titled, “To Cope with Stress, Try Learning Something New,” researchers found workers who spent more time learning felt fewer negative emotions and practiced less unethical behavior.

So learning new knowledge or skills will not only build your skill set to help you achieve more in the future, but also manage your stress levels.

There are probably a number of other ways to make your days meaningful. But these 10 tips are a great way to get started.

Make it your mission to live each day to the fullest.

Making Every Day Count – How To Make Each Day Matter