Did you know that some of the seemingly high maintenance habits you have are actually good for you? These behaviors, which some people view as indulgent and strictly reserved for prima donnas, can actually help you stay healthy and feel great! Take a look at some of these high maintenance habits that might seem silly but can actually do your mind and body a whole lotta good!
Sticking to an all or mostly organic diet might be one of those high maintenance habits that people like to poke fun at, but it’s no laughing matter! Organic meat and produce are much more expensive but they contain less pesticides and the meat does not contain antibiotics and hormones.
Meditating might seem like a huge fad to some but it’s actually one of the most beneficial habits you can have! Meditation helps reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, ease insomnia and increase your attention span. Meditation takes some practice but the benefits are definitely worth the effort!
If you stay away from fast food restaurants, it’s certainly something to be applauded! Fast food can be convenient and cheap, but the disadvantages to eating processed food far outweigh the benefits. This healthy habit will not only keep you slimmer, you’ll also be healthier and have a lower risk of diseases.
Hitting the sheets early might make you feel old but it’s nothing to be ashamed of! Going to bed before 10pm can help assure you get proper amount of rest, avoid late night snacking, have a healthier heart, more energy and better rest. If you’re a night owl, try gradually moving your bedtime up 30 minutes earlier.
Keeping a journal might sound like a waste of time to some, but nothing could be further from the truth! Whether it’s to keep track of what you eat, write down goals or just write about your day, journaling helps reduce stress, clarify thoughts and feelings, resolve disagreements with others and solve problems more effectively.
Massages are one of the ultimate indulgences that we rarely treat ourselves to! Most of the time we wait until a special occasion to get a nice rubdown but in actuality, we could all benefit from a more frequent massage! Massage has been known to reduce stress and anxiety, help relieve certain types of pains and strains and of course, it helps you relax!
Saying or writing down positive affirmations might seem silly, but it’s another healthy habit that we can benefit from. Some argue that simply writing or repeating an affirmation won’t do much to boost your self-esteem while others say that it's a useful tool in helping reprogram your mind from negative to positive thinking. Either way, repeating or keeping a written reminder to think positive can help you reframe your mind while you go about your day.
When we think of someone who is high maintenance, we typically think of someone who is fussy, needy, hard to please or all of the above. Getting angry might not seem very high maintenance but studies have shown that anger can prompt your brain to release less of the stress hormone cortisol and even make better decisions!
Taking supplements can be highly beneficial and it’s not just reserved for those who are rich, ill, high maintenance or a health nut. It’s not always possible for us to obtain all the necessary vitamins and nutrients our bodies need from food and supplements can help us prevent disease, treat deficiencies and promote tissue maintenance and repair.
Whether you consider yourself to be high maintenance or not, these nine habits can help you lead a healthy and happy life! We all need to care good care of ourselves and sometimes what others may interpret as excessive and overindulgent is just right for us! Do you partake in any of these “high maintenance” habits?