Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What is a cheap/ simple/ uncomplicated habit (or thing) that you started following (or bought) that dramatically changed your life for the better...

389 replies

Bookbooks · 14/04/2023 18:04

That's it really.
Same if you had the same effect with abandoning a habit or a thing.
Looking for inspiration.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
ohnoisaid2much · 15/04/2023 10:56

I bought a small machine a few years ago, was the best purchase ever

@emituofo have you a link to it or similar?

Passerillage · 15/04/2023 11:09

HRT. I didn't connect my crippling anxiety and insomnia to perimenopause for a year, and starting HRT has changed my life.

Oh and earplugs. My goodness, that was a cheap and easy fix for restless sleep! I'm a light sleeper and after having babies I've constantly slept with one ear open, so every tiny fecking little noise wakes me. Earplugs (the Bear ones on Amazon) have been amazing. It also means that on the very rare occasions a child DOES wake up now, it's DH who hears and goes in to them to check.

Mummyoflittledragon · 15/04/2023 11:20

Echobelly · 14/04/2023 18:45

Discovering guided relaxation videos on YouTube - I first found them when my kids were babies and wouldn't reliably nap for long periods, and I basically need 1-2 undisturbed hours to relax enough for a nap. I found that a good 10-15 min guided relaxation could be as refreshing as a long nap. Ten years later, I find them a real help for getting off to sleep, or back to sleep if I've been woken and can't drop off again. This is one of the most reliable ones:

On a separate but related note, if I have a headache that originates with my neck or shoulders, I swear to god 80-90% of the time this quick set of yoga moves gets rid of it without painkillers, even if it's really bad:

I’ve just done the yoga moves. Hurts like hell. I have chronic fatigue and chronic pain. I did lift my brain fog for a short while. I guess if I did this regularly it could probably help a lot.

squashyhat · 15/04/2023 11:26

Pre plan a week of menus with associated shopping list. I started when I was working and have continued now retired. I don't food shop online and it makes a supermarket visit so much quicker and less stressful.

Drei · 15/04/2023 11:32

Never drinking alcohol unless I’m “out out”, and then only champagne because it’s got less sugar, and the expense means I naturally drink less. Much easier to live with than the big “I’ve given up alcohol” statement.

teraculum29 · 15/04/2023 11:41

Bookbooks · 14/04/2023 18:35

@IBelieveInAThingCalledScience I have a question if you don't mind. In your experience, is agave nectar healthier than normal sugar and other sweeteners? Is it true that it doesn't make blood sugar spike? I have been sweetening my morning coffee with agave for a long time now thinking it's healthier but have since read mixed opinions about it.

in my experience the best sweetener is erythritol (not absorbed by bodies) so it should not spike blood sugar.
Stevia also s a good one (but need to be pure not mixed with others sweeteners).

MrsRinaDecker · 15/04/2023 11:48

Milk and eggs delivered by the milkman. Less plastic waste from milk bottles, and I save money overall not popping to the shop for a pint.
I’ve just added cat food and litter to Amazon subscribe and save for the same reason (plus it’s heavy and this way I don’t need to carry it from the car!)

catscatscurrantscurrants · 15/04/2023 11:49

I got rid of everything I didn't need and was utterly ruthless about it. It took a few months to do, in stages. Only the furniture/books/clothes/possessions I really need and value. It makes me feel more relaxed and peaceful than I've done in a long time.

iloveeverykindofcat · 15/04/2023 12:24

@rileynexttime Now I use Caroline Girvan (any short routine for abs/core) but I built up to this, I'd already been doing Pilates for a few years before I got to her. Any beginner Pilates will improve your core muscles if you're a starting from nothing.

TicTac80 · 15/04/2023 13:34

I need to do more self care! I love some of the suggestions on this thread (great thread btw!).

Easy habits for making my life easier?
-wash up after each meal (or put in dishwasher, and put dishwasher on each night)
-hoover everyday (I have cats and DC so this is important).
-soon as there is enough for a load of laundry to go in machine, wash it (then dry/put away straight away).
-meal plan and batch cook (saves me phoning for a takeaway!).

Shayisgreat · 15/04/2023 13:40

I stopped putting sugar in my coffee and switched to americanos with a little milk rather than lattes or cappuccinos. Best thing I ever did for my health. I now drink less caffeine and fewer calories. I highly recommend it.

LlynTegid · 15/04/2023 13:46

A dehumidifier for the bedroom. Helped my sleep no end. Turn it on in winter for about an hour each morning.

Spectre8 · 15/04/2023 13:50

Going to raves and festivals....uplifts my soul and a natural high i cannot describe. Completely changed my life. I no longer stress about anything.

morejumpingfrogs · 15/04/2023 16:07

I joined The Modern Calligraphy Company's online calligraphy club. There's a theme every month and one hour long class a week which you can either attend online or - brilliantly for me - watch the recorded class at your leisure. We've done maps, advent calendars, greetings cards, all sorts of projects - sometimes a different thing each week, sometimes building on it each week - this month is envelopes - more fun than it sounds 😁

You can post pictures of your work, look at what other people have done, ask about kit to use, ask for input from the tutors on Feedback Friday etc. I love it! I've always loved ink pens and lovely paper and this gives me the excuse to use them 😃 Because the classes are recorded I can do them when it suits me, some months I watch them each week, other months I binge watch! I really get in the flow and find it both relaxing and that I'm learning and stretching myself (in a completely manageable way). A bargain for the annual cost!

And no, I don't work for them 😆 although I'd love to - they have ALL the pens, inks, paper to try ... <happy sigh>

Original poster
Bookbooks · 15/04/2023 16:15

Thank you everyone for all the lovely ideas! From what you said, exercise and quitting alcohol are the two most important factors in people's life improvement. Drinking more water is a close third. Of course, this is not to diminish the importance of all the other habits/ products mentioned but these really jump out. Special mention to the jar scraper and the face yoga app 😃
Please keep them coming!

OP posts:
MysteryBelle · 15/04/2023 16:20

ohnoisaid2much · 15/04/2023 10:56

I bought a small machine a few years ago, was the best purchase ever

@emituofo have you a link to it or similar?

I was wondering this too.

ClaraBourne · 15/04/2023 16:25

This is a great thread. I'm really inspired to cut the alcohol and sugar and do more exercise.

Mine are:

EFT Tapping therapy - this has really shifted thinking for me, anxiety, obsessive thoughts and procrastination and my children have also benfitted from the routines (I have an app which I pay for worth every penny)
Having a flask of cold water next to me in bed and drinking it on waking
My yoga stretch strap which I use to stretch out my hamstrings and calves in bed before I get up
Gua Sha routine morning and evening - doesn't take very long, I can see my face has perked up, and my neck and jowls are firmer. You can get these on Amazon and Ebay and I saw one in the Body Shop yesterday which had a routine with it
Beard dye on my eyebrows - takes five minutes and the results last far longer then the eyelash dye I was using.

Original poster
Bookbooks · 15/04/2023 17:04

morejumpingfrogs · 15/04/2023 16:07

I joined The Modern Calligraphy Company's online calligraphy club. There's a theme every month and one hour long class a week which you can either attend online or - brilliantly for me - watch the recorded class at your leisure. We've done maps, advent calendars, greetings cards, all sorts of projects - sometimes a different thing each week, sometimes building on it each week - this month is envelopes - more fun than it sounds 😁

You can post pictures of your work, look at what other people have done, ask about kit to use, ask for input from the tutors on Feedback Friday etc. I love it! I've always loved ink pens and lovely paper and this gives me the excuse to use them 😃 Because the classes are recorded I can do them when it suits me, some months I watch them each week, other months I binge watch! I really get in the flow and find it both relaxing and that I'm learning and stretching myself (in a completely manageable way). A bargain for the annual cost!

And no, I don't work for them 😆 although I'd love to - they have ALL the pens, inks, paper to try ... <happy sigh>

That sounds fab! I love calligraphy and would really like to try my hand at Arabic calligraphy one day.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bookbooks · 15/04/2023 17:09

@ClaraBourne I bought my first gua sha set about 4 years ago and only ever used it once or twice 😳For how long do you use it?

OP posts:
ClaraBourne · 15/04/2023 17:24

Five strokes in each area, I use the nook end to do my jawline, it takes a couple of minutes.

What is a cheap/ simple/ uncomplicated habit (or thing) that you started following (or bought) that dramatically changed your life for the better...
ClaraBourne · 15/04/2023 17:25

@Bookbooks as above!

superchargerheaven · 15/04/2023 17:27

Love this thread! Running

Cozytoesandtoast00 · 15/04/2023 17:33

IBelieveInAThingCalledScience · 14/04/2023 18:25

I monitor my macros (just for training purposes) and have come to realise that, as I get older, carbs and sugar increasingly affect my body and mood.

Having said that, I'm a long distance runner and do strength training so I need fuel and there's no way I can commit to any type of keto diet.

Understanding the effect each food has in terms of glucose spikes has been a game changer for me.

Have a look at glucusoegoddess on Instagram. Her posts with infographics are fantastic.

Show quote history

I listen to the Huberman Podcast ( a neuroscientist who interviews experts in the field of health)
It was discussed on one episode how eating this way can be so beneficial.
Thanks for the reminder!

Cozytoesandtoast00 · 15/04/2023 17:34
  • I was referring to eating fibre, protein and then carbs in that order.
nomdegrrr1 · 15/04/2023 18:05

bulldog clips in the kitchen. I always seem to have packets of stuff going on, and they are great for shutting cereal packets, pasta packets etc.

I also bought a pair of scissors with a magnetic holder and I keep it on the fridge. It is for opening packets and cutting ties/packaging ONLY and goes straight back onto the fridge afterwards. I spent so long rummaging around when I was trying to open stuff, and this has been invaluable.

Swipe left for the next trending thread