Ever feel like you’re just going through the motions of your day without much thought or purpose? You can benefit from being more intentional with every aspect of your life—from the foods you eat, to the people you surround yourself with, to the way you start and end your day. Intentional living can help you feel more present, curb stress, and support your overall well-being.
To live an intentional and fulfilling life, you first need to determine your values. Whether that’s spending more quality time with your significant other or prioritizing more downtime for yourself, consider your daily routine and determine if you want to make any changes. From there, fill your day with intentional habits that make each hour feel purposeful.
Here are some of my go-to ways to set intentions for different parts of the day.
Wake with purpose
If you wake up and immediately look at your phone, you’re not alone. Nine out of 10 Gen Z phone users, for example, check their phones before leaving their bedrooms each morning. Next time, ask yourself: What is your intention? Is it to respond to a few emails and then check your social media pages? Or would you prefer to wake up without looking at a screen for as long as you can?
While sometimes I do want to check my social media and work messages right when I wake up, I generally feel better starting my day by going for a walk outside and looking at the sun before the screen. Try charging your phone outside your bedroom to minimize the urge to grab it first thing in the morning.