7 things everyone in their 20s should be doing in 2017

Do you ever feel like there’s more you could be doing for yourself? Do you wish you felt slightly looser when you get out of bed or that your skin wasn’t always so dry? I know I do, and I’m always reading articles of things I should be doing (generally I end up paying no attention and forgetting all about it 5 minutes later), so I decided to tell you 7 things everyone in their 20s should be doing in 2017, based on nothing but my own opinions and experiences. So buckle up and let’s look at making this year the year of you.

1. Stretching - I cannot stress this one enough which is why it’s right here at numero uno. Now this is largely based on my need to stretch due to my joint issues (hello to my fellow spoonies out there) but everyone can benefit from this and it’s a really simple thing that can make a huge difference. I’m not saying you have to sign up to a yoga class (but seriously consider it, yoga is amazing), stretching is all about you so if that means spending 60 seconds as soon as you get out of bed just reaching your arms to the sky to stretch your back out a little bit that’s absolutely fine. Or if it means spending 30 minutes before breakfast running through different stretches from the top of your neck right down to your toes (toe stretches are amazing, trust me), that’s also absolutely fine. It’s about finding what you need and matching that with what you can realisitcally fit into your day without it feeling like a chore. Stretching is key because so many of us spend our days sitting in front of our computers; I’m doing it right now writing this and you’re probably doing it right now reading this, unless you’re hunched over your smartphone instead. As we get older we lose some of our natural flexibility anyway so keeping yourself supple now will help you as you get older and can keep your joints in a happier condition which in turn should keep you more mobile for longer. Hurray!
2. Moisturise - Like stretching this is both for the now and for the future. Moisturising all your skin (not just that dry patch on the side of your nsose) will keep your skin healthier and happier for longer; bonus points if you make sure your chosen product has SPF in it! You should aim to moisturise your face at least once a day (I do it in the morning before makeup and at night before bed once I’ve stripped everything else off my face) and ideally you should be moisturising your body once a day too, especially if you’ve been exposed to the elements so arms and legs in particular. For the ladies your neck and cleavage also need some special attention because they can be the first places to show signs of ageing, which is cool because all get old, but dry skin isn’t good for anyone so slap some shea butter on there!
3. Boost your bed - what do I mean by that? Well it’s pretty simple, where do you spend a large chunk of your 24 hours and where does your body do most of it’s repair and maintenance work? In your bed. We all know that a good nights sleep can make or break us the next day so please take steps to making sure you get the required shut eye now because it will only get harder to fix issues as you get older. Invest in pillows that don’t give you a stiff neck, get good quality pillowcases and wash them regularly, get a duvet that can keep you warm but not too warm and make sure your mattress is working for you... I’ve just bought a memory foam mattress topper after moaning for nearly 3 years that the mattress on my bed hurt my ribs. Oh My God. It is so comfortable and it’s like sleeping on a supportive cloud. It cost less than £30 and I now wake up a lot less sore than I used to and I fall asleep easier. If you have more complicated sleep issues take a look at the S+ by ResMed which I reviewed a while ago, it tracks your sleep and then gives you tips on how to improve it. It made a big difference for me and I ended up waking in the middle of the night a lot less often. Result.
4. Brush your teeth - I don’t want to sound like your Mum, but come on you’re old enough to know that you should be brushing your teeth twice a day. Do you want to lose all your teeth before you’re 40 from gum disease or have other health problems caused by poor oral hygiene? I didn’t think so, so get yourself a toothbrush that suits your gums (I prefer soft bristles), don’t brush too hard and get a toothpaste you like. Mouthwash is another important step because it can get any parts you missed, but flossing is apparently pointless so you can leave the mouth string alone.
5. Filter - no I’m not talking about instagram, but social media can come into it. We all have those people who we follow or are “friends” with online who bug us right? We see their posts and it’s like an instant negativity cloud. So why are we still letting that negativity into our lives? If you don’t like them block them, if you’re worried about the repurcussions then just mute them or find a way to remove their posts from your feed. If it’s someone in your non-digital world who is the problem then ask yourself if you really need them around. If they’re not bringing anything positive then it’s time to cut loose because you deserve to surround yourself with positive people so you can strengthen each other.
6. Tailer your expectations - none of us have a perfect life, end of. Sure we might look at someone and say “wow I wish I had their life it looks perfect” but that person will be looking at someone else and saying the same thing. Our problems might not be the same and something that bothers me might be trivial to someone else but it’s all relative. Decide what it is that you want from your life, not what society says you should want or what is expected of you, but what you want. Then decide how you’re going to make that happen. It’s your life, live it your way. And stop worrying about tomorrow, whatever is going to happen will happen whether you lose a night of sleep over it or not, tackle issues when they arrive.
7. Switch off and slow down - we all seem to hurtling around all the time now, so take some time to step off the crazy train and savour life a little slower. Turn off the notifications from that one app that keeps going off (I did this with news alerts after the US election, I don’t want that BS being sprung on me 24/7), put your phone on it’s “do not disturb” mode and leave it somewhere you won’t be checking it every 15 seconds or just turn it off altogether. Since the start of the year I’ve been deliberately ignoring a lot of my social media for a few weeks, sure it makes me a terrible blogger but I’ve enjoyed it and now I don’t feel overwhelmed with trying to keep up. This also fits with tailoring your expectations; you don’t need to be connected 24/7, if you don’t comment on the latest news story within 5 minutes of it happening the world will keep on turning I promise (this has been a hard lesson for me as a writer). Take some time to yourself, watch that show you’ve been waiting for, read a book you’ve had on your shelf for months, go for a walk and look at the new spring flowers, watch some birds going about their day (some blue tits have just moved into our birdhouse, very exciting) or have a long bath. Whatever makes you feel relaxed is something you should be committed to making time for.

So that’s my 7 things you should be doing in 2017, obviously not exclusive to those of us still in our 20s but it’s a good decade to make long lasting changes that will benefit us for years to come.


If you have any tips of your own, I’d love to hear them so drop me a comment below!

Stay safe, x