Looking after your family is not an easy job, each family member has different needs and stressors, and it’s often hard to keep everyone happy! To support your family and improve your lifestyle, consider these five steps.

1. The Natural World

To enhance your family’s well being, ensure that you spend enough time together in the natural world. Swap a few TV days for a walk in the forest or a swim at the beach.

According to a study in Nature.com, ‘spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing.’ Helping your kids appreciate the natural world will help them grow up with the right attitudes and values.

2. The Importance Of Gratitude

Several studies in Harvard Health suggest that ‘giving thanks can make you happier.’ Helping your family to express gratitude can be practiced in several ways:

Encourage your kids to write a journal: Encourage your children to start a gratitude journal, where they can write down just one thing that they are grateful for each day.

Write thank-you notes for gifts: Each time your child receives a gift, encourage them to write a thank-you note, helping them to understand the value of gratitude.

Discuss gratitude at dinner: When you sit down as a family at dinner, go around the table and express one thing that you are grateful for. It might sound simple, but expressing gratitude is an undervalued practice that really does work!

3. Less Social Media & Tech

Social media and technology have plenty of benefits, but there are also drawbacks that we need to be aware of. Spending too much time on social media can have negative effects on our mental health, and has also been associated with trouble sleeping. Health guidelines advise that social media usage should be limited to 30 minutes per day to avoid negative health effects. To help your children learn, set a good example but limiting your own social media usage.

4. Consider Financial Health

Money can be a huge stressor, whether it’s worrying about the bills or saving toward your child’s college fund. Improving your financial health can improve your family’s well being at the same time, so how can you do this? One thing you can do is take control of your debts, using schemes such as the ‘Debt To Success System’ program. To find out more about managing your debts, take a look at www.dtss.us/about.html.

5. Back To Basics

Lastly, improving your family's wellbeing doesn’t have to be complicated, basic steps are often all it takes. Ensure that your family eats plenty of nutritious food, gets enough sleep, and practices plenty of physical exercise. When you get the basics right, you’ll have a great foundation for both health and happiness.

For further resources, check out Headspace for kids or Smiling Mind, with these great apps you can teach your children self-care tips, mindfulness and meditation.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

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