21 Simple Things To Do To Make Every Day Count

Time is fleeting and life is by far too short and too precious to waste, we have to live every moment of it and make every day count.

Making every day count means living your life to the fullest from one day to the next. It‘s spending every moment of it with purpose and making each day worthwhile.

Ultimately, its meaning may differ from one person to another but I think most of us can agree that it definitely sounds easier said than done, right?

Especially in today’s day and age, where we often find ourselves living every day on autopilot. Rushing from one moment to another and feeling like there’s just not enough time in the day.

In this post, I will be sharing 21 things you can do to make every day count. You can use these tips to help you get started on your journey towards living a happier, fulfilled, and meaningful life.

How To Make Every Day Count

1. Create A To-Do List

A great way to make every day count is by creating a to-do list. I normally create the next day’s to-do list before I go to bed. Organizing everything I need to do does not only help fight the feeling of overwhelm and stress but also gives me a sense of calm and direction.

It makes me feel like I’m spending my day with purpose, instead of just scrambling from one task to another. It is also very useful in helping you manage your time effectively.

2. Practice Daily Gratitude

Another amazing yet simple way to make every day count is to practice daily gratitude.

I had a bad habit of constantly focusing on everything that is bad and wrong in my life. Every day, I would wake up and find myself holding on to so many negative thoughts and I would complain about every little inconvenience.

I realized that by holding on to this habit, I was making myself even more miserable. By focusing on negativity, I was also losing sight of all the wonderful things that were unfolding before me every single day.

Practicing daily gratitude does not only help reduce stress and worry but will also drastically boost your happiness and improve your mindset.

Start by writing at least five things that you are grateful for every day for 30 days and see how this small practice can make such a huge positive impact.

3. Wake Up Early

Waking up early is a great way to help you accomplish more and start making every day count.

This year, I found myself in a very bad place. I was feeling stuck, lost and so unmotivated to do anything. I knew I needed to make a change in my routine to help reset my life.

Waking up early was probably one of the best changes I’ve made this year. Instead of constantly rushing from one task to another, waking up early allows you more time to accomplish your tasks while still giving you enough time to breathe, slow down, and take a break.

You don’t have to make a huge change to your morning routine right away. I find that the best way to do it is by taking it slow.

Try waking up at least 30-40 minutes earlier than you normally do. Once you get the hang of it, add another 30 minutes.

4. Live One Day At A Time

Most of us are guilty of living our days in the past or future. We constantly find ourselves worrying about the future or clinging to our past without realizing that by doing this we are missing out on the wonderful things that are happening to us right now.

If you want to make every day count, you have to learn to live one day at a time. Living one day at a time means focusing on the present moment.

Life is too short to let moments just slip by. We have to remind ourselves to live every day in the present moment.

Take each day as it comes and let’s start focusing our attention on the things that are happening in front of us and the people that we have in our lives now.

5. Know Your Goals

Knowing your goals is a very important aspect of helping you achieve fulfillment. It’ll give you a sense of direction on where you want to go with your life.

Determining your goals will help you see what actions you need to take every day for you to achieve them. It will help you manage your time better since you already know where to focus your efforts every day.

Here’s a great post from Forbes that will help you define your goals and work towards them.

6. Practice Self-Care

Another important aspect of making every day count is making sure that you take the time to practice self-care — a time for yourself, a time to breathe, relax, and just slow down.

There’s no denying that self-care is not always on top of our to-do list. We constantly believe that for us to make every day count, we must always spend our time being productive and doing something.

While those things are definitely important, taking some time off for yourself is just as necessary. Self care is not selfishness.

For me, it is actually survival. You need to take care of your needs first from time to time for you to continue taking care of others.

Sometimes you have to take a break and take a step back for you to come back stronger and with a brand new perspective and idea.

7. Set Healthy Boundaries

Are you guilty of constantly saying yes to things that you never want to do in the first place just to please other people?

I am. I was guilty (sometimes I still am) of being such a people pleaser that regardless of how exhausted and drained I already was, I can never say no.

I’ve realized that doing this was not only a waste of precious time but it was also greatly taking so much toll on my mental health and emotional well-being.

I’ve learned that for us to live a worthwhile, balanced, and fulfilled life, we have to learn to set healthy boundaries to avoid losing ourselves to relationships, careers, and a lot more.

Start learning how to set boundaries with the help of this post from Positive Psychology.

8. Listen More

Learning to listen more and speak less is a great way of helping you make every day count. For some of us, talking is never a problem but when it comes to listening to what other people are saying, we often find ourselves failing in that area.

We spend time with other people yet when it’s time for them to speak, we easily tune them out.

Listening more does not only help build deeper connections but also improves our relationships with other people. It allows us to build trust, show empathy and learn from them.

9. Get Enough Sleep

For you to make every day count, you have to have the energy to face the day. You can start small. Try resting at least 40 minutes earlier than you usually do and keep adding 30 more minutes to it once you get the hang of it.

Doing this will make the task seem less daunting and overwhelming. Plus, it allows your body a chance to adapt to this new habit.

10. Help Others

In a world full of hate, selfishness, and greed, be the change and let your kindness, compassion, and love shine.

Helping others is one of the best things that you can do to help you live a meaningful and worthwhile life. Doing this gives you a sense of purpose. It allows you to look at things from a different perspective and appreciate every little thing in this life.

Helping others is not always about spending money. It could be as simple as offering your time. Checking in with your neighbors or offer a helping hand to those who need it.

Whatever it may be, do it with an open heart and without any expectation of receiving anything in return.

11. Be Your True Self

Time is fleeting. Stop wasting every moment of your life, pretending to be someone you’re not. You are enough just as you are now.

You don’t have to be somebody else to be worthy. You matter. Live the life that you want. Stop chasing other people’s approval and validation.

Embrace who you are completely and know that you are worthy and you deserve to be happy, to be heard, and to live your life.

Make every day count by choosing to be you every day.

12. Spend Time With The People That You Love

There is nothing more meaningful and worthwhile than spending your time with the people that you love the most.

We are often guilty of taking this for granted but what we don’t realize is that tomorrow is never promised, we have to make every day count, live it as if it is our last, and spend our time with the people important to us.

Let’s give them our undivided attention, remind them of how grateful we are to have them in our lives, and make memories with them.

13. Don’t Be Afraid To Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

I was never a big advocate of stepping outside comfort zones. For years, I stayed in it because I was so scared of trying something new and end up failing.

It took a long time for me to realize that doing this was only keeping me stuck. It just made me feel like I was living my life on autopilot.

I was alive but I didn’t feel like it. I wasn’t really living, I was just existing.

If you feel the same way too. I want you to know this: There are still so many wonderful things and opportunities waiting for you, you just have to be brave enough to take the first step and start living the life that you deserve.

14. Laugh More

Are you also guilty of constantly taking life so seriously? A great yet easy step of making every day count is by allowing yourself to laugh more.

Life doesn’t have to be so serious all the time. You can laugh. Laugh at yourself. Be silly. Find joy and happiness in simple things.

Life is still beautiful. I know it may not always seem like it but there is still beauty and wonder in it. Allow yourself to see and enjoy it.

15. Be Mindful

Mindfulness is a key step in making every day count and living a more meaningful life.

Cambridge dictionary defines being mindful as being deliberately aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment to create a feeling of calm.

Being mindful does not only help clear your mind from the noise of the world but it also allows you to focus more on your task and enables you to be more productive.

16. Take A 30-Day Challenge

Taking a 30-day challenge is a great way to develop a new habit that will help you lead a worthwhile and happier life.

What I love about taking 30 day challenges is the fact that since you are only doing one task per day, it basically eliminates the feeling of overwhelm and motivates you more to keep going.

If you don’t know where to start, here’s a great 30 Day Self Love Challenge that will help you learn to embrace and love yourself more.

You can also take this 30 Day Happiness Challenge to drastically boost your mood and increase your happiness.

17. Never Stop Learning

Another amazing way of making every day count is to never stop learning.

By constantly striving to learn something new every day, it doesn’t matter how big or small it is, you’re opening yourself up to growth and continuous improvement.

Open yourself up to learning new things and acquiring new skills. Try to take on new hobbies. Read a self-improvement book. Get creative.

Whatever it may be, I find that choosing something that really excites you makes it so much easier to commit to it every day.

18. Do Something That Will Benefit Your Well-Being

Taking care of your well-being is essential in helping you live a happy and healthy life.

We are constantly guilty of taking our bodies and mind for granted. There is no denying that I am surely guilty of this.

After hitting an all-time low, I’ve realized that if we commit to doing something every single day that will benefit our bodies and mind, we are allowing ourselves to live more and seize more opportunities that will come our way.

It can be exercising, yoga, running, or meditation. Anything that’ll make you feel centered, good and healthy.

Ultimately, it’s best to choose activities that you will enjoy. This will make it less daunting and a whole lot easier for you to stick with it.

19. Go After Your Passion

For years, I constantly struggled with this idea. I actually believed that going after your passion was only possible for people who don’t worry about their bills and for people who are not living paycheck to paycheck. So basically, not me.

I thought that for me to be successful, I just had to stick with it regardless of how unhappy and exhausted I already felt. I thought that I had to focus all my energy and attention on my money-making career.

But doing this was draining the life out of me. It felt like every day I was losing myself. Every day, I was tearing myself up into pieces.

It felt like I was dragging this giant weight behind me. I felt so unhappy and stuck and lost.

That’s when I realized that you can actually go after your passion without quitting your job. You don’t have to make huge changes.

You can find the time to do it on weekends or even after your work day. You don’t have to take huge leaps. Take small and easy steps every day and you will get there.

Following your passion and working on something that sets your heart and soul on fire is one of the greatest ways to make every day of your life count.

20. Accept The Things You Cannot Change And Let Go of Control

Most of us are guilty of constantly spending all our efforts and energy trying to control every aspect of our lives.

We create a plan A, plan B, and even a plan C, thinking that by doing this we are less likely to fail and things are less likely to fall apart.

In some cases it may be true but not all the time. Because regardless of what we do, we cannot control everything in our lives. We cannot change every outcome and fix every problem.

The more that we try to do this, the more frustrated, angry, and hurt we become. By spending all our attention trying to control life, we are actually missing the chance to live our life.

Make every day count by learning to let go, accept the things that you cannot change, and focus your energy on the things that you can instead.

21. Embrace Change

Change is a part of life. It can be scary, overwhelming, and daunting. You may spend your life trying to avoid change and just wanting to stay still. I did too, for the longest time.

But I’ve learned that doing this doesn’t stop time, it just stops you. It stops you from living, from enjoying and exploring more about life, from making every day count, and from living the life that you want.

Change doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. Sometimes change can mean growth, healing, learning, and moving forward in life.

Remind yourself that there is still so much more in store for you, don’t keep yourself stuck just because you are afraid of change. Accept change and embrace the journey of your life.

Final Thoughts

Start making every day count by trying these tips. Remember that every journey is different. You have to choose the things that will work best for you.

Don’t forget to be kind to yourself during this process. Don’t beat yourself up for making mistakes. Just keep at it, you can do this!