Daylight Savings Time steals an hour of your day, yet gives you more daylight in just a few weeks. It’s important you make the most of this time. We have some of the best ways to get ready to Spring Forward.
1. Change Smoke Detector Batteries
Most people don’t think about their smoke detectors until they start that annoying chirping sound in the middle of the night. Instead of waiting for them all to go out at once to interrupt your sleep, take this time to swap out the batteries. Most detectors take a simple 9-volt battery. Take this time to also check out your carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they’re working properly, too.
2. Get A Dose of Vitamin D
Sunshine often makes you just feel happy. The best thing about it is that it can boost your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is a great thing to help the body fight off sickness, beat depression and even lose some weight. Of course, you always need to be careful not to get burned by the sun, but a little dose of Vitamin D will go a long way.
3. Train Your Green Thumb
It’s never too early to get things growing in the garden. Get the garden ready for all of your veggies. You can grow things like peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. Get a compost pile started. It’s a lot of fun to plan for those spring veggies. Check out some videos on the internet to see what you’d like to grow. Set up a place for plants, too. You can even set up a separate place to plant pretty flowers.
4. Get Your Garden Growing
It isn’t too early to plan for your harvest this year. Planting season is coming, and you can use the early weeks to step outside and prep your plot. Or you can head into the garage, take stock of your tools, and get a compost operation started. There are even some plants that will grow in colder weather. Try veggies like beets, broccoli, corn, kale, onions, radishes, or turnips.
5. Turn Off The Screens
TV shows, streaming devices and your smartphone can often mentally drain you. You don’t need all that random entertainment once you have more sunlight. Take this time to join the family outside for a nightly stroll or a flag football game in your front yard. Take time to enjoy the sunshine. You don’t need all the distractions because the outdoors are calling your name.
6. Workout Longer
Working out in the mornings can often be a drag. One great thing about more light at night is you can sneak in an extra workout. You’ll be more energized to get in a quick class or go for a run. Once you get home, you’ll probably still have some daylight left to hang out with the family and get more chores done. The workout will leave you with more energy ready to face the day and night.
7. Flip That Mattress
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is important for your mental and physical health. If you’re always waking up with a stiff neck, it might be time to flip your mattress. A mattress might last a decade, but the springs and foam inside often wear out. Your bed is made to conform to your body, but flipping it gives it extra life. You can also take this time to clean up under the bed. Dust and skin particles collect over time. It’s the perfect time to attack these dust bunnies.
8. Get Up Early
Most people dread daylight savings as it robs us of an extra hour of sleep. It’s often hard to adjust to the new routine. Start going to bed earlier now so you’re ready for the change. Use that early morning sun to get some extra chores accomplished. Open the windows and enjoy the fresh morning air. Don’t let the time sneak up on you, leaving you in a funk for a few days.
9. Do Your Outdoor Chores
Your poor yard hasn’t had much maintenance done during the colder months. It’s time to get it back in shape. The plants died, the flowers wilted and the grass is brown. Once they all start to grow back, you want your yard to be ready. You can make life a lot easier by placing a large tarp in your hard. You can put all of the outdoor clutter on it and clean it up in one swoop. Take time to rake leaves, mow the dead grass and cut back any of your untamed bushes.
10. Spring Clean Clutter
They don’t call it spring cleaning for nothing. This is the perfect opportunity to go through all of your clutter. Get rid of random toys, clothes you never wear, damaged furniture, and old decor. These things are just taking up space. If you never use them, get rid of them. You’ll feel fresh and clean. Too much clutter just leads to extra anxiety and “stuff.” Donating to local organizations helps others in need. Your trash is their treasure.
Daylight Savings Time is more time to enjoy with your friends and family. Get chores done then head outside for extra play time. You might lose an hour of sleep, but you gain so much more for your mental health and physical wellness.
