These life-changing
habits will make your 40s your best decade yet.
Turning 40 can feel
like a big deal, and that's because it is. In fact, it might just be the
beginning of your best decade yet. When you reach your 40s, your career is in
better shape than it was a decade before, you know what you want from life, and
you just might find yourself hitting peak confidence. It shouldn't come as a
surprise, then, that making the most of this amazing period in your life is
easy. We've rounded up 40 life changes you should make after 40 to make this
your best decade yet.
1.
Stop
pretending to enjoy things you actually hate.
While it may have felt
important to like the same bands, books, or movies as your friends when you
were younger, your 40s are the perfect time to stop pretending to care about
things that don't matter to you. You only have so many years to spend on this
planet, so why waste them pretending to be someone you're not? Reinvent
yourself in your 40s by becoming who you really are.
2.
And don't be shy about the things you
are into.
Luckily, the increased
confidence you experience in your 40s makes it a prime time to embrace all
those weird things you secretly love. Who cares that you still love seeing
Taylor Swift in concert, or that your favorite movie is Toy Story? You're in
your 40s, and the only person whose opinion matters is your own!
3.
Learn a new language.
"A higher level of
education is associated with better mental functioning in old age," notes
Harvard Medical School's blog. And in your 40s, what's more useful than studying
a new language? When you travel, you can use your new linguistics knowledge to
communicate and impress the locals.
4.
Become a world traveler.
You're more likely to
have a little extra cash in your 40s than you did in your 20s, so why not spend
it exploring the world around you? Whether you're jetting off to Rome or just
driving to a nearby town, travel is a great way to get more enjoyment out of
life. In fact, researchers at Cornell University found in a 2014 study that
subjects were significantly happier when they had a trip to look forward to.
5.
Use all of your vacation days.
According to 2017
research from Glassdoor reported by MarketWatch, 54 percent of Americans didn't
use all of their vacation days in 2016. However, research suggests that going
on vacation can make you happier, healthier, and even more productive when you
return to work. If you're in your 40s, you've likely spent close to half your
life working, so go ahead and take those benefits offered to you while you can.
6.
Reinvigorate your relationship with some
flirting.
It's easy to let your
relationship get stagnant when you've been together for a long time. To keep
things fresh, make sure you're still making time to flirt with your partner in
your 40s. A little flirtation can go a long way in terms of making your partner
feel loved and wanted—and as they say, happy wife, happy life.
7.
Wake up earlier.
While many people tend
to naturally wake up earlier as they get older, try to make getting out of bed
earlier a priority by the time you hit 40. Waking up earlier affords you some
time to hit the gym before it gets too crowded, make yourself a healthy
breakfast, or just decompress before the day starts. Better yet, researchers at
Northwestern University have linked exposure to early morning sunlight to lower
BMIs, so losing a little lounge time in bed could help you lose that spare
tire, too.
8.
Find a hobby.
Want to make the most
of your 40s? Stop wasting time with TV binges and find a hobby instead. Not
only can developing a hobby increase your confidence and expand your social
circle, but it may help keep you cognitively fit in the long run. One 2011
study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other
Dementias found that adults who partook in their hobbies on a regular basis
were less likely to develop dementia in later life than those who abstained.
9.
Read regularly.
Commit more time to
reading in your 40s. It's more than just a fun hobby: A 2013 study published in
the journal Neurology found that older individuals who remained avid readers
until their deaths reduced memory-related decline by 32 percent.
10.
Manage your finances.
While retirement may
still be a way off when you're in your 40s, getting rid of any debt now can
help you secure a more stable financial future. And according to research from
PayScale, workers' earnings tend to be at their peak when people are in their
40s, meaning there's no better time to pay off your debt. If you get serious
about paying off your debt now, you can easily be rid of it entirely by the
time retirement rolls around.
11.
Reinvent your finances.
Your 40s are a great
time to talk to a financial planner and figure out just what your money goals
are over the next 40 years. If you want to buy a house, then you can figure out
how much you need to save every month to realistically put down a down payment;
if you have kids, then you can figure out how much you need to put away for
their college education; and if you want to travel the world once you retire,
then you can start to budget for just that.
12.
Be more assertive at work.
Your 40s are the
perfect time to become more assertive at work. And research published in 2016
in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology reveals that
assertive women are more likely to be considered for raises than their shyer
counterparts. You've worked your way up the ladder this far, so why not keep
going?
13.
Stay out of office drama.
If you plan to retire
at 65, you've got a lot of working years still ahead of you in your 40s. To
make that time more bearable, do your best to steer clear of office drama
whenever possible. Ten years from now, you won't remember (or care) who used up
more than their fair share of printer paper.
14.
Don't stay at a job you hate.
If you're unhappy with
your current work situation, don't be afraid to start looking for something
new—even in your 40s. This will benefit both your mental and physical health: A
2016 survey from Ohio State University found that workers who were less
fulfilled in their careers were more likely to have sleep issues and depressive
symptoms.
15.
Find a fitness routine you love.
Just because you've
previously spent more time on the couch than in the gym doesn't mean you can't
turn things around in your 40s. Finding a fitness routine you love—be it Zumba,
cycling, or yoga—can set you up for better health as you age. Doing so may even
save your life: Research published in 2018 in the journal Circulation reveals
that two years of regular exercise helped to counteract the cardiovascular
effects of study participants' previously sedentary lifestyles.
16.
Add weight training to your exercise
plan.
By the time you hit 40,
it's time to make regular weight training an integral part of your exercise
routine. Not only can increasing your muscle mass make you look leaner, but
researchers at Tufts University have found resistance training to be effective
at improving balance, potentially preventing a future fall.
17.
Cook more meals at home.
Now that you're 40,
it's more than likely that you have a family to feed. Therefore, it's high time
that you learn how to cook nutritious homemade meals for them, even if they
aren't all that elaborate. One 2014 study from Johns Hopkins found that people
who eat at home six to seven nights a week consumed fewer calories than those
who eat out.
18.
Keep your drinking to a minimum.
While you may have been
able to drink an entire bottle of wine and wake up feeling like a million bucks
in your 20s, odds are that's not the case by the time you hit 40. People tend
to have a lower tolerance for alcohol as they get older, so when you do drink,
limit yourself to just a few glasses and make sure to consume an equal amount
of water.
19.
Take the right supplements.
Having a healthy
supplement routine in your 40s might just mean a longer, healthier life. While
your doctor can help you determine what supplements are right for you,
multivitamins are a good place to start for most people, and 2015 research
published in Scientific Reports suggests that omega-3 supplementation may even
help with weight loss.
20.
Volunteer.
Want to improve your
health and the world around you? Make it your mission to start giving back in
your 40s. Research published in 2012 in Health Psychology reveals that
volunteering may actually increase your lifespan, so when you volunteer at a
soup kitchen or walk the dogs at your local shelter, you'll feel good for
several reasons.
21.
Get your clothes tailored.
In your 40s, you
deserve to look as confident as you feel. One of the easiest ways to accomplish
this is by having your clothes tailored. A perfectly tailored suit or dress
will not only fit you like a glove, but will also help you appear slimmer.
22.
And get rid of clothes that don't fit
properly.
You might have been
able to get away with wearing ill-fitting clothes in your 20s and 30s, but not
in your 40s. When you're reinventing yourself during this decade, make sure to
toss anything that doesn't fit, whether that's jeans that are a size too small
or shirts that are a size too big. Form-fitting pieces that actually fit are
always the most flattering!
23.
Develop a skincare routine that works
for you.
Your face is the first
thing people see when they look at you, so make it shine with an
age-appropriate skincare routine. Many people experience more dryness as they
get older, so it's time to ditch those harsh acne-fighting products you used in
your 20s in favor of gentler ones. And if you're eager to fight off wrinkles,
moisturizing is the name of the game.
24.
Switch up your makeup routine.
Those makeup products
that worked on your 20-year-old skin probably aren't going to pull their weight
once you're 40. Switching to age-appropriate makeup styles and formulas will
make it easier to deemphasize fine lines and wrinkles while treating dryness
and other skin concerns. Better yet, changing up your look can help you
reinvent yourself and look more current—cat-eye liner and nude lips won't be
trendy forever, after all.
25.
Find confidence.
You only have one life
to live, so why waste it feeling bad about what you see in the mirror? Your 40s
are that sweet spot where you're smart enough to both treat your body right and
accept that perfection isn't necessarily possible. While you may have a few
more fine lines than you did 20 years ago, consider them proof of a life
well-lived.
26.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
It's hard to feel
confident about your looks, finances, relationship, and career 24/7, but by the
time you're in your 40s, you should make a sincere effort to stop comparing
yourself to others. By this point in time, your life has, for better or worse,
taken a different path than many of your friends or family members, but there's
no use beating yourself up over it. Focus on the things that you're happy about
and proud about instead, and that regretful feeling is sure to fade.
27.
Keep a journal.
A beautiful young
African American woman sits at the window counter of a coffee shop, enjoying a
latte while writing ideas down in a small notepad journal or diary. She wears a
casual button up shirt, with her hair up, and a content relaxed look on her face.
Shot in downtown Los Angeles. Bright sunlight cascades in through the windows
illuminating the pages of paper and hot drink. Horizontal with copy space.
28.
Learn how to move on from your own mistakes.
While that flubbed
interview or bad date can feel like an albatross around your neck, you need to
forgive yourself for those mistakes by the time you hit 40. When it's
appropriate, atone, and when it's not, just do your best to move on.
29.
Let go of grudges.
Similarly, let other
people off the hook for past offenses now that you're 40 and more mature.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that unforgiving
thoughts actually increased study subjects' blood pressure and heart rate, so
it may be best for your mental and physical health to just let those grudges
go.
30.
Embrace your optimistic side.
While it's easy to fall
on the glass-half-empty side of the spectrum, enjoying life more starts with
channeling your inner optimist. Not only can being optimistic improve your
outlook on life, but research published in 2017 in the American Journal of Epidemiology
links optimism with lower rates of death from common ailments like cancer,
heart disease, and stroke.
31.
Remove toxic people from your life.
You only have one life
to life, so why waste so much of it on people who do nothing to make it better?
As family and work commitments increase in your 40s, it's the perfect time to
cut toxic people out of your life for good. Nobody looks back at 50 and thinks,
"I wish I had spent more time with people who made me feel terrible about
myself."
32.
Make more time for your friends.
In your 40s, make a
real effort to spend time with your friends on a regular basis. Significant
research published in 2007 in the journal Psychiatry suggests that having
strong social support may improve mental health, so go ahead and host a game
night or just pick up the phone to chat when you get the chance.
33.
Carve out some more alone time in your
schedule.
Spending every night
hanging out with your friends or co-workers may have felt essential at 20. By
the time you're in your 40s, however, it's just as important to know when you
need down time and take it. Researchers at the University of Buffalo have even
linked alone time to increased creativity, so don't be ashamed to sit out some
social events in favor of a quiet night at home when you feel so inclined.
34.
Learn how to de-stress naturally.
You can always reinvent
yourself in your 40s and transform into someone who's more relaxed and
stress-free. And while wine and chocolate are useful stress-busters, lowering
your stress levels through exercise, meditation, and other mindfulness
practices can make your life easier, more enjoyable, and longer. According to a
2005 study in the American Journal of Cardiology, stress-reduction exercises
actually reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease by as much as 30 percent
and reduced cancer death risk by up to 49 percent among hypertensive adults.
35.
Live a less sedentary lifestyle.
When you reinvent
yourself after 40, aim to stop sitting so much. Sitting for eight-plus hours
each day has been linked to increased rates of obesity and cardiovascular
disease, making it a major don't for anyone who wants to make it to 80.
Thankfully, there are
multiple ways to make your office routine more active. According to the Mayo
Clinic, adopting a standing desk could potentially help you shave off an extra
five pounds each year. And if standing all day doesn't seem feasible, you can
always keep moving with an under-desk elliptical or stair-stepper.
36.
Stop spending so much time behind the
screen.
However you reinvent
yourself in your 40s, make sure you do it in a way that doesn't involve too
much screen time. Screen time has been linked to health issues ranging from vision
impairment to diminished heart health.
37.
Spend more time outdoors.
Not sure how to
reinvent yourself without using screens? Get outdoors! As a 2018 study from the
University of East Anglia notes, spending time outside can reduce your risk of
type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stress, high blood pressure, and
overall death. Whether you opt to take a walk around the block or picnic in the
park, a little bit of time outdoors can do you some good in your 40s.
38.
Pay attention to your sleep schedule.
If you're 40 or over,
it's time to get a comfortable bed and stop skimping on the amount of time you
spend in it. Research published in 2015 in Nature Neuroscience reveals that
sleep deprivation may reduce your brain's ability to store memories, potentially
increasing your risk of dementia as you age. Luckily, getting just seven or
eight hours a night is enough to keep you sharp as a tack.
39.
Drink more water.
In your 40s, your water
bottle should be your constant companion from the moment you wake up to the
moment you go to sleep. Drinking enough water on a daily basis can keep you
feeling full for longer and make it easier to shed some pounds. What's more,
researchers at the University of Connecticut have linked dehydration to
fatigue, memory issues, headaches, and poor mood, so staying hydrated could be
the key to staying healthy through your 40s.
40.
Adopt a pet.
Dogs and cats are more
than just good cuddlers. According to a 2013 study published in Circulation,
owning a pet is associated with a reduced heart disease risk and increased
survival among recovering heart disease patients. An earlier 2008 study from
Ohio State University found that owning a cat or dog was enough to help lower
subjects' risk of depression. Even if you've never owned an animal before, it's
not too late to become a proud pet parent!
