Top tips on making lent work for you!

Lent is traditionally a deeply religious time lasting a period of 40 days preceding the celebration of Easter. Today, it is known in some not so religious groups as a period of conversion and ultimately giving up something that you regard as a luxury so therefore, a form of fasting.

So, whether you are deeply religious, spiritual or not, why not take the opportunity to make lent work for you? Take the time to think about what you might give up this year. Is it something you enjoy that you would like to sacrifice for a while, like your daily latte? Or is it a bad habit you want to conquer such as smoking or eating too many sugary sweets? Or, perhaps you are keen to change a lifestyle habit such as switching your mobile off for a few hours in the evening to devote to family?

So, to get you started, the professional domestic cleaners at MOLLY MAID have some top tips to help you decide, which option would work best for you and your willpower.

Food & Drink

Decide whether you think you are able to abstain from eating or drinking one of your favourite foods or beverages for a period of 40 days.

• Think about coffee, alcohol, caffeinated fizzy drinks, chocolate, desserts, puddings and if you don’t think that is achievable, how about dairy products such as cheese, cream and so on.

You may even find that you feel healthier after a period of 40 days.

Bad Habits

Do you need an added incentive or a bit of a push to give up the things that you know are unhealthy or unproductive to your life?

• Smoking is a classic example of giving up a bad (and unhealthy) habit, so why not kick the habit this lent?
• Nail biting is also another bad habit that some adults find tricky to give up, but once you do, you realise how much more attractive your hands look.
• Going to bed late can be an exhaustingly bad habit and can lead to becoming irritable, impatient and unmotivated. Why not try going to bed earlier and you will feel the benefits. Try bringing bedtime forward by 30 mins to start with to help your body clock adjust.

Electronic devices

Just as we try to teach the younger generation of good and healthy habits towards electronic devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and internet safety, so must we!

• Set yourself some rules that will benefit the family positively. If your job permits you, try putting your electronic device to one side during dinner times and answer calls only when you have finished sitting at the table. It is also a good idea to have a policy not to answer calls or emails after a certain time at night, so that your family has your full and undivided attention.
• If you need to be on your tablet, pc or mobile during week-ends or holidays, give up checking your phone every 30 minutes unless you are expecting something urgent. Set yourself a slot of time in a day when you can check emails and work if needed and ensure that you communicate it with your family, so they can accommodate it and be in the knowledge that they have your undivided attention otherwise. After all, you are entitled to relax!

So, as you can see, making lent work for you doesn’t have to be too onerous. The top tip is to decide on something that you can envisage working for you and even better, choose something that could work for your family too.

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