What are small changes you’ve made resulting in a big difference in your life?

Answer by A Quora admin:

What a great thread this has been to read. So my first recommendation would be to sit down and read through the answers, …ALL of them. There's a ton of great stuff here!

Everybody is different – but some other (small) things that have been recommended to me over the years, than have made (big) differences in my life are:

• If you sweeten your coffee or tea, start using honey.
• Stop drinking soda. Period.
• Start drinking more water – as much as you possibly can.
• A cup of 185° hot water every morning instead of coffee will do miraculous things in many aspects of your life, in addition to adding years (maybe even decades) to it.
  12 Unexpected Benefits of Drinking Hot Water
  6 Reasons Why You Should Drink Warm Water
• If you must drink alcohol, don't do it during the week.
• For maximum overnight metabolism, and a better nights rest – don't eat for 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you're really hungry, drink a bottle of water.  This is an old and well accepted recommendation, but it's a lot harder than you might think.
• Get allergy tested every few years (by an allergist). You'd be surprised at the "healthy" foods that may be sabotaging your system (mine include healthy things like lettuce, bananas, garlic, and soy). Eliminate those things from your diet.  I say every few years, because they will change. You'll sleep better, you'll have more energy, you won't get sick as often, headaches will become a thing of the past, and pounds will start melting away (even without exercise).
• Buy a good bathroom scale, weigh yourself every morning, keep a log (especially if you've done any/all of the above).
• Make your bed every morning.
• Pick out your wardrobe each night for the following day, and set it out before you go to bed.
• If you make a pot of coffee each day, always get it ready the night before.
• Never go to bed with a sink full of dishes.
• Fold and put away your laundry as soon as it comes out of the drier. Don't live out of a laundry basket. Believe me – it really changes your outlook.
• Leave your bedroom blinds in a way that you will wake to sunlight coming in your windows (obvious exception being if you do not work a typical day shift). In either case, your body responds positively to sunlight.
• With tasks, projects, chores, bills – do NOT follow the 'first-in-first-out' rule. Organize them according to when they're due, and always be working on what's due next. One day you'll wake up and realize that you have nothing to do (or bill to pay) for weeks to come. This also makes 'putting out fires' a lot less stressful.
• Keep your inbox clean. If it's done, file it. The only thing in mine are those things which are not yet resolved, handled, or addressed. Find a system of organization that works for you (your business/your industry).  For me, it's hundreds of folders/subfolders in Outlook.
• Never send an email when your emotions on the topic are elevated. If you're on the fence about a strongly-worded email, always (and I mean ALWAYS) save it and re-read it in the morning.  This one is a biggie – thank me later.
• Get rid of NEW clutter. Unsubscribe from any/all mailing lists that aren't relevant or absolutely necessary.
• Get rid of OLD clutter. Clean out the junk drawer, the attic, the garage, the den, the closet, and the shed. Either have a garage sale, or donate it. If you haven't touched it or looked at in in a year or more, seriously ask yourself how necessary is it to keep.
• Also (regarding clutter), the phone pic that you took of the grocery list 6 months ago – do you still need it? How about the 6 out-of-focus pics of your child's performance you took before getting that one perfect one? Go through your digital archives (pics, docs, videos, etc.) and delete whatever isn't necessary. As an added benefit, you'll relive some great memories going through them.
• You are your children's idol. Don't disappoint them. And when you do (which you will), admit it to them. Apologize.
• Make time for your kids. Read with them, play with them, color with them.  It doesn't matter what you do with them – as long as you spend time with them.
• Hug them often, and tell them you love them. Look them in the eyes when you do.
• Listen to your kids.  Just, …listen!
• By the way: your children will instinctively, subconsciously, and uncontrollably seek out a relationship identical to the one that you have with your spouse – remember that!
• Facebook: get out of the habit of scrolling endlessly through your news-feed. If you must have an account (yes, I know – there are lots of good reasons to do so), then train yourself to check only your notifications and then get out.  Otherwise you'll scroll your day away.  To resist the urge of scrolling to see what your friends are up to: pick a handful of good friends, if you like – and choose to "get notifications" for their activity.
  
• If you don't LOVE your job, then you don't have the right job. If you do what you love, then you'll never work a day in your life.
• Become an expert at something you enjoy or find interesting, …anything! Read about it, write about it, speak about it, blog about it, create a website, etc.
• If you have a blog or website, monetize it with Google AdSense and/or affiliates. It may only mean an extra 25¢ per day in the beginning, but it adds up. And besides, you never know when something might go viral and put a few hundred (or few thousand) bucks in your pocket overnight.
• Do not answer calls/texts during dinner time, family time, or "you" time. Your cell phone is for YOUR convenience, not the caller's.
• Always remember – every person you come in contact with (every single day) is in the midst of some kind of personal struggle.
• Always remember – what other people think about you is none of your business.
• Always make eye-contact when speaking to someone, or when they are speaking to you.
• Work on your hand-shake.
• Always lend a hand when possible.
• Always be grateful. No matter how hard your circumstances are, I can guarantee that there are people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat.  The fact that you are reading this on a computer, tablet, or mobile phone right now – means that such people (those willing to trade places with you) number well into the millions, maybe even billions!

I could go on for hours, but its time to have pizza with the kids. So let me wrap this up – just two more:

• Read all the answers on this thread again. Save this page to pocket, or copy paste some of your favorites. Refer back to it every few weeks as a reminder.

• Take a few minutes to contribute to it – I just did.

Merry Christmas!

What are small changes you've made resulting in a big difference in your life?