Rule the post-grad world in two steps

In college, you can get away with a lot by using college life itself (read: being drunk, broke, and/or sleep deprived) as an excuse for just about anything and everything. Before you walked off the stage in your cap and gown, you and your friends probably joked about entering the real world. And you may be realizing that the more time you spend in the real world, the less acceptable those “collegiate excuses” are.

Welcome to adulthood!

While being an adult in the real world can require a lot of “faking it til you make it,” there are two stupidly easy things you can do to get ahead and actually have your sh*t together (aren’t those the ultimate post-grad goals?)

1. Clean your living space
2. Make your health a priority

That’s it! I know it’s easier said than done, but hear me out: it doesn’t cost a lot of money and it doesn’t take that long. Imagine your friends come over, and they see your apartment in a tidy state, with minimal clutter lying around. Now imagine not feeling like garbage after eating fast food for dinner. Don’t lie—you know you’d feel like a successful adult. Starting today, you can be that successful adult. Here’s the breakdown:

Clean your living space

First things first: make a playlist to jam out to while you clean. You’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish in one song! Pick one day during the week to tackle the following big tasks, and make sure you hit all the nooks and crannies.

• Sweep (or vacuum) floors
• Wash floors
• Windex windows and mirrors
• Scrub all sinks
• Scrub shower/tub
• Scrub toilet
• Go through fridge and freezer
• Soak kitchen sponge in 3 cups hot water with 2 Tbsp bleach
• Disinfect remotes, door knobs, etc. with Clorox wipes

Knock out these tasks every day:

• Make bed
• Wipe down phone with rubbing alcohol on a paper towel or cotton ball
• Put away scattered clothes
• Clear dishes from sink

I know it may look like a lot, but it’s not! Seriously, I’m one of the laziest people on Earth when it comes to cleaning. I hate doing it, but my place feels (and looks) fantastic when I’m done! Trust.

Make your health a priority

Hopefully you’ve learned how to (at least) cook a piece of chicken since leaving the dining hall days behind. If not… stop reading right now and look it up on YouTube. Contrary to popular belief, preparing your own food is cheaper—and obviously healthier— than eating out. Aside from grocery shopping for healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains, treat your body better than ever by getting into these habits:

• Drink more water, especially before meals
• Cut back on sugar and salt
• Really try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night
• Look for opportunities to walk more throughout the day
• Take breaks from looking at phone and computer screens
• Work up a sweat at least three times a week

Call these suggestions cliché, but they’re familiar for a reason: they work. You have more power, time and energy today than you will five or ten years from now to establish a productive and healthy lifestyle. And without productivity and good health, how do you expect to be a successful adult?

~Remember to follow Fit by the Fork on Instagram~