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Introduction
Are you looking for small easy habits to incorporate into your life? Then keep reading! This post covers 10 easy of daily habits to improve your life and overall wellbeing. Start working towards a happier and healthier you. These are small changes that will make a huge difference to your mindset. These habits don’t all have to be implemented, and certainly not all at once; even just picking out a few of these to focus on at one time will still make a difference.
SEE MY COMPLETE GUIDE ON HABIT FORMATION > Mastering Habit Formation and Behaviour Change For Your Health
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Drink Water First Thing In The Morning
- 2. Make Your bed Straight Away
- 3. Get Dressed (Even if You’re Not Going Anywhere)
- 4. Establish a Skincare Routine
- 5. Do a 5 Minute Morning Declutter
- 6. Take Time To Move Each Day
- 7. Read For 10 Minutes A Day
- 8. Set Limits On Social Media
- 9. Have a ‘No Screens’ rule for at least An Hour before You Go To Bed
- 10. …Write down 3 Things you are Grateful For
- Daily Habits To Improve Your Life: Conclusion
1. Drink Water First Thing In The Morning
A great way to start the day is to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Not only is it great for hydration, it can help you feel less groggy upon waking and give you more energy. Plus, it’s a simple and natural way to keep your body healthy and running smoothly! This is also a great time to take any vitamins/medication so you don’t forget.
Leave some water on your bedside table the night before, this means it will be within reach as soon as you wake up. If you want to be a little bit extra (like me), you can get a cute water carafe that matches your aesthetic. I LOVE this one.
2. Make Your bed Straight Away
Making your bed first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day off on the right foot. Making the bed takes no time at all but will give you a sense of accomplishment and help you to feel immediately more productive. Not only that, but it can help create a calming environment in your bedroom so you can continue to be productive throughout the day.
Hopefully you don’t have to guiltily move your cat like I do!
3. Get Dressed (Even if You’re Not Going Anywhere)
This is especially important for those of us working from home. It may seem like a small step, but getting dressed for work can have a big impact. By getting dressed in the morning, you’re sending a signal to your brain that it’s time to get to work. It helps you stay organized, focused, and motivated since you’re in “work mode.”
But even if you’re not working, getting dressed can boost your self-confidence, which can help you stay on task and more productive.
You don’t have to be in a suit or anything particularly fashionable, it’s just about getting out of what you slept in. My go-to for WFH is a pair of tracksuit bottoms, a jumper and my slipper socks.
4. Establish a Skincare Routine
An effective skincare routine is essential for keeping your skin looking healthy and vibrant. Whether you are trying to clear acne, or prevent wrinkles, looking after your skin is a form of self care. Try to find a routine that is specific for you, and that you can stick to on a daily basis – morning and night.
I recommend having a “bare minimum” skincare routine alongside your usual one. Meaning that even if you are rushing and don’t have a lot of time, you at least use your minimum products. So my usual morning routine is cleanser, toner/exfoliator, vitamin c serum, moisturiser & SPF. My “bare minimum” routine is cleanser, moisturiser and SPF (you should always use SPF!).
5. Do a 5 Minute Morning Declutter
This routine isn’t about cleaning necessarily, it’s about getting everything in it’s place as a way to start the day off right. This helps to keep you organized and productive, as you can quickly find what you need when you need it. I personally feel a lot less scattered when everything is in it’s place.
Every day (try for the morning), set a timer for 5 minutes and do these 3 things – in this order:
- Throw away any rubbish and gather any plates or cups left around the house and put them in the sink/dishwasher.
- Put anything that’s in the wrong place away. e.g. pens left on the coffee table, clothes not in the wardrobe or laundry basket, small kitchen appliances that need to be put away etc.
- If you have any time left over, pick a small area to declutter i.e. a drawer, or cupboard. (You don’t have to finish decluttering it, just make start – you can do more another day.
5 minutes works for me as I am in a fairly small apartment with no kids, but you may need to make it 10-15 minutes. The aim is to try and do it as fast as possible!
6. Take Time To Move Each Day
Taking time to move each day is so important for our physical and mental health! Whether it’s a walk around the neighbourhood, a few yoga poses, or a high-intensity workout, making time to move your body can have a significant positive impact on your overall wellbeing. It’s recommended that you try to fit in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, but even 10 minutes will have it’s benefits and you can build on it.
Nervous about going to the gym? I have a post on overcoming gym anxiety.
7. Read For 10 Minutes A Day
Reading is an incredibly valuable habit that can be beneficial in many ways. Studies have shown that reading can improve your intelligence, increase your vocabulary, sharpen your writing skills, and even reduce stress.
It’s also a great way to escape from reality and relax. Challenge yourself to read for just 10 minutes each day. Before you know it, you’ll be hooked!
8. Set Limits On Social Media
Social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but it can also be a major distraction from important tasks and activities. Setting limits on social media apps can help you to safeguard your mental and physical health by reducing the amount of time spent in front of a screen. Taking regular breaks from social media can help you to relax, recharge, and refocus on the important things in life. I use the built-in feature Samsung has for limiting screen time and and blocking certain apps – but there are also apps you can download that do this.
9. Have a ‘No Screens’ rule for at least An Hour before You Go To Bed
Implementing a “No Screens” rule for at least an hour before bed is a great way to help ensure a good night’s sleep. Not only does it give your eyes a break from the bright screens, but it can also help your mind to relax and wind down from the day. Use this time instead to establish a good night-time routine – make a cup of bedtime tea, read a book (great time for that 10 minutes!), meditate, plan the day for tomorrow, chat with loved ones etc.
Another option for this time is…
10. …Write down 3 Things you are Grateful For
Writing down the things you are grateful for is an incredibly powerful way to cultivate a positive outlook on life. It helps to reframe your thinking, so instead of focusing on the negatives, you can take time to recognize and appreciate all the good things in your life. Not only will this help to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, but it can also help you to build stronger relationships with those around you. Taking the time to appreciate the little things can also help to increase motivation and productivity, so writing down the things you are grateful for can be a great way to improve your overall wellbeing!
Daily Habits To Improve Your Life: Conclusion
On average, research suggests that it takes more than two months for a new behaviour to become automatic. Habit formation is an important process for achieving goals and living a healthier life. It’s a process of repetition and reinforcement, which helps to build new behaviours and replace unhealthy ones. The timeframe for this can vary depending on the complexity of the behaviour or habit, your motivation and dedication to practicing it, and the amount of repetition and reinforcement the habit receives. It’s important to be patient and consistent, as it can take some time for the habit to become second nature. Slowly incorporate these daily habits to improve your life by only working on a few at a time.
What do you think of this list of daily habits to improve your life? Do you have any of your own recommendations? Leave a comment below!