Small Habits That Can Change Your Life
2020 has been a year unlike any other. Many people have had their entire lives upended and their comfortable routines have completely changed. So the other day I was thinking about the small habits that one can start doing to improve their daily life.
Every day we are faced with a multitude of decisions,
“Do I go to the gym or watch TV?”
“Should I make my bed in the morning?”
“What time am I going to go to bed and wake up?”
“Do I eat veggies or pizza?” (the answer is obviously both).
“Should I like this picture on Instagram?”
Think about how many little decisions you have to make all. day. long. It’s estimated that the average adult makes around 35,000 decisions each day…uh WHAT? Not only do we have THOUSANDS of decisions to make a day, but the brain is also hardwired to resist change (if you’re interested read more about that here). So, often many people get stuck in a rut of doing things that don’t benefit them.
It is so easy to make a split decision, choosing something you want at the moment instead of what has a greater impact in the future. You might be “busy” all the time but are you doing the tasks that ultimately give you the best results? This applies to everything, your career, family, health, etc. When we create good habits, it creates an environment where you don’t even think about what you’re doing (no decision necessary!) it’s just what you do.
The way to live a happier healthier life? Introduce better habits. So what are some small habits that can make a great impact?
Morning Habits. Try starting your day off the right way with a few of these habits!
Get up at your first alarm. Check out the benefits and a few tips on making it easier here.
Make your bed. It’s a small action but starting the day with something you control can make a big difference (plus it just looks good!).
Set yourself up for success/Take time for you. Starting the morning planning/scheduling/journaling can eliminate the need for decisions later in the day.
Exercise. Getting your body moving boosts your mood (releases endorphins) and doing it early is ideal before other daily tasks get in the way.
Walk 30 minutes a day.
Do daily yoga/exercise. Pick a doable amount of time for you, could even just be a ten minute practice or 10 push-ups a day!
Water. You have a body that’s made up of 60% water, I don’t even have to explain why this one is important. If you struggle to drink enough, here are some habits to help. *Water rule of thumb: Drink half your body weight in oz!
Drink a glass of water right when you wake up!
Set phone reminders/log your water intake on a phone app (my favorite is Plant Nanny 2).
Sleep. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night is imperative to function at your best so what are a few habits you can implement to improve sleep quality?
No caffeine in the afternoon.
Have a set bedtime.
Create a bedtime stretch routine to help relax muscles.
Avoid screens before bed.
Reading a few pages of a book.
Nutrients. Introducing any habit that gets healthy nutrients into your body is key!
“The Green Chug.” This is one my little sister started doing that I first found ridiculous but highly effective. Every morning she blends up a cup of greens into oat milk (or even water), and chugs it. It might not taste great but you get that serving of veggies down the hatch nice and quick. I like to do it post-workout and add protein powder…and fruit. Smoothies are a great easy habit!
Finding a consistent time to take supplements/multivitamins.
Mindset. Taking time to meditate or journal is a great habit in itself but there are a few practices that you can weave into your routine to improve your state of mind.
Writing affirmations or a few things you’re grateful for in the morning.
Celebrate the good things at the end of the day.
Create a goals/vision list you review weekly/daily.
So whether you implement just one or all of those habits, over time I guarantee you’ll notice a difference. The only person who has control over your life is you. Start making decisions and creating habits that will enable you to live your best, fullest life!
Comment below, what habits are you going to start? Do you already do some that I didn’t mention