17 Small Habits to do Daily to Improve your Life.

Is it hard for you to keep up with your plan to improve yourself? Is it overwhelming to change your old bad habits with new ones? Do you find yourself struggling to build a life-changing habit? It is hard to keep up with a good habit or push yourself to be better – especially when you’re new to this. For now, let’s start with small habits that you can do daily for your self-improvement. 

What is a habit? 

It seems subtle but your habits play a huge role in the way your life is shaped. You may think that your daily life is made of your decisions but most of them were decided by your habits.

Your habits are your natural behavioral response to an environmental trigger. And a habit gets stronger over time. Whether you develop a good or bad one, it will be harder to change this habit the more you let it happen. 

Now, why should you focus on building good habits? 

This is a common experience: it is hard to always decide what’s good for you – especially when you already have a bad habit. 

To avoid decision fatigue or choosing the right one all the time, it is better if you train yourself to naturally choose what’s best for you. Sure, you may depend on willpower and motivation but these things run out. 

Why develop small good habits?

To truly improve yourself, you should start with the building blocks which are your habits. Now, creating good habits is not easy. You can’t just immediately love healthy meals when you’re used to eating junk food. It is also hard to fix your body clock after years of not having a specific sleep schedule. 

When you force yourself into this, you most probably won’t be able to keep it up. It is normal to feel resistance because these are big changes that your brain is not familiar with. 

To sustain this, you should start small. Start with something that doesn’t require a lot of energy. Begin with habits that are too small that you don’t have to force yourself into it. The more you develop these small habits, the more it will become easier for you to go on this self-improvement journey.

17 Small habits you can do daily to improve yourself.

Here are 17 small habits that you can do daily. These may not seem like they can change your life, but over time, the more you practice them, the more you see positive changes in your daily life.

1. Make your bed.

Tidying up your bed may seem like a small deal. But, it can significantly impact your day. Doing it can start the momentum of having a productive day. 

And if you have a bad day, you can come back home and find comfort in a clean bed.

• You may want to read this blog – Early Morning Routine: Be energized to seize the day.

2. Meditate.

Set a time for you to be silent and be with yourself. Pausing once in a while and being in the present can help you manage your stress and increase focus.

Some feel uncomfortable with meditation but there are many ways to meditate. My favorites are mindfulness and walking meditation. Look for something that suits you and do it every day.

3. Practice positive self-talk.

Self-talk can be beneficial or destructive. This can influence your mood and your general well-being.

So, make it a habit to be kind to yourself. You can do this by saying positive affirmations every day. Face the mirror and say something nice to yourself.

You can also do this by having a mantra when you’re facing something challenging. Place it where you can easily see it.

4. Do your daily walk.

Walking has a lot of benefits. It is good for your physical and mental health. It can even help you be part of your community just by greeting your neighbors.

There are many advice on how to do this. You can take 10,000 steps daily or walk 30 minutes a day. You can also take some breaks during work and walk around for a few minutes.

It is totally up to you. Do something you can consistently do every day. 

5. Write your journal.

Set a time every day to let everything out. Your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Write them down in a paper. 

Writing in your journal can clear up your mind and give space to more important things. This also allows you to organize your emotions. 

6. Track your expenses.

It is always good to be on top of your finances. Every little thing adds up so it is better to keep a record every day so you don’t forget. 

You can do this by writing in your notebook, or spreadsheet, or inputting details in an app. Doing this allows you to see what you’re wasting money on. As a result, you may be able to cut it out and work on your budget. 

7. Drink water.

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. 

Drink water the first thing in the morning. This is great for your body since it is dehydrated from sleep. 

Drink water when you feel tired. Sometimes, it is just brain fog asking for water.

Or when you feel hungry, drink water – you may just be thirsty.

You get it. Drinking water has lots of benefits. So, keep a jug of water with you all the time so you can remember to drink it from time to time.

8. Keep your place tidy.

Having a neat place to stay or work can tremendously help you and your well-being. It also reduces stress. Also, keeping your place tidy and organized can save you a lot of time later. 

We all love a clean space but working on it can be overwhelming. For some, we need the proper headspace and motivation to do it.

But, this habit doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can try tidying up your place little by little. Whenever you have trash, throw it out in the garbage can. Wash your plates or cups immediately after you use them. Return the things you’ve used to where they originally were. 

These small acts can accumulate and your future self will thank you.

9. Plan your day.

Planning your day includes writing down your tasks, what you’ll eat, where you want to go, etc. Making this a habit can help you avoid decision fatigue. You can then focus on more important things.

You can plan your day the night before or in the morning. There are many tools you can use to do this. Experiment and stick to the ones that work. Also, learn how to stick to your plan but at the same time be flexible if needed.

10. Set 3-4 priorities and do these first.

When you are planning, make it a habit to also set 3-4 priorities a day and then do these first. It is normal to have a lot on your list but let’s be honest, most of the time, you won’t finish them all. And then, you’ll feel bad. 

This is why you set 3-4 priorities, and no matter what, finish them. And then you can do the rest after. Completing them first allows you to do them while you still have high energy. Then, no matter how your day went, you can look at these priorities list and be proud of yourself for finishing them. 

11. Go outside.

It is comfortable to stay at home. I know that personally. It is so comfy when you have a work-at-home job, do shopping online, and get your food delivered. 

But, you still have to go outside. Take some vitamins and energy from the sun, breathe fresh air, and socialize with other people.

Take some time to just appreciate the outside. You may get some coffee or walk your dogs. You can also just sit in the park. 

12. Observe me-time.

In your busy day, it is essential to set a healthy boundary just for your personal time. In your me-time, do what makes you happy. You can rest or do your hobby. Or maybe hang out with your friends. No one cares because it is your time.

This “unproductive habit” is what makes you alive. Enjoy your life!

• You may want to read this: How to take a break to actually feel rested.

13. Prepare healthy food.

Having healthy food is a must in your daily life. But, it will be better if you prepare it yourself. This does not only guarantee a healthier option, but it also helps you save money. Plus, cooking your dishes can be therapeutic.

Obviously, not everyone has the time to cook food but there are a lot of ways to do it efficiently and effortlessly. You can prepare your meals or ingredients beforehand or follow simple recipes. 

14. Read a book.

Successful people always suggest reading a book every day. We know that knowledge is power and reading can significantly improve you. It is always an advantage that you learn something every day. 

In addition, reading a book also trains and exercises your brain. You have to keep your brain working to keep your neurons healthy. 

You may read personal development books, about business, or something entertaining to you. Just keep it a habit to read at a certain time per day.

15. Maintain personal hygiene.

Maintaining your hygiene every day is a must. It isn’t just to avoid body odors but also to keep you healthy. 

Make sure to wash your body, brush your teeth, wash your hands, disinfect what you usually touch, etc. Doing your laundry and keeping your place neat are also part of this.

 

16. Workout.

We know that exercising is important to maintain good health. It is for your physical and mental health. 

Set a time to do your workouts every day. You can go to the gym or do it at home. You can do a quick one or an intense one. Just keep a routine and stay consistent.

Think about working out not to have that perfect body but so you can have strength and endurance to carry on. It is to keep your heart healthy. It is for you to have a healthy adult life.

• You may want to read this blog – How to start working out again and be consistent this time.

17. Sleep at a set time.

Sleeping and waking up at the same time regulates your body clock or circadian rhythm. Consistently doing this tells your body when it’s time to get sleepy or alert. 

Follow a sleep routine that works for you. Some can sleep early and some do it late. So, listen to your body and then adjust your body clock accordingly.

• You may want to read this – How to Reset Body Clock: Follow These 8 Tested Methods. 

Practice small habits to boost your way to success.

“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision.” – James Clear

Remember that the way to great things is through the small positive changes you make in your daily life. Don’t rush yourself. Don’t feel bad about your “small” progress”. Take it step by step.

You can take your time developing the 17 small habits mentioned above. Some habits work together so it will be easier to do them side by side. And there may be some that are more challenging than the others. 

But one thing is for sure, when you practice them consistently, one day you’ll find yourself going through your day doing them naturally. And then, you’ll be able to focus more on something more challenging while doing good things for yourself – on auto-pilot. 

Rooting for you,

Blaise ♡