We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.
– John Dryden
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Every day is a small piece of a larger picture, a step in the journey of our lives. Our daily habits, the consistent actions we take day in and day out, play a monumental role in determining the quality of our lives. Whether it’s our morning routines, our workday practices, or our evening wind-down rituals, these things to do every day shape our physical and mental health, productivity, and overall well-being.
In this blog post, I will delve into the transformative power of 24 specific daily habits. This list is organized into morning habits to kickstart your day, routines to follow throughout the day for sustained energy and focus, and evening habits to ensure a restful night and prepare for the day ahead. So, let’s start reshaping your daily routine, one habit at a time.
The Science of Daily Habits
Our daily habits are more than just repetitive actions; they are wired into our brains, forming a key part of our neural architecture. Understanding how habits work can provide us with the necessary insight to cultivate positive habits and abandon harmful ones.
Habits form through a process called ‘habit loop’, a concept introduced by Charles Duhigg in his book The Power of Habit. The loop consists of three parts: a cue, a routine, and a reward. The cue triggers the routine, and the reward reinforces the habit, making our brain go back to the same loop next time.
For instance, consider the daily habit of brushing your teeth in the morning. The cue might be the taste of coffee or breakfast, the routine is the act of brushing, and the reward is the fresh feeling in your mouth afterward. Over time, this sequence becomes automatic, and the habit is formed.
But why are habits so crucial for us? Well, they have a profound impact on our mental and physical health. Good habits like regular exercise, healthy eating, and getting adequate sleep can significantly improve our physical health, reducing the risk of various diseases. They also positively affect our mental health by reducing stress, improving mood, and enhancing cognitive function.
On the other hand, bad habits such as overeating, excessive screen time, or chronic procrastination can take a toll on both our mental and physical well-being. Understanding the science of habit formation allows us to harness its power, helping us replace harmful habits with beneficial ones and thereby improve the quality of our lives.
Daily Habits for a Productive and Healthy Life
The power of habit lies in repetition. By intentionally shaping our daily habits, we can harness this power to lead a more productive, healthier, and fulfilled life. So, let’s dive into the list of 24 daily habits broken down into morning, daytime, and evening routines.
Morning Routine Habits
1. Wake up early: Waking up early isn’t about punishing yourself, it’s about empowering yourself. The goal is to create a meaningful morning routine that sets a positive tone for the rest of your day.
2. Exercise: Regular morning workouts can boost your energy, enhance your mood, and improve physical health. Even a brisk walk, light stretching, or yoga can do wonders for your well-being.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast: Fuel your body with a nutritious breakfast to provide you with sustained energy and prevent overeating later in the day. Include proteins, whole grains, and fruits in your meal for balanced nutrition.
4. Practice Meditation: Spend a few minutes each morning in mindful meditation. It helps in reducing stress, improving focus, and promoting emotional health.
5. Set Daily Goals: Take a moment to set your intentions for the day. This habit can help you stay focused, productive, and motivated throughout the day.
6. Learn Something New: Spend a part of your morning learning something new, whether from a book, podcast, or news article. This habit encourages lifelong learning and mental stimulation.
7. Write in a Journal: Capture your thoughts, dreams, and plans in writing. It helps to clear your mind and focus on what’s important.
8. Do a Puzzle or Brain Game: Stimulate your brain and keep it sharp by doing a puzzle or brain game in the morning.
Good Habits Throughout the Day
9. Eat Mindfully: Pay attention to what and how you eat. Eating mindfully helps in better digestion and increases the enjoyment of food.
10. Prioritize Important Tasks: Segregate your tasks into urgent, important, not urgent, and not important, and ‘put first things first’ by focusing on your most important priorities.
11. Listen to Music: Music can uplift your spirits, stimulate your brain, and even help you focus better.
12. Take Regular Breaks: Periodic breaks during work can improve productivity, prevent burnout, and enhance mental well-being.
13. Practice Positive Self-talk: Speak kindly to yourself. Positive self-talk can improve your outlook and combat stress.
14. Connect With Nature: Find time to step outside and enjoy the fresh air and greenery, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
15. Perform Random Acts of Kindness: Make it a habit to do something kind for someone else, no matter how small, each day.
16. Smile: Even when it feels forced, smiling can improve your mood and help build positive relationships.
Evening Routine Habits
17. Engage in Relaxing Activities: Read a book, listen to calming music, or take a warm bath to unwind before bed.
18. Spend Quality Time With Loved Ones: Dedicate some time each evening to connect with your family or friends. It can be as simple as having a meal together or discussing the day.
19. Practice Gratitude: Before going to bed, write down three things you’re grateful for. It fosters positivity and helps you appreciate your life’s blessings.
20. Clean and Organize Your Space: Keeping your environment clean and organized can reduce stress and increase productivity.
21. Read for Pleasure: Reading for leisure stimulates the brain, reduces stress, and promotes better sleep.
- Recommended: give your eyes a rest with an audiobook from Audible.
22. Practice Evening Yoga or Stretching: Light yoga or stretching can reduce stress, improve flexibility, and promote better sleep.
23. Have a Digital Detox: Switch off your digital devices at least an hour before bed. This habit aids in better sleep quality.
24. Ensure a Good Night’s Sleep: Prioritize quality sleep. A good sleep cycle aids in recovery, improves memory, and enhances overall health. It also will help you with the first habit on this list, waking up early.
How to Implement Good Habits Into Your Daily Routine
Now that we have our list of 24 transformative things to do daily, the real challenge begins – implementation. The process of building new habits and sticking to them requires patience, perseverance, and a touch of strategy. Here are some practical tips to help you successfully incorporate these habits into your routine.
1. Start Small: While it’s tempting to adopt all these habits at once, it’s more effective to start small. Choose one or two habits to focus on first, then gradually incorporate others as those habits solidify.
2. Be Consistent: Consistency is key in habit formation. Even if you miss a day, make sure to get back on track as soon as possible. It’s the cumulative effect of doing something day in and day out that brings about real change.
3. Use Habit Stacking: This strategy involves linking a new habit to an already established one. For example, if you already have a habit of having a cup of tea in the morning, use this as a cue to start a meditation practice right afterward.
4. Find Your Why: Knowing why you’re adopting a habit can provide motivation when your willpower wanes. If the reason is compelling enough, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
5. Monitor Your Progress: Keep track of your progress, perhaps by maintaining a habit tracker or journal. Monitoring helps you understand your patterns, celebrate your success, and provide motivation to keep going.
6. Be Patient: Remember, it takes time to form a new habit. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see immediate results. Keep at it, and over time, you’ll start noticing the benefits.
7. Adjust as Needed: If a habit isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to adjust it. Our routines need to adapt to our evolving lives, and that’s completely okay.
Implementing these habits will not only increase your productivity and improve your health but also elevate your overall quality of life. Remember, it’s not about perfection; it’s about making consistent, small changes toward a better you.
Conclusion
Every journey begins with a single step, and the journey toward a healthier, more productive, and fulfilled life is no different. These daily habits are designed to help you make that first step and then keep going.
Remember, the power of these daily habits doesn’t come from a single act; it’s the compounding effect of doing them consistently that leads to transformative results. Whether it’s starting your day with a healthy breakfast, prioritizing tasks, practicing gratitude, or ensuring a good night’s sleep, each habit contributes significantly to improving your lifestyle.
Incorporating new habits into your daily routine might seem daunting at first, but remember to be patient with yourself. Start small, stay consistent, and make adjustments as necessary. It’s about progress, not perfection.
Take this moment to reflect on these things to do every day and consider which ones resonate with you most. Start incorporating them into your routine, and watch how they uplift your life. Don’t underestimate the transformative power of daily habits. They can, quite literally, reshape your life.
This is a great read and thank you for it. I really like the way you worded the article. Clear, simple and to the point. I plan on implementing many of the suggestions.
Thanks again and keep up the great work.
Very good habits to cultivate and indulge in on a daily basis. These habits should definitely help change our lives for the better (although there seems to be some problem with taking multivitamins on daily basis). Keep up the good work.
These are wonderful – all suggestions/tips that make sense. Am going to start working on them. Thanks for sharing, and best of luck with your move!
Very good tips you have put together, a great read. Thank you
Great and very inspiring..but spontaneity is also important , sounds like you take too much time to plan every part of your life…live a little…
I know right, in most cases spontaneity is a life spice ; )
Thanks for the list – i love things like this, helps me do my own mental check list to see how I’m doing. I’m taking up #20 now.
Thanks for this article! I sent it to all my friends. During the past year, I have begun impletmenting many of these habbits in my own life and can vouch for real impact small things like tidying up and waking up really early can have on your life. So many of these suggestions have the ability to transform ones routine into a positive, healthy and mature lifestyle. Thank you writing this!
As a fellow parent, I highly recommend that you read “Unconditional Parenting” by Alfie Kohn as it has really helped open my eyes.
What brings this to mind is your comment about saying “I love you” at least once per day. I used to follow that principle… maybe not to a T, but enough to know that nobody in my life ever questioned if I loved them.
However, there was a quote, which I shall paraphrase here since I don’t have the book handy, but goes something like this:
By saying ‘I love you’ to our children, it implies that it’s actually possible for us to not love them.
Granted, all people interpret things differently, and that’s the most important thing to keep in mind, but reading that quote just made that much stronger in me the desire to ensure that my son and family know I love them through my actions each and every day… ideally every moment… such that the words “I love you” have no relevance or meaning.
If my son never heards the phrase, “I love you” and he feels it every moment of his life, to me that’s priceless and goes beyond what the words could ever communicate.
It’s only because our egos are accustomed to the words that we attribute such meaning to them and that others around us do as well.
That aside, there’s several things on your list I do daily… and several that, as a result of reading this article, I will do daily.
Thank you for that.
Chris,
Thanks for the book suggestion- I’m always on the lookout for new books to read and that one sounds very interesting.
Also, you are right – actions speak louder than words. Saying ‘I Love You’ should never be a substitute for showing someone you love them through your actions.
I have been getting up early (just for a few days now) and meditating and doing a few other things for pleasure such as having a cup of cappucino on the porch, watching the sun rise, writing postcards to friends, doing a little porch gardening, etc. — and I have found that I enjoy my day much more. I feel more prepared for the day, and surprisingly, I have actually had more energy rather than less, later in the day.
Hi Tamara,
Welcome to the site and thanks for the comment. I have fallen back into some bad habits lately (for good reason – see my post “2 Crazy Weeks”). I’m feeling healthy again now and am looking forward to waking early again as, like your experience, I find it sets me up better for the rest of the day.
So much agree on point 1 (Wake Early).
BTW, link you’ve posted in point 1 gives me 404 error (file not found)
Say I love you at least one time a day? My wife would think I DIDN’T love her any more if I only told her once a day… I know you said at least, but it still implies to me that what you’re talking about is maybe 2 or 3 times per day.
As far as the rest of the tips, they’re quite good… I do most of them myself.
You’re right Jason – I don’t think I would get away with just one “I love you” per day either :) .
Wonderful post. These habits are ones that all of us should use but we sometimes forget in the rush of every day work. A great list to keep nearby and remind yourself to slow down and pay attention. Thanks.
Great article thanks. The only tip I’d add would be to thank anyone and everyone who has helped you in some way each day. You may not be able to thank them in person but a mental thanks at the end of the day would be sufficient.
What an inspiration John, thank you! Sometimes it is hard to do it all and we all lose sight of our ultimate goal…which is enlightenment, but with your guidance life really should take on more meaning.
A smile I find is worth a million pounds and common courtesy so rare in this day of grab grab. I really hope this article gets the praise it deserves, in the hope that people might give a thought to those less fortunate…..put it on your to do list! Give more……..
Thanks for the habits… I have been trying to incorporate many of those into my routine for a while now…
One thing I noticed in the introduction was the phrase “Exercise Everyday” (caps yours), and it triggered the response in my head, “Exercise everyday what?” I guess I would be better off to exercise everyday restraint when I see a grammatical error like that, especially on the internet, but since you are ambitious enough to “change my life”, I thought I would do you the favor of pointing out that “everyday” used as one word means “ordinary or routine”, not a substitute for the two words “every day”, which still work just fine alongside each other, separated by a space. Thanks again! :)
Scott: thank you! I was completely unaware of that distinction. I have fixed that now in the article.
Peter: I just thought of another, perhaps more useful suggestion…
One habit I have included in my daily regimen is MEDITATION!
The benefits of meditating, even for short periods of time, are abundant and life-changing over time. Meditation has been shown to improve concentration, attitude, patience, quality of sleep and other factors contributing to overall well-being when practiced regularly. I meditate for about 20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes before bed. I often find quantum leap solutions to problems in my life during and immediately after meditation. It is as simple as focusing on your breath. Many good books have been written on the subject- my favorite is “Mindfulness in Plain English”.
Hope this helps someone find the true blessing that is sitting in silence… I think it should be taught in every school from a young age. Meditation. A daily habit that has changed my life, and will change yours if you practice it.
Thats was a good read, I enjoyed the debate on multivitamins.
I dont use them, as I make sure I get enough through what I eat.
I do agree with the part about meditation, it has had a positive effect on my life, without doubt.
Everything listed is so crucial to creating great days which will lead to a great life. Especially the part about reviewing goals daily. Very comprehensive and helpful list. Thank you.
What are you, my mother?
Hello:
I found you through Corinne Edwards. Good blog you have. I’d like to add to your list: FORGIVE EVERYONE, EVERYTHING…..
Have a wonderful day whenever you read this.
Rod Smith
I think that it would be difficult to do all of these, but even doing some will help, and I try to do most at least weekly, so that I can benefit one way or another
Very usefull tips.
It realy inspires me
Thx Peter
I suggest an interesting idea: the guiding concept. It consists in giving a general meaning to what you want to do this year, for example read a book a month. Good post
Hi Peter,
Wonderful list!
Thanks for sharing!
One thing,i observed is,in both of your habit lists,there is nothing mentioned about prayer?(again it depends on individual faith).I highly recommend to add it your list.Prayer helps you to find the godliness in you.Without spiritual fulfillment,one may feel some vaccum inside.You need not to allocate an entire day for prayer alone,just few minutes in the morning before you start your day.
Alongwith Visualisation,i recommend to add Positive Affirmations too.
Best Wishes,
Kannan Viswagandhi
http://www.growing-self.blogspot.com
It reminds me the book called “Monk, who sold his Ferrari” by Robin Sharma. Very useful and true,
Go ahead and tell your kid (mate, etc) that you love them. Say it in words … and prove it in your deeds. Neither words without action nor deeds done in silence are sufficient. If I love my son, I will tell him so. Silence only makes him have to guess and guessing leads to uncertainty. I want him to know, beyond any possible doubt, that I love him.
Obviously I heartily disagree with the parent who referred you to a book. I can’t think of the title of a single parenting book. But I can tell you that my sons grew to be fine men who have never doubted their fathers affection for them. I am now a grandfather twice over.
BillinDetroits last blog post..A good calculator for weight control
Men can take multivitamins, just make sure they have NO IRON!!!!
I really liked the blogs. I don’t know if I can keep track of 24 habits, but I’ve got a place to start. Change is always good and can bring out the best in you if you watch it.
Thank you for the wonderful compilation / tips. I am a huge fan of Robin Sharma.
I hope to try out the 30 day trial to make getting up eary a habit… But many a times , the problemI find is that , in the mornings …I tend to find the dreamy world more comfortable n cozy and do not want to wake up to the reality…There are lots of family pressures around and I am not sure how to tackle this to wake up early …I desperately want this habit…any suggestions and tips to overcome this guys…will be a lot helpful
It’s really inspiring…
Thank You So much.
Your habit of daily flossing is perhaps doubly important in that studies suggest it protects against cardiovascular disease. It appears that the gingivitis or gum inflammation that results from poor oral hygiene predisposes to a chronic pro-inflammatory state which in turn increases the risk of intravascular clotting; esp at loci of narrowed vessels.
I get great value out of tracking my daily actions — those “practices” that I do to change old habits and install new ones — using the Practice Manager inside Aliveworld. This allows me to get daily reminders if I don’t update my practices and can graph how I’m doing, keep a journal associated with each one and so on.
Nothing like a daily reminder to focus the attention on what I have committed to do!
Thank you for putting down some great thoughts and insights into living more fully. Many of the habits you have formed I also enjoy, and it has made my life better. Thank you again for your work.
Sincerely,
Alex
This is a great post and very inspiring thank you :)
I just have two questions
1 – where do you suggest fitting in “intimate time with partner” *blushes* :)
2 – what do you do when you have a night-owl partner who doesn’t want you to get up at 5am because that means you go to bed earlier and therefore have less time with them? I’d like to get up at 5am, but that would mean I’d have to go to bed at about 9-10pm (which is the time when my other half wants to unwind from his day and spend time with me!).
Thanks :)
Very Nice and motivational points…..really
I belive that to be successful in your life first thing required is to be able to properly
organize and manage your life properly. This is really good.
Thanks
hope to make these habits daily routine… thanks for the list..
Thank you so much for this list.. I like the way you explained each habit.
Thanx for giving such points coz they r really helpful and follwing them gives u a kind of freshness and self-confidence.
I thought this was a good insight into the habits of an individual as we live and learn we don’t really find out about other people’s habits that we do not see.
This was a very good read for me as i was looking for a good example NOT that i could copy but one that i could be inspired by and take the bits relevant and possible to incorporate in my own life.
Thank you for sharing!
x
Peter,
Your post is a blueprint for living consciously instead of living reactively. Most people don’t understand the power of habits, but they are the key to successful living. I will be back for more. Great looking blog.
Alex
i’m agree with your thought but we should not do these things as a machine we should prefer the things which is more important at that time we like some of us can’t wake up early because of our work, can’t exercise because of time.
Rewrite our goal is the best thing which can be done by every person, read newspaper is also a good habit we should make a habit to do this.
But one more we should always be thankful to god for this life.
We should start a day with a pray to god because pray has tremendous power. this supply a positive in us so please don’t forget the god is there who loves us .
except this i like your blog very much and i decided to follow this.
than you for kind blog.
I very much enjoyed these ideas. thanks
Really Its too good ……………I like it ………….i will try to spent my remaining life this way …….cause m so impressed about this experience
Thanks a lot for this blog!
I recently found out that some one close to me but a few years younger is having a baby and plans to get her own place etc. I began feeling somewhat useless as I’m a 22 year old, still in uni, who really doesn’t do an awful lot if I’m honest. I decided I had to make some changes in my life, to become more productive etc and figured and the easiest way to make a change was simply to start developing habits which may in the future flower into something else, a bigger better change perhaps. Although most of these things probably fall under the ‘common sense’ umbrella having some one actually say ‘Try these things, it worked for me so why not?’ it makes them seem a lot more valid and worthwhile. I’ll start doing most of these I think :D
A great article ; I just want to suggest u 02 things:
First : Add 05 minutes of prayer to God, Allah ( any religion in which you believe) or if you don’t believe/follow any religion then just thank to your parents for giving you this wonderful life. Make this the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. It will give me great mental relief and give you the positive energy.
Second: – Daily spend some time in meditation may be 10 to 15 min.
Just an advice; follow it for a week and give me the feedback on my email id
Great article Peter. Mohit I loved your additions
Hai,
The post is good. Actually, i most impressed in the 23rd sentence.
i.e. Express our love to family members, that point i liked very much, because in the busy schedule, each and every one of us never expressed our love expressions orally, they just think that the family members could understand their affection by wavelength. So they forget to express.
But understanding the affection of love in wave length is second and next part. But it is also one of ur duty to express kind is very important to life to make smooth going family when, without forgetting to express the same..
Its really good one. I am implementing it . Thanks a lot for listing in single piece
Express our love to family members, that point i liked very much, because in the busy schedule, each and every one of us never expressed our love expressions orally, they just think that the family members could understand their affection by wavelength. So they forget to express.
THANK
Thank you Very much…………Really very useful………present some more articles teekey………
Great quote from Mr. Covey!
Really good suggestions to implement. It can make work look easy.
Great tips!
I find very important that you dedicate time for your family too.
Too often our lives are just work centered and we forget those elements in your life, which are the most important.
Let me add these two to the list:
1) Meditation
2) Gratitude
First one gives you time by yourself whereas the other opens your eyes to see, that you have lots of good in your daily life (and which you should appreciate).
Timo
Great additions Timo. I’d like to add “limit alcohol” to the list. Cory countryman
Those are very good habits. Just instead of taking a multivitamin, I would rather eat fruits and vegetables and eat nutritious food anyway. I never stop a day without making a to do list for the next day. I used to workout in the morning, which is much better as in the evening.You made me try to start again to work out in the morning.
Hi,
I am new to your site. Barrie recommended your site to me.
I am glad to see all these rules on this post. It reminds me of my own daily lists of rules. I have deliberate transformed my action plans to rules. I believe that rules have the added power to really push us to the limit. If rules are broken, what do we get? Punishment right? I will punish myself in positive ways if I fail any of the following rules though. More often than not, the fact that they are rules compels me to action on them. Enjoy my list of rules for my PERSONAL success:
Run 5km everyday.
Eat at least two pieces of fruit everyday.
Only one cup of coffee everyday.
Do my daily meditation exercise everyday.
Listen to inspiring music every morning.
Write down and release key emotional feelings every night.
Kiss my family goodbye every morning before going off to work.
Kiss and hug my family intensely whenever and wherever I meet them after work.
Say I love you to my wife at least ten times a day.
Surf the net for pictures and information about my adventures everyday.
Insert details into my adventure plans everyday
Clear any piece of work from my office everyday.
Write and publish one blog post for Life Architects everyday.
Comment on ten blogs before I sleep everyday.
Develop additional details on my personal development programmes everyday.
Read one new inspiring story everyday and write a short reflection about it.
Visualize Vision Points and read Personal Mission Statement everyday.
Do not eat out personally everyday.
Every payday save $100 dollars into E-Saver account for kids.
Avoid ERP everyday.
Read for at least 30 minutes everyday.
Plan for at least 30 minutes everyday.
Good list!!!! I like it a lot! I will be implementing your listto my daily routine. Very healthy habits!!
Jimmy: You are doing a great job. Keep it up!
The layout of your daily routine inspires me and others too.
Definitely! one will got the success in his or her life by implementing the idea which you have planned for your life.
Have a nice day dear.
It is funny how in life when you are reaching and searching for strength or valuable advice it hits you square in the face. I am a 37 year old male in Georgia and have been soul searching for a while and looking on the Internet for quality advice……. This is the best site I have found!
It is writtenin normal, everyday language making it very easyto follow. I love the lost of 24 habits. I can relate and feel very confident that I can implement each one of them in my own way. I am a task master and constantly have to feel organized. This is the perfect road map for me to tap into my inner self and follow a Personal Mission Statement for success and true happiness!!! You forndesigning this blog. It helps me greatly!!!
Thank you Peter, great tips! I follow many of the same ones daily too. If I had to add anything, I would remind everyone to be careful of what you read and watch — when you give your passive energy and time to something, you are endorsing it; thus we must be responsible in our entertainment choices.
Thank u Peter. I’m trying to built more of these good habbits and i’m feeling better. It’s not easy at the beginning but every day it’s like a great day. :-)
Nice … im searching for healthy daily activities.. i found this.. and it is so help ful. lets see how much i can able to do. :)
some great ideas. I would add visualising a better world and my commitment to that,
reflect on how to give back to nature (we live in a parastic materialist world of taking),
eating natural, good quality food that doesn’t inflict suffering on me or other beings as far as is possible.
Very good. tnx
and i hate multivitamins..lol
excellent
I’ve just come across this blog. I love it. It’s totally in sync with my list-making, improving ethos. Great list of habits here, I’ve now tweaked a few of mine and added some to my 2012 list. Thanks
there a big relation between what you said and time management, well said :)
I wanted to thank you for these simple, but often overlooked, words of advice and wisdom. I have written them down and am going to incorporate them into my life.
Love the list Peter. I do most of these already but could stand to incorporate a few more in my daily life. And Mohit thanks for your added suggestions.
Some times it is useful to have a “to-don’t” list as well as a “to-do” list. What I mean by that is this – our brains are often constantly racing with all the things we have to do. This drains energy and increases stress levels. So sometimes writing a “to don’t” list of all the things we are giving ourselves permission NOT to do this week or month can feel really liberating.
It is very inspiring . I am trying to follow this tips religiously .
Hi Peter.
I can across this blog, & this article in particular, via google. Liked reading it & some of the comments above as well.
Excellent read and very helpful, motivating tips. I work from home so enjoy reading stuff like this.
Hi
I love your blog! Just discovered it! Great stuff, well written too!
Thanks
Marva
this is wonderful. it is appealing to the eyes and also to the mind.
thanks for this great article! i need some sort of restructuring for my habits :)
I’m recently getting back on track after another setback in my illness. Thanks for the advice and reminder about setting goals and tracking them. One thing they stress in the hospital is routine and maintenance. So i’m starting with goal-setting.I really like your easy to read setup. Thanks again!
I really enjoyed this post and I have to say some of the the items on the list made me laugh…like flossing. I do see the benefits but its just funny to see it on the list. I myself am trying to live a better lifestyle along with the rest of my family and your post really gave me some great everyday ideas to incorporate into our life that could really make a big difference. Thanks for the great advice. I do have to say that a multi-vitamin is not for everyone regardless of what the commercials say some people benefit more from specific vitamin therapy. Keep up the good work.
To see my own lifestyle change journey check out my newest blog post. http://amarykayjourney.blogspot.com/p/personal-journey.html
Thanks for putting everything on a list. Though sometimes looks like if you take steps then you can guarantee some sort of happiness. It would totally work out for me I assume, but not necessarily for everybody.
For instance, someone who is already detail oriented, who keeps control of time and things, who write down even the most insignificant action point of his/her day, a list like this may even be counterproductive I think.
In any case, I think you must feel rewarded if at least you have helped 1 single person: that’s like helping the entire manhood.
Thanks again,
Paula
like the way you broke down the habits by morning, daytime, and evening. Taking this subject and getting people to change for the better needs to be told in many different ways.
Rock on
What About prayer in the morning and night, before going to bed. Whatever religion you are, i think you should give room to acknowlegde God.
Actually everyone, be man or woman, should take some sort of nutritional supplements daily, but only those that are designed for Optimal Health. Multivitamin over the counter, are very confusing and almost all of them do not have half of what they say they have. There is a profound explanation behind your comment about the studies that have been carried out re Multivitamins over the counter but having said that, the need to supplement is not just a good idea but it is essential to maintaining health and vitality and also for prevention.
Nutritional Deficiency is almost impossible to avoid in these modern times my dear. With the busy lifestyle and the ever-tempting convenience of fast food, it is now very difficult to enjoy excellent daily nutrition. That is the reason WHY SUPPLEMENTATION is critical. But you have to know where to get product that is precisely formulated to deliver optimal levels of the essential vitamins,minerals, protein and phytonutrients necessary to support overall well-being.
Well said..:)
It makes no sense to eat fast food and take supplements. It’s like saying that eating pizza and having energy drink is a balanced diet and many people believe so. Supplements are suggested mostly by guys who produce them.
I really appreciate this post and I have to say that if you do follow all the 24 habits, your life will change. I am really glad to come across this as I do exactly what has been written here, daily and it is amazing to see your life change to better day by day.
My life gets better and better everyday, in all ways. I am so grateful for the life I have. I thank and bless the people who share these great ideas and experiences of life that make a positive impact on people’s lives.
Keep up with the good work. God Bless in all you do.
Your blogs are a fantastic. Important to balance your diet and mutli vitamins are not all the same.
Correlation does not show causation. There’s more factors to take into account… If you’re eating pretty well and the multi puts you way over on some of the vitamins/minerals your body will downregulate absorption but that’s an entirely different tale for a different day.
Its really a great plan that give me a sight how can i develop mine also,really thanks!!!
Thank you for this article. I am so impressed by the way you have described your habits. They are simple, achievable and very productive. I hope to build some of these into my daily routine. All in all the most important thing to achieve all these goals is mainly discipline. For an indisciplined person like me…this definitely is an Herculean task!
Its number 1 and then number 6. Kind of like a long to do list.
I do agree I get a lot more done when I wake up early, but its not always doable
things mentioned in the article are very precisely pointed out (not going into multivitamin debate) and certainly working out these habits will not make one’s life worse. But how come i don’t feel any desire or motivation for any of those? Why i feel deprived and down mostly throughout each day without much of a reason? I feel like intoxicated into some self-proclaimed sadness and feel really hard to get out of this kind of mindset… can anyone help
SS, This list in itself is your help. Try taking on a few of the habits in this article; maybe # 1, 2, 6 & 19 for now, focusing on yourself first as YOU are the foundation to your life. Also make sure you set some goals, small every day goals and huge almost impossible long term goals; you must have a destination to know where you’re going, set course and take action (then you can take on # 3.) Design your life how you want it to be and go for it! It’s hard to get started and get going -I know, but once you do, you will have a sense of purpose, you’ll be focused and excited about life and no longer in the mindset that you’re in. Hope this helps…good luck!
SS
You sound like you are depressed. All of the motivation in these habits should be helping but if you have depression you need to see a doctor and discuss this first. Sometimes they can treat your depression and then you will take off feeling terrific and inspired to follow all the great ideas in this change blog. Get healthy and start enjoying your life. You will be so glad you got the help you needed.
Excellent list!
I find the tidy up thing to be the most difficult thing to make a daily habit. It always seems like something I end up doing after a mess becomes too obvious and interferes with my productivity.
I would add meditation to my list. I find it to be one of those things that can impact everything else for the better when done on a daily basis.
Oh my goodness, is there something wrong with me? I am 62 years old, have had an exciting and fulfilling life. I grab every opportunity I can, sleep as long as I want to, eat good food, live a totally random life, don’t sweat the small stuff and sure don’t regulate my life like this – you scare the pants off me!! My Dad is 88, healthy, has all his marbles, has eaten fried food and sugar all his life, has basically done everything he shouldn’t do and he still enjoys every day. No goal setting for us, just get out there and take what each day throws at you, grasp it with both hands and enjoy while you can.
Great read. I’ve written some of the things above in my tickler. I wanted to make them a habit. But I end up doing like 50% of it only. Good thing or bad? I don’t know. For a lazy person like me, I think what I did is kinda okay.
thank you so much !!
your suggestions are really helpful to me .
but i am confused with the 8th step whether to take multivitamins or not ?
Huge list Peter! To adopt these habits in my life I will have to stick this list on my wall :)
great blog post! A lot of things I do already and some things to add to my new app :)
Thanks
thank you for sharing… great post!!
Sounds like great advice to build success on!
Perfect synopsis, now I just have to add this to my routine.
Thank you so much!
Love this list! Especially enjoyed how you break the discipline areas up throughout the day – simple, actionable.
Loved the habits. Our habits are so important.
I really like the points about pinging a friend and reviewing the day. I look forward to incorporating them into my day.
I like how your suggestions are things that can still be fit into a busy schedule. Smiling at work and being present at home do not take any extra time, just a different attitude. Great list!
Sarthak, what support do you have for such claim?
Peter,
I am always seeking what can i do to improve myself , whether it is health or other thing. The way you describe the 24 habits is very impressive . I will try to follow them and then after some time i will tell you what are the results.
It’s such an informative reading, I hope that I will stick to much of those points mentioned specially geing up early
Written superbly… Felt so positive reading it :)
Nice article and I think everyone can get benefit by reading and accepting these habits.
very nice and helpful just what i needed
I want #1 Wake UP Early to be my morning habit but it won’t get programmed in my mind. Probably there are too many distractions (tv, movies, drink, etc) around me that make me retire to bed late. Wish I could sleep early and wake up early.
Important to balance your diet and mutli vitamins are not all the same. The ones to take should have prostate helpful ingredients like Saw Palmetto.Wish I could sleep early and wake up early.
Get up at 5 am? 5? am? There’s a 5 am?
I nearly gave up on the article because I couldn’t get over the sheer horror of that first item.
Exercise: does walking count? How about vigorous housework?
Goals: I’ve never had any kind of goal in my life, ever. Where on earth do I start?
This one is a great read. Thanks for putting in such simple and effective way. It was published in 2007 and I found it today.. strange ..
I hate the idea of exercising. Instead I try to focus on moving my body for a minimum of 20 minutes every day and changing my mindframe about it made such an incredible difference.
Good idea. I am going from One a Day to None a Day!
that was very helpful and inspiring. thanks for sharing this great habits.
Great list, Peter!
Hey,
That’s a great list but I got mad at #1 right from the beginning. My productive time is from midnight to 4 am. I wake up at 9am.
It doesn’t matter if you wake up early or not, but it does matter if you sleep for 12 hours and then watch Netflix all day.
But despite that, I enjoyed the article ;)
Cheers,
Matt
Thanks for this awesome tips, this is a great help to start my day.
Such a great list of habits, can’t do all but some of them are to be tried !
For the to-do list, in my opinion it’s better to review everything at the end of the day and plan for the next day :), using a GTD app for example.
Thanks for sharing all this !
Really great post. Your article is really fantastic, This article will help me change my habit. Thanks for sharing a nice post with us.
awesome. thank you very much for these insights.
Good , Thanks for sharing these essential health tips.
Great Post, Everyone should follow these tips for healthy life. It’s Never Too Late To Start,
Thanks for sharing such a fitness list of habits. It’s never too late to follow this normal life basics. So get a grip and have a new set of routine.
I agree. Taking supplements definitely is NOT essential. Eat a balanced diet and you’ll get all the nutrition you need. Cut right back on junk food and processed food and learn to prepare and cook using natural ingredients. Add to that plenty of fresh fruit and some raw vegetables, washed down with plenty of water and you won’t go far wrong.
In addition, listen to your body… it will tell you if you need to add or remove things from your daily intake.