Look at any article and you’ll find a HUGE list of habits that can better your life. But sometimes I look at these and don’t know where to start. Should I begin working out? Or maybe I need to focus on flossing? Or finally remembering to put on sunscreen?
While all of these habits are important, trying to tackle them all at once leads to overwhelm and burnout. For me, I’ve found that I have best results when I pick one, do it for a month, and then add in another. In this way, I’ve been able to make exercise, smoothies, drinking enough water, and cold showers (at the end!) a habit.
But for today, let’s focus on the TOP habits. Those that overshadow the rest, and should perhaps be on our top priority list.
Sleep
The amount and quality of sleep you get not only affects your long-term health and longevity, but it hinders your daily performance and attitude. We’ve all been through the spaciness that comes with little sleep!
This makes it a habit that truly impacts every aspect of your life. To get better sleep, try one of these mini habits for a month:
- Go to bed by ______ o’clock
- Turn off your phone 30-60 minutes before bed (or put it in another room)
- Create a simple wind down routine – telling your body it’s time to settle down
Movement
The science shows that exercise does just about everything for you that sleep does, making it a powerhouse for life benefits. It lowers stress, helps us live longer (and better), and makes us more productive. Yet unfortunately, most of us don’t get enough of it. Try one of these mini habits to move more:
- Take a daily walk
- Do a 10 minute yoga session daily
- Get up earlier (making it easier to work out before your day starts)
- Take the stairs at work every day
Nutrition
And next, we ALL know that you are what you eat. Eating good, whole foods is a MUST to living an energetic life. The problem is that it’s harder to DO than to say. So, here are a few small habits to try:
- Food prep salads every Sunday for the week
- Meal plan weekly or daily
- Drink a smoothie every day (try a challenge with a friend)
Stress Relief
Next, so many of us GO. GO. GO. But we don’t take the time to stop and recharge. The problem with this is that it isn’t sustainable long term. We eventually burn out, produce poor work, snap at our family and friends, and feel depressed. Instead, let’s make regular self-care a MUST DO habit in our toolkit. Try one of these:
- Stretching
- Nature walks
- Scheduled time set aside for reading and journaling
- Fun activities with family or friends every week
- Regular massages (by machine, professional, or partner)
See these self-care planner templates for more help with stress relief and wellness >>
Establish Routines
Finally, this one is a little out of the norm, but the truth is, it encompasses any other healthy habit you want to create. If you can create a routine, you’ll make all of your habits automatic. Here’s my personal example:
I created an early morning routine of:
- 20 minutes exercise
- 20 minutes meditation
- 10 minutes journaling (gratitude and goals)
- 60 minutes of deep work
I forced myself to get up earlier and do the ROUTINE for 66 days. And you know what happened? It became automated, and I didn’t have to create separate habits for any of the smaller tasks. It was a HUGE win for me, and it can be for you too. – if you work on a routine as your healthy habit.
Conclusion
Now, of course, there are other healthy habits that are important (put on your sunscreen!). Yet, these will give you a HUGE headstart on your health and even overall life goals. Truly incorporating these big five will give your more energy, focus, and sense of wellbeing than you thought possible.