20 Habits to Upgrade Your Life: Time to Focus on You
By: Ceylan Ersoy
Tags: Habit Building, Life Hacking, Habits, Productivity, Habits For Success

Did you ever find yourself doing something without even thinking about it? It just comes to you automatically, with no conscious effort whatsoever. That is because as human beings we are used to building our daily lives out of habits. From the minute you were born, you started establishing recurring patterns in your life, that you progressively converted into deep-rooted habits you had in your life. Perhaps it is something as simple as which side of the bed you sleep on; or whether you wash your hair or body first in the shower; or if you put the milk or the cereal first. While these may seem small, data shows that about 45% of our daily activities are based on our habits.

The first step in taking control of these routines is building an intuitive awareness of them. While these habits may be positive, they may also be hindering your productivity and progress in certain aspects of your life. As habits, for the most part, feel to us like natural tendencies we have, it takes a lot of work to let go of negative habits and build positive ones. That being said, it is important to start somewhere. Let’s cover 30 habits that won’t take a lot of effort to integrate into your life, but will have a significant impact on your quality of life.

Great Daily Habits to Integrate into Your Life

Add lemon to your water. In addition to being a natural source of Vitamin C, lemons can help with enhancing your immune system, help with digestion, removing toxins from your body, and rehydrating your system. Start writing gratitude letters. Take 5 minutes before you go to bed to recount what you were grateful for that day. This will help you reflect on your day and end it on a positive note. Do stretching for 10 minutes every morning. Have you ever watched a cat stretch when they wake from their nap? Stretching is a great way to signal to your body that you are awake and to relax your muscles, alleviating the tension. Take a walk outdoors. If you are feeling overwhelmed at any point during the day, invite nature into your life. Take a walk outside and take in the scenery for as long as you can. Meditate. Start out with mini 15 minute meditations, close your eyes and focus on your breath until the timer runs out. Make eye contact with someone new. Eye contact helps make interactions more intimate and genuine. Groom yourself. Integrate action items into your schedule that will help boost your hygiene and self-esteem. You can take up wearing clothes that make you feel more confident, shower before you leave the house, or give yourself a manicure. Stand up straight and roll your shoulders back. Posture is important! Purchase a big water pitcher and drink a big glass of water before each meal. Establish a mentor. This could be a mentor for your career, a guide for your exercise routines, or just someone who you find inspiring. Determine what you want to get out of this relationship and ask for support in their areas of expertise. Drinking more than one cup of coffee a day? Replace it with green tea! When it comes to caffeine, try not to consume any after 2pm. Purchase blue light glasses if you are finding your eyes dry and tired after a long day of staring at the computer. Replace soda with seltzers or flavored mineral water. Floss every night. Hug someone that you care about and don’t hold back from showing your affection to this person. Set your clock 10 minutes ahead. This will help you be earlier to meetings and avoid being late. Buy three separate bins for recycling, compost and trash. Create a box for donation. Go over your belongings and clothes to see what you haven’t been using regularly. Give yourself intervals where you will be off social media during the day. This could be a phone free hour in the middle of the day that is dedicated to meditation, exercise, or work. Remember to smile! When you start feeling down, try laughing therapy. Start laughing, even though it is fake. This action will actually activate the hormones that are normally activated when you are genuinely laughing.

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