Since habits make up everything we do, they can either drag us and our goals down, or build a successful lifestyle. Do your habits contribute to your long term goals, health and happiness, or do you find that the habits of your every day routine are ultimately not leading to where and what you want in life?

Below we have a list of daily habits to consider adding to your daily routine in order to boost your mood, make you feel better and healthier, and add a little more pizzazz to life.

Why Are Habits Important?

Daily behaviors can be automatic

A study from Duke University in 2006 found that up to 45% of all our daily behaviors are automatic. So that means nearly half of our day is spent doing things we haven’t consciously decided to do. A little scary, right? Makes you look back on your day and wonder what you have done without even realizing it!

Habits bridge the gap between intention and action

Habits are the difference between wanting something to happen and making it happen!

Small changes can have big results in the long run

If you are working towards a long-term, overarching dream or goal (whether personal or career), it is easy to be overwhelmed by the distance between the ‘now’ and the ‘then.’ Your habits are little changes that are less daunting to rearrange and change on a daily basis in order to work towards whatever you aim for in the future.

How to institute new habits into your life

Repetition, repetition, repetition

Once more for good measure…repetition. When learning something new and taking on a new daily challenge or habit, it will be foreign and difficult to consciously decide to do it, and more than that, to stick to it. Over time, the choice will become less conscious and more ingrained. 

Define and remember why you want this habit to be a part of your life

Goals! What are you working towards? When it gets tough to discipline yourself to stick with implementing the new habit, ask yourself: why are you actually attempting this? The faith you have that you can see yourself there may be the inspiration you need,

Choose one change/habit to break or instate at a time

It can be tempting to think: I want a total life reboot and I am going to completely start over and remake my life. However, too many changes can lead to stress, self-induced pressure, and ultimately, the inability to stick with any of those habits. Pick one or two most important to you and pursue them, until they are ingrained into your system, and then move on to the next.

Try a 30-day challenge

While, on average, it takes 66 days to develop a habit, 30-day challenges give you a huge jumpstart on a set timeframe. When you are committed to a specific goal for an entire month, you will certainly be able to see results in this time, to see if this habit is sustainable and produces the positive results you wanted to see. Also, a thirty-day challenge just has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

13 Life Improving Habits to Practice Every Day

Develop a good morning routine

 A morning routine, specifically, is proven to increase motivation throughout the day and sets the tone.

Be outside for at least 30 minutes every day

Get outside and breathe in that life-giving fresh air! It rejuvenates the soul and wakes up your mind. If you have a sedentary desk job, it is important to move around whenever you have the opportunity. Take a walk during your lunch break, watch a peaceful sunset in your favorite park, or take an afternoon coffee outside.

Write down three things/people you are grateful for, every day

This is a short and easy task, and a daily reminder that you have much to be grateful for in this life. This habit is statistically proven to improve mood, because bringing gratitude into your life brings happiness into it as well.

Tell someone you love them everyday

Make a short daily to-do list

This could be at bedtime the night before, so as to have a brief battle plan for the following day, or maybe you would prefer to do it first thing in the morning over a cup of coffee. It increases your motivation and productivity, and gives a sense of purpose and structure to the day at hand. It prevents you from falling into the trap of “I’ve been meaning to do such-and-such, but just keeping forgetting or putting it off.’’

Reading (not watching TV) before bed

Turn off Netflix and fall asleep to a great book, which is more conducive to solid sleep. Reading before bed is equally relaxing! Falling asleep to the TV has been criticized for the artificial light exposure that penetrates even your closed eyelids; it also keeps you up later than you should by stimulating your brain (when it is supposed to be turning down). If reading isn’t working out, try podcasts, or apps like Calm and Audible, that offer soothing bedtime meditations and read-alouds.

Get 8 hours of sleep

Most of us know this saying by heart but do not abide by it and strive to downplay it, but getting the sleep that our bodies require will make visible positive differences in your waking moments.

Move your body in some capacity every day

If working out isn’t your thing, then don’t feel the need to sign up for a gym membership you don’t actually want. Nowadays, there are so many at-home workout programs that you can do from the privacy of your living room. There are so many different ways to get your blood pumping and your limbs up and moving; find what works best for you and your routine. Exercise gives you more energy, improves overall health, and boosts your mood.

Drink more water

Most people don’t drink as much as their bodies need. Aim for eight (8 oz) glasses a day.

Cook more at home, rather than eating out

A home-based meal routine is far healthier and less expensive than eating out regularly. It can also be fun! Try out one of our favorite recipes!

Cut back on alcohol consumption

Even that evening glass of wine (or two) counts. 

Cut back on social media

While social media can have its time and place, a majority of it is simply time-wasting and does nothing for a positive, healthy mentality. Set a timer on your phone that lets you know how long you’ve spent on it, or resolve not to go on any social media apps before noon, or until after 5 pm. If social media is your time-killer in between classes or meetings, find an alternative use of time for those sporadic, free moments. Instead of resorting to mindlessly scrolling every dull moment, bring a book with you everywhere you go, do the daily crossword, or make a point of socializing.

Organize your home/personal space regularly

If your physical personal space is in disarray, your mental state and personal life is most likely to also be in disarray. Having your area decluttered and clean lends a helping hand towards an organized and productive mindset, routine, and lifestyle. Start with making your bed everyday and you will see that the satisfaction you feel from this small effort will motivate you to organize the rest of your space regularly as well!

“Your beliefs become your thoughts, 

Your thoughts become your words, 

Your words become your actions, 

Your actions become your habits, 

Your habits become your values, 

Your values become your destiny.” 

Gandhi

Habits constitute our daily lives and play a huge role in goal achievement and success. The positive take-away is that habits can start super small, with minuscule changes, and as these changes become normalized and your discipline grows, you will have the growing strength and awareness to build bigger, better habits. A little goes a long way!