When people say the little things count. It is true. Over time, these become a key part of anyone’s day and can be the difference between a good day and a bad day. As a fellow busy bee myself – I understand that through the day including mornings and night, we are so focused on what we need to do and getting on with the next task, we tend to put off investing our time into reading and learning new and everyday things – especially small yet important habits.
With this all in mind I have a list of some quick mini habits you can pick up and apply to your life each and everyday. These have been sourced across the web and combined/consolidated for you:
- Floss before going to bed.
- Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
- “Eat the frog”. Write down 1 task that you must absolutely perform in order for the day to be a success, and do it first when you get to work.
- Send 1 call/text/email to an old friend or colleague that you haven’t spoken with in a while.
- End the day with fewer emails in your inbox than you started with.
- Give away / donate one item in your household every single day. Repeat until you have an uncluttered, restful home.
- Walk to and from work, if possible. Exercise! Sunshine!
- Eat at least one fruit or vegetable each day.
- Express gratitude.
- Spend at least 20 minutes reading something that is completely unrelated to your career (or “personal development”).
- Get uncomfortable at least 1x per day (ideally 3x or 5x).
Remember:
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
- Stand up every half hour or hour, and walk around, do air squats or push ups, meditate, breathe deeply and slowly or stretch.
- Call, message or email someone you love.
- If you’re tired, lie down for five minutes.
- Shower or wash your face to refresh.
- Hug someone you deeply care about for longer than they expect.
- Go outside and get some sun for five minutes.
- Laugh. Tell a joke or listen to one. Read something funny.
- Write everything you’re grateful for. If you can’t think of anything, appreciate being alive. Especially compared to the alternative.
- Listen to your favorite song. Better yet, hum, sing or dance to it.
- Brush with your left hand. Makes you connect to your right/creative brain.
- Breathe deeply at least once a day
These are just the tip of the ice-berg for when it comes to the little things you can add or change in your life to make it more productive, to learn something new or to simply challenge yourself.
If you have some particular ones of your own, feel free to share them.