The popularity of habits has surged recently, largely due to the personal growth trends promoted by Gen Z culture. This has also been influenced by recent books, with Atomic Habits being a notable example and personal favourite of mine. This trend is largely about gaining control of one’s life, as many people have been living on autopilot, conforming to societal norms without paying attention to how they spend their time. With mental health now being taken seriously, it was inevitable that we would delve into the root of these issues and scrutinize our lifestyles, which involves monitoring our habits.
. . .
The unrealistic habits movement
The widespread discussion about habits has led to intense scrutiny of the routines of high achievers, celebrities, CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors, and other well-known figures. This scrutiny has revealed a plethora of habits and routines that, while popular, can be unrealistic, unsustainable, and potentially harmful, causing unnecessary anxiety and stress. It’s important to remember that there’s no obligation to adopt a 5am wake-up routine or any other habit if it doesn’t suit your lifestyle. The key is to listen to your own mind and body, selecting habits that genuinely benefit you.
The 10 habits that improved my life
Today, I intend to share with you a selection of habits that I have personally chosen, applied, and adapted from a myriad of popular ones to fit into my life.
The sequence presented here is entirely arbitrary. Now, let’s get started:
- Have a good sleep hygiene
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
Throughout my personal growth journey, I focused on various facets like fitness, relationships, and nutrition, but sleep was always put on the backburner.
I consistently chose to engage in entertaining activities, such as partying, watching Netflix, movies, going out, and reading, instead of prioritizing sleep.
When I hit a standstill with my fitness and nutrition goals, I got a dog. Anyone who owns a dog knows that they usually sleep early and wake up early. This required me to leave social gatherings sooner, prioritize sleep, and retire to bed earlier as I was roused quite early in the morning.morning.
They key takeaways here are:
- Aim to sleep and wake up earlier to align with your body’s natural circadian rhythm.
- Strive for eight hours of sleep each night, with a minimum of seven hours and a maximum of nine.
- Try to wake up at the conclusion of a sleep cycle, which typically lasts 90 minutes. Set your alarm accordingly.
- Maintain a slightly lower temperature in your bedroom compared to the rest of your house.
- Ensure your bedroom is dark while you are sleeping.
- Exercise / Workout every day
Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash
Numerous studies highlight the physical and mental benefits of regular exercise.
From my own experience, I found that working out provided several important advantages:
- It fostered self-discipline.
- It offered a way to alleviate stress and anxiety.
- It provided a sense of purpose and goal.
- It triggered the release of dopamine.
- It boosted my energy levels.
- It enhanced my motivation.
My personal fitness routine involves 3 or 4 sessions of strength training that last no longer than an hour, weekly boxing class/swimming laps, and achieving 10,000 steps a day. Based on my experiences and the studies of experts like Andrew Huberman, I’d recommend having these sessions in the morning before work. This helps maintain high energy levels, prevents the afternoon slump, reduces over-reliance on caffeine, and boosts your motivation and mood for the day. Ensure that you incorporate it in your routine whenever possible.
- Don’t drink coffee for the first 1–2 hours after you wake up
Photo by Fahmi Fakhrudin on Unsplash
Coffee might be your cherished dawn custom and your main energy source, as it is for me. The thought of giving up coffee is simply unfathomable.
However, the issue of over-caffeination is real and harmful. To prevent the need for another coffee at lunchtime or in the afternoon, have your first cup of coffee 1-2 hours after waking up.
As beautifully explained in Atomic Habits, each habit has a trigger. Typically, the act of waking up is our cue to have coffee. To add or remove habits, you need to manipulate these triggers.
For instance, I use the trigger of waking up to get dressed and head to the gym. Once I return home and prepare for work, it’s time to turn on my laptop at 9:00. This is my cue to have my coffee. Since I usually wake up around 7:00-7:30, I have a window of 1 to 2 hours before having my coffee.
- Use to-do lists to plan your day
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Creating a to-do list, whether in the morning or at night, can greatly alleviate mental stress. This tool is effective as it helps in reducing the mental load of having to remember all the tasks we need to accomplish. By jotting down and planning in advance, you can simply follow your list and focus on the task at hand without the constant worry of forgetting something. I acknowledge that my daily routine can be unpredictable, but my solution is to note down tasks that I want to complete and must do. I also incorporate timeboxing to allocate specific time slots for each task and include buffer time for unexpected tasks that may arise.
- Use timeboxing to structure your to-do list
Photo by Agê Barros on Unsplash
Timeboxing, a method often mentioned in my previous work and utilized by successful individuals like Elon Musk, involves designating a specific time period for each task. For instance, the period from 11:00 to 12:00 might be dedicated exclusively to reading emails. This ensures full attention and commitment to the task at hand, enhancing the sense of accomplishment upon completion. The common belief in multitasking is deeply flawed, as our brain is truly capable of focusing on only one thing at a time.
- Have a self-care routine
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
While I confess that self-care is an area where I still face challenges, it’s been found that men often struggle with this habit. Nevertheless, establishing a routine of self-care in the morning and evening is an impactful habit, offering benefits to skin, hair, and overall wellness. A morning self-care routine acts as a signal that the day is commencing and can be tied to other habits, like going for a run or hitting the gym. It subconsciously readies you for the day’s tasks and enhances productivity, especially for those working from home. An evening routine is a cue that the day is wrapping up, and it subtly prompts your brain to relax and produce more melatonin, indicating that it’s time to sleep. This habit is beneficial on its own but is even more effective when connected to other habits.
- Avoid bright light before bed
Photo by Christopher Jolly on Unsplash
Our bodies naturally adhere to a circadian rhythm, which in earlier times, was dictated by the sun. In the modern age, our routines are not typically based on sunlight, and we often expose ourselves to the bright lights of our devices late into the night.
As darkness falls and the night progresses, our bodies begin to produce melatonin, a hormone that aids sleep. However, engaging in activities like watching TV or scrolling through your phone before bedtime can greatly reduce melatonin production, leading to sleep problems like insomnia or unrestful sleep.
- Read every day
Photo by Lilly Rum on Unsplash
While you may often hear the advice to “read a few pages a day,” I don’t fully agree with this concept. This advice seems to come from people who don’t indulge in reading as a passion. Reading shouldn’t be done just for the sake of it, or for counting the number of pages or books you’ve consumed in a year. The true purpose of reading is for acquiring knowledge and personal growth.
So, here’s a more precise piece of advice:
Make it a routine to read every day!
Don’t focus on the quantity such as reading 20 pages which might not even complete a chapter, or reading for 30 minutes which may cut off mid-chapter. Instead, aim to understand the concept being presented.
Focus on reading one idea or one chapter if that’s feasible, or just one concept that resonates with you. It could even be a single page, but if it provides a clear understanding and that’s all you can manage that day, that’s perfectly fine. The key is that you have gained a new idea or concept to ponder and digest.
- Journal as often as you can
Photo by Jan Kahánek on Unsplash
I didn’t specify the need to journal daily because I’m not referring to the typical “Dear Journal, here’s what I did today.” Instead, I’m talking about using a journal to express and delve into your emotions.
Journal when you feel the need, and use it as a tool to clarify your thoughts:
- Identify what’s currently troubling you.
- Understand why you’re feeling stressed or anxious.
- Recognize what’s going well for you.
- Acknowledge what you’re grateful for at the moment.
- Assess your overall emotional state.
The aim is to gain a better understanding of yourself and manage your emotions effectively.
- Meditate every day
Photo by Silviu Zidaru on Unsplash
This is a habit I recommend doing daily. However, it’s crucial to find the style of meditation that suits you best.
The aim is to be quiet, to slow down your mental processes, to clear your mind, and to simply exist. Don’t think, don’t act, just focus on your breathing or something else.
Meditation can take various forms depending on the individual. It could be transcendental meditation, yoga, breathwork, or even just taking a walk. I meditate in several ways, including:
- Transcendental meditation
- Breathwork
- Walking
- Sitting silently and clearing my mind
- Visualization
- Working out
- Listening to music and focusing on it
- Taking a shower
The goal is not to make it difficult. It should help you slow down, center yourself, and shift your focus inwards rather than on the outside world.
. . .
These are just some of my habits, but they are the ones that have enriched my life the most.
Keep in mind, there’s no rush. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all path that everyone should follow. Find what works for you, try different things, and something will resonate. Patience is key.
