Aristotle once famously said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
The ancient philosopher was certainly right about the idea that habits are what often make or break a person. When you are too worn down, exhausted or defeated to think about your actions, your habits are what you fall back on. They are the things you do without thought.
They require no willpower, no focus, and you may not even always remember doing them. This is why if someone asks you in the morning if you brushed your teeth or locked the door before you left the house, you may struggle to remember if you actually did it.
Your conscious memory and willpower are not needed to complete habits. This, of course, is exactly why they are so important. If you have good habits, then you will automatically do things that are good for you. If you have bad habits, you will default to problematic behavior.
The fact that you complete habitual actions automatically makes it difficult to break old habits or create new ones. You have to focus to replace the bad habit. Creating good habits, however, is worth the effort, and not all healthy habits require overhauling your life. Sometimes, the habits that make the biggest difference are the smallest changes. Here are six little habits that can transform your life.
Get up 10 minutes earlier
The idea of getting up any earlier than necessary is something that most people loathe with a frightening passion. The average person sleeps for as long as possible in the morning and gets up at the last possible minute.
This is, in many ways, unsurprising given the culture of sleep deprivation that exists in the West. As much as people may claim that sleep is for the weak, the truth of how much people truly value sleep comes out when the hateful alarm goes off on Monday morning.
You probably hate the idea of losing out on even a little sleep in the morning as much as anyone. A few extra minutes each day, however, can make a huge difference in your life. Setting your alarm as little as 10 minutes earlier than normal can keep you from being less stressed throughout the day since you are not starting your morning off in a frantic scramble.
It can also give you some time to do something for yourself. Ten minutes is enough to make a quick breakfast rather than cramming a granola bar in your mouth as you sprint out the door, to enjoy a hot shower rather than flying through it and to potentially add something to your morning routine.
It may not seem like much time, but 10 minutes would also allow you to spend two or three minutes meditating, praying or writing in a journal. If nothing else, it would allow you to prioritize your to-do list before you get to the office and have a thousand other things land in your lap.
Make your bed in the morning
Your mom probably got on you for leaving your bed a tangled mess of blankets and pillows when you were younger and she may have been on to something.
Making your bed in the morning takes maybe a minute, but it can completely transform your day. If you make your bed each morning, you have automatically accomplished something.
Your success is also visible as you continue to get ready for the rest of your day. Every time you look at your bed, you can see that you have already accomplished something on your to-do list.
That early success can then help you build momentum so that you can get the next item on your to do list done.
Keeping your bed clean also helps at the end of the day. When you are getting ready to go to sleep, your bed does not look like a war zone. Instead, it looks neat and welcoming. This can help you relax and make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Turn off electronics an hour before bed
The prevalence of electronic devices in modern life has done a number on people. Internet addiction, cyberbullying, social media lynch mobs and the ability to completely ruin someone’s life with 120 characters have ravaged the world.
Electronic use has been cited as a reason for divorce, and an entire generation is growing up with no concept of how to relate to other human beings in person much less express themselves through the written word. Electronics have also taken a serious toll on the average person’s health. They have likely hurt you as well.
One of the main ways electronics cause health problems is by denying already sleep-deprived Americans further rest. People burn the midnight oil in order to continue scrolling through social media posts, and the blue light of the screen suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone necessary for sleep.
In order to get a better night’s rest and be functional in the morning, turn off your electronic devices an hour before bedtime. Use an actual alarm clock instead of your phone so you are not tempted to break the rule. Then, for the remaining 60 minutes, you can read a book, meditate or talk to your loved ones rather than being glued to a screen.
Say “I love you” at least once
Human beings are social creatures. People can have all the material luxuries in the world, but if they are alone, they will be miserable.
On the flip side, people who have nothing can get through even the worst times if they have their loved ones beside them. Do not distance yourself from that desire for connection and emotional intimacy.
Make it a point to say “I love you” at least once every day. Tell your spouse that you love them first thing in the morning, and say it to your children at the very end of the day.
If you are single or have recently moved to a new area and do not know anyone, call your parents or siblings. Expressing your love for a person can help you deepen the connection you have with them.
It can also make their day. Everyone likes to hear that they are appreciated and loved. Telling someone you love them also helps you make the most of each day. After all, you do not know if both of you will have another one.
Go outside
The vast majority of people live their lives inside. Most people go straight from their homes to their workplace, usually an indoor office. Then, they come home and spend the rest of the evening on the couch in front of the TV or on their phone.
Even weekends are usually spent indoors watching TV, going to the movies or enjoying other indoor activities. As such, most people rarely see the sun except through a window or as they are walking from their car to a building.
Today, this is true even for children. While children used to want to play outside, now they spend all day on phones or playing video games. This is a health disaster both mentally and physically.
If you want to make a big difference in your life, make it a point to spend at least a few minutes outside every day. Feel the sun on your skin, and if it is cloudy, enjoy the fresh air.
Sun, fresh air and the sight of green things such as trees and grass have been shown to improve focus, recharge your motivation and help keep your body functioning correctly. Eat your lunch outside when the weather is nice, and if possible, exercise outside daily.
Count your blessings
If there is an emotional panacea, it is gratitude. Feelings of gratitude have been shown to ward off unpleasant emotions such as bitterness and jealousy.
Thankfulness can also act as kryptonite for depression and anxiety. As such, make it a point to count your blessings every day. Focusing on the good things you have in your life can keep you from obsessing over what you feel you are missing. It can also help you keep things in perspective.
Take nothing for granted, and be thankful for everything. You could keep a gratitude journal or say a special prayer of thanks every evening. Even if it is something as simple as taking a moment to be grateful that you have a roof over your head and food on the table, do something every day to count your blessings. Everyone has at least one thing to be thankful for, even if it is merely that they are alive to feel gratitude at all.
Habits are often what determine how you live your life. No matter how hard you try to be mindful and live deliberately in the present moment, most people simply cannot stay focused and present all the time.
When they inevitably zone out, it is their habits that determine whether they live lives that are healthy or unhealthy. Do not let unhealthy habits keep you from living the best life you can. Make a little change and watch as your life transforms.
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