5 Healthy Habits That Will Make A Big Difference in Your Day

5 Healthy Habits That Will Make A Big Difference in Your Day

You are what you repeatedly do. You’ve probably heard that quote before. Your actions create your habits which create your routine which then creates your life. And you want to have control over your life, don’t you? 

That’s why you wish you could cultivate a healthy daily routine that your friends already seem to have mastered. 

But there’s a problem. You’re busy and barely have time for rest, let alone new habits. And whenever you start doing something new, you quickly forget to do it the next day and give up.

Let’s talk about the benefits of having a healthy daily routine for a moment. These daily habits help keep you grounded and allow you to move through your day with ease and energy. Some of them are even scientifically proven to improve your health. 

For example, experts say we should turn off our Wifi routers and switch our phones to airplane mode before bedtime. But why? You save yourself from the electromagnetic radiation which causes sleep disruption and other diseases. That means you sleep uninterrupted and wake up to zero notifications in the morning. What a relief!

But what do you do when you’re not checking your messages and emails first thing in the morning? And how do you create a morning and evening routine that works for you? Here are 5 simple habits that can change the course of your day – and life.

1. Drinking water

It’s no secret that we need water to survive. Drinking warm water first thing in the morning wakes up your sleepy mind and body. And it prepares your digestive system to receive your first meal of the day.

Our bodies need even more water during the day to keep us going. To stay hydrated, carry a bottle of water wherever you go. Or keep it next to you if you’re working from home. 

You don’t have to drink plain old water. You can add flavour by infusing mint, lemongrass, rosemary and other healing herbs. You can also mix warm water with cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and a pinch of black pepper for a daily detox drink. Or the age-old medicine: lemon juice or apple cider vinegar with a dash of honey.

You can spread your recommended 8 glasses of water a day between meals. This helps you stay full and eat less. And remember, drinking water can be fun and tasty.

2. Exercise

Everybody knows the importance of exercise. It not only keeps you fit, but it also increases your energy, flexibility and clarity. Plus the good-feeling endorphins released are designed to lift your spirits.

Your daily 20-minute exercise doesn’t have to be in the grueling gym. Pick your favourite exercise, whether it’s walking to work or running around the estate. Swimming, dancing, playing a sport or riding a bicycle are other fun ways to exercise. 

If you’re a yogi like me, relax into your daily yoga practice using DownDog app or your favourite Yoga channel.  The Chinese qigong practice is another slow and conscious way to move your body and energy using your breath. Anyone can do it, even 80-year-olds.

So take the stairs instead of the elevator. Just anything that will move your body and increase your heart rate. And notice how energized you feel afterwards. 

3. Meditate

Meditation has been getting a lot of good reviews and for a lot of good reasons. Many people report more clarity and calm after just 20 minutes of meditation in the morning. And it sets the mood for your day by putting you in a relaxed mind-body state. 

Because of its growing popularity, there are plenty of guided meditation apps for beginners. Try out free meditation apps such as Insight Timer, Headspace, Calm or Simple Habit. If you’d like to meditate on your own, simply set your own timer, concentrate on your breath, or scan your body from head to feet and back (aka my favourite).

Contrary to popular belief, meditation doesn’t have to be done with eyes closed. You can return to the present by going outdoors to observe mother nature. Look at the vibrant colours of the universe and listen to the joyful birds for a few calming minutes. 

A walk or run can also be a meditation mindfulness practice. Simply pay attention to your breath and feel your body move step by step. You will quickly let go of your worries and feel serenity wash over you.

4. Journaling

Journaling is another healthy habit that can do wonders for your life. It allows you to reflect on your life, your beliefs and your aspirations. It also gives you a wonderful chance to get intimate with your innermost thoughts. 

You can pull out your journal after your morning meditation. Here, you can write the revelations and ideas that you received from Source during your meditation. A daily gratitude list with at least 3 things you’re grateful for will help you focus on a brighter perspective especially if you’re feeling negative.

You can also do segment intending, where you list what you want to experience that day. Then go back to it at the end of the day. You’ll be surprised by how many things happened just because you wrote them down. 

Journaling is also a great habit to add to your evening routine. It allows you to document your own life in your own words. Before you sleep, recap your day through your lessons and achievements which you can always go back to. 

You can also expound on something that caught your curiosity and attention during the day. You might be amazed by the insights that come out of you simply by investigating your thoughts.

5. Reading

Great readers make great writers. And everyone writes, whether its emails, reports, articles or journals. That’s why I believe everyone deserves to read. After all, leaders are readers.

Every day, ensure you build your brain with the wealth of knowledge available. You can start your day with reading – after writing your dreams, that is, so you don’t forget them. 

So instead of your phone, reach out for a book in the morning. You could read a spiritual text, whether it’s the Bible or Bhagavad Gita to start your day on a higher plane.

With so much insightful information online, why not read at least one article daily. It could be related to your job, interests or something just catches your eye. If you’re reading this, you’re clearly on the right track.

Just as you woke up with a book, go to sleep with it. A book before bed helps you fall asleep easily, especially if you’re feeling anxious or awake. Plus health experts advise taking a one hour break from an electronic screen since its blue light actually makes it harder to fall asleep.

Take this quiet night time to catch up on your favourite read, a novel or self-help book. You could read as little as a page or a chapter a day. And then watch yourself drift into the sweetest dreams. 

Now you know which daily habits will help keep you grounded throughout your day.

But how do you incorporate them into your daily routine and stay consistent?

Here are a few practical tips which always work for me.

1. • Write down your current daily habits, from the time you wake until you sleep
   • Analyse them to find out which are essential and which are not (and why)
   • Remove the ones which you do not need at the moment
   • Write down your new desirable habits, whether it’s learning a language or starting a meditation practice
   • Use habit stacking. This is adding your desired habit to an established habit. For example “After brushing my teeth, I will meditate”
   • Set time reminders for your new habit. Even if you don’t remember to journal, your reminder will.
   • Use a checklist to check your progress. At the end of the day, tick the boxes of what you have accomplished out of your new daily routine.  This will give you some motivation and insight on what you need to focus on the next day. Here is an example of a habit tracker you can use.  

If it all feels overwhelming to you, worry not. Instead, focus on one healthy habit at a time. One that you’ve always wanted to add to your daily routine. One that you feel will make a huge difference in your mental, physical and spiritual health. Then add it to your schedule and set a daily reminder for it.

So, which one will you start with?