Habits, Routines, Rituals…
The word “ritual” sounds more meaningful than the word “habit.” But a routine is a combined set of habits! In all honestly…I think you can use the words interchangeably or just use whatever word means the most to YOU!! I don’t want you to get bogged down on on terminology. It’s more about getting yourself set up for success and to do that you need to get into a good routine where you are practicing healthy habits!!
There are many actions you can take that mean little when only done occasionally, like brushing your teeth, eating healthy or exercising. You can’t do these things occasionally and expect to see any big results! Below you will find 9 habits that when practiced on a regular basis, WILL change your life!
I have found an awesome resource that is helping me to really dial in my morning routine, which includes many of the items you’ll see below. Its called the Rise Up planner and I love it! I’ll be doing a separate blog post about it in the near future. But in the meantime…you can check it out HERE
Adding a few habits to your daily routines can provide significant rewards. Here’s my top picks!
- Rise early. A non-rushed start to the day is more relaxing than running around in a hurry each morning. You can enjoy the earliest part of your day and get a head start on the rest of the world.
- Review your goals each day. It’s not enough to write down your goals. It’s necessary to review them at least once each day. You can keep your goals next to your bed and review them when you first wake up or at bedtime. Never forget about your goals again by reviewing them daily.
- Read. Everything you’ll ever need to know is written in a book somewhere. Drop 30 minutes of TV and add 30 minutes of reading. The amount of knowledge you can gain over the course of a lifetime is staggering.
- Quiet Time. Meditation is a wonderful way to relieve stress and learn how to focus. You’ll be a more capable version of yourself if you add a short meditation session to your daily routine.
- Write in a journal. Write your thoughts down at the beginning or the end of the day. You’ll begin to see patterns in your thought processes and behavior that have escaped your prior awareness. You’ll also live a more interesting life, if only so that you have something more interesting to record that evening.
- Create a to-do list. Before retiring each evening, make a list of the most important tasks you want to complete the following day. Then prioritize the tasks. You’ll spend your time on the most important tasks and know what needs to be done the moment you wake up.
- Exercise for 30 minutes. A brisk walk can be enough. Regular exercise enhances your physical and emotional health. You’ll also look and feel better. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy. If you’re super busy and often find yourself saying you don’t have time to exercise, consider working out from home…its what works for me. (find out more about that HERE)
- Eat a healthy breakfast. Your first meal of the day is the most important. It sets the stage for the rest of the day. An unhealthy breakfast often leads to an unhealthy lunch and dinner, since the healthiness of the day seems ruined after a breakfast consisting of doughnuts.
- Review your day. You do something right and other things wrong each day. By reviewing your day, you can make note of your successes and failures. You can then make the necessary adjustments to ensure that you have more successes and fewer failures going forward.
What other habits could you add? Think about your hobbies. You might want to play the violin or draw each day. Maybe the idea of setting aside time to pray appeals to you. Regardless of the set of habits that is attractive to you, only add one habit per week. Add healthy habits to your life slowly. They’ll have a better chance of sticking that way.
Give your life the priority it deserves by dedicating time each day to the habits that matter the most. Take control of your time so it doesn’t control you.