The power of habit is an incredible thing in our lives. For most of us, habits are negative actions we wish we could erase. However, we were created with the power to create healthy habits just as much as those negative ones.
Most people don’t think about the fact that they can create a positive habit that will carry them to success. Those aware of these positive habits often never create them due to how big they look. Big wins might be rewarding, but they’re just as rewarding as little ones.
Learning to accept small wins and micro-habits not only makes you more successful but also lowers your stress levels. Below are 7 micro-habits that will help you maintain balance and productivity in your life.
1. Reading
This can quickly become a large habit if you look at reading the massive tome next to you. Start by picking a book that is short, easy, and enjoyable. Finishing the book will give you a sense of excitement which will fuel you to grab another book.
The Telegraph (see below) reported a 2009 study by the University of Sussex which found that reading relieved stress more than music, sipping your favorite beverage, or even going for a walk. It was found that it only took six minutes to relax once you started reading.
2. Be Selfish
One of the most significant issues in ministries and businesses is the individual’s ability to set healthy boundaries. Many people get so caught up in their goals and plan that they neglect their health, purpose, and family, resulting in burnout.
While meeting for coffee with a zillion people isn’t bad, it does wear on you, and you need to find time for yourself. Reflect on your last few weeks and see where most of your time is. To start, just remove one thing from your schedule and replace it with something that brings life. Do this new thing for two weeks and journal your results.
3. Establish morning and night routines
The quickest way to kill sleep is to look at your phone before bed. Creating a morning and evening routine will keep you healthy and prepare you mentally for the upcoming day.
A great Micro-habit to start here is placing post-it notes around your room to remind you to be thankful for something. Each morning, the first thing you read is, “This is going to be an incredible day.” When you head to bed at night, simply say, “Thank you for that awesome day.”
This one tiny change will drastically improve your days. Establishing morning and night rituals has been revolutionary in my life.
4. Journaling
Find a successful person, and you will likely find that they journaled. Tracking goals, getting thoughts out, and brainstorming ideas are just a few benefits of journaling. I have personally found that journaling is an incredible way to release stress.
To get in the habit of journaling, get a small journal and begin with the Micro-habit of writing down things you’re thankful for. Keep the journal on you always; when you feel it, just write something down. Research has found that those who journal their gratitude see higher enthusiasm, energy, and determination.
5. Exercise
Most of you knew this was coming but probably hoped I’d leave it out. Exercising is part of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. It has been found that exercise improves your mood, reduces stress, increases your self-image, and gives you energy.
Blogger Stephen Guise gives a great Micro-habit for exercising with his one push-up challenge. If you’re struggling to exercise, check out Stephen’s challenge here.
6. Find a passion and do it!
Working non-stop to be productive will generally not breed success. When it does, it usually has killed you on the inside and left you alone on the outside. Instead, research has shown that we are most productive when taking a break from our profession and spending time with our hobbies.
For me, it’s getting out on my mountain bike or attending dance lessons. These hobbies and passions help you think outside your usual way of thinking and will help produce new ideas and better creativity. For this Micro-habit, choose a passion and hobby that is easy to begin. For me, mountain biking wasn’t my first choice because I had to get the bike out, put it in the car and drive to a location. Instead, I decided to pull out my guitar once a day and just play for a few minutes.
7. Eliminate Multitasking!
One of my biggest frustrations in life is the lie of multitasking. We were not designed to check our cell phones while writing research papers and watching a movie. You will be less effective at all three when you do that. Switching between tasks (which is real multitasking) constantly moves your attention and thus creates more attention deficit, ultimately making it harder to absorb and present information.
There are tons of Micro-habits that you can use to help eliminate multitasking, but the most impactful one is straightforward. Turn off all notifications on your cell phone. The dings, the red bubbles, the message pop downs. Eliminating these means you won’t gravitate to your phone as much as usual. Please journal while you do this to see how you react to not having a notification pop up.