5 simple but insanely good daily habits to improve life

Habit formation is often discussed in personal development books because good habits are a big part of self improvement. Habits are incredibly important in your everyday life.

Creating and sticking to good habits offers an opportunity for bettering yourself in small increments which over time add up and can greatly improve the quality of your life.

You don’t need to adopt 101 new habits for a chance at a better life. To be the best you can be, all you need is a foundation of a few good habits that make a real impact.

Adopt these 5 life changing daily habits to improve life:

1. Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is a keystone habit that makes every other habit a hell of a lot easier. Sounds so simple yet it is so powerful! Unfortunately too many people seem to dismiss sleep as a waste of time or simply can’t seem to find enough time for a good night’s sleep. Don’t be one of them.

Lack of sleep has negative impact on your body, brain and emotions. It can cause high blood pressure, increase your chances of coronary diseases, affect your decision making, hinder your memory, make you more irritable and emotional, and cause so much more harm.

5 reasons why good sleeping habits will improve your life:

• When you are rested decision making becomes a lot easier and you are more likely to make good and healthy choices that will serve you on the long run.
• When you’ve had a good night’s sleep you’re less likely to rely on coffee, sugar and high calorie intake to make it through the day.
• Good sleep can improve your focus and productivity throughout the day.
• Good sleep also strengthens your immune system and helps to keep you healthy.
• After a good nigh’s sleep you will have the energy and brain power to take on the day as well as enjoy it to its fullest.

2. Learn to appreciate the little things

Sometimes the biggest life changes come from the smallest mindset shifts. Consumerism thought us to always want more. But if you don’t appreciate what you already have why would you think you would appreciate more if you did get it?

It’s important to appreciate and be grateful for what we have because by doing so we are more likely to appreciate and enjoy the life we have.

5 ways appreciating the little things will change your life:

• Making an active effort to find something to appreciate or be grateful for forces us to focus on the good things.
• By taking inventory of the good stuff in life we can increase overall life satisfaction
• When we appreciate the little things we create a sense of abundance.
• By appreciating what we have we are less likely to run after more for the sake of it thus we are less likely to get stuck in a cycle of scarcity.
• By taking the time to appreciate what you have you might just realise you have plenty and be more content with life.

3. Take a moment to lighten up

Life is so so much better when we laugh and make and active choice to lighten up. When we choose to let the bad stuff, the mundane and the stress go and just create an intentional moment of happiness.

By seeing the positive, or at least the tragically funny things in life we have the power to make our days and life better. So take a moment to be silly, to play with your pet or your kids, to laugh at yourself, to lighten up.

Gretchen Rubin said that it is easy to be heavy but hard to be light. And she was not referring to weight. This seemingly small choice of lightening up can break the pattern and completely change your day, and the day of those around you.

5 reasons why life is better when you lighten up:

• Laughter and positivity are infectious. By lightening up you can avoid silly arguments.
• By lightening up you can dissolve negativity and stress which can prevent you and those around you from spiralling down.
• When you choose to be light you create a moment of joy.
• By consistently choosing to lighten up and look for the good stuff you create a more positive outlook on life.
• When you take a moment to lighten up you also inspire positivity in others.

4. Be unapologetic about your priorities

We all have our goals and our passions, we have things we are committed to, and we all have dreams. And usually these play a big part in our lives. One of the most important steps in order to make your dream life come true is to get very clear on the life you want and then do everything in your power to get it.

By making a habit of protecting your priorities you will be able to get more intentional with your time, energy and your future as well as create more space for enjoyment in life.

• When you are unapologetic about your priorities you don’t get overwhelmed or distracted by all the nice-to’s, should-do’s and could-do’s.
• By sticking to your priorities you will be able to make substantial progress and achieve your goals.
• By being unapologetic about your priorities you will be better able to gauge your commitments and say no when needed. This means you wont feel resentful and won’t let anyone down.
• When you get clear on your priorities you create clarity for your days and your life in general.
• Sticking to your priorities will make you more productive.

5. Stand up often

You’ve probably heard that sitting is the new smoking. And, in case you’ve been living under a rock, let me say it again – sitting is the new smoking. It doesn’t stink as bad, might not look as cool but it is just as unhealthy and harmful!

Even if you exercise regularly, sitting for prolonged times is still playing a number on your health and your body. It affects your blood flow, increases the chances of gaining weight, can cause back pain and plays on your energy levels. Human bodies were just not built to be seated in front of a computer for 8 hours or more each day.

• Standing up often gives you a chance to stretch which can relieve back problems and pain caused by a forced sedentary posture.
• Standing up is a great chance to give your eyes a break as well. This can prevent headaches and eyesight issues.
• Standing up gets your blood flowing which can make you feel more awake and more focused.
• Standing up gives your brain the break it needs to come up with great ideas or solutions that proved elusive.
• Just the act of standing up and sitting down again burns more calories than sitting or standing on its own.