Amazing Habits I Am Currently Loving
Routines and habits are the skeletons of our lives. We can say we don’t have them, but even the most unimportant actions are part of who we are and the lifestyle choices we make.
From snoozing the phone to never cooking dinner at home, every single aspect of our lives that repeats itself, again and again, is itself a tiny routine that will have it’s effect sooner or later.
I thought it was a good time to are a few of my favourite habits that I have been implementing since the beginning of the year and I am currently loving.
Being Mindful With Food
I am happy to say that, since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been extremely conscious with the way I nourish my body. That doesn’t mean I have stopped eating unhealthy snacks. Unfortunately, I still end up nibble some chocolates and sugary foods (especially during my working hours), but it’s getting easier to keep myself healthy thanks to a couple of tricks.
- The first one is to avoid keeping unhealthy snacks at home. I read an article that explained the difference between storing sugary foods at home and eating them. By keeping them at home, you are basically forcing yourself to use your power of will. On the other side, not buying them when you are doing your weekly groceries is the first step to grow a habit.
Summarizing, keeping Mars bars at home is going to set an alarm in your brain reminding you that, at me point, those delicious things will have to be eaten. You will need to test your strength all the time, being destined to fail at some pint whilst not buying them in the first place will create a routine and healthier lifestyle.
- My second rule is to find delicious replacements. I found some recipes on Instagram that made my mouth water and, if you hate cooking, there are plenty of food that will give you a higher nutritional value.
I also challenge myself to have at least one piece of fruit every day. A few years ago, I started having really bad cramps when swimming. My trainer advised me to have a banana every day and I followed her advice just to find that my crumps vanished shortly after. I don’t have crumps anymore and therefore I am having different fruits like oranges and strawberries every day, but having one meal a day with a bowl of fruits it’s an amazing way to keep your body fueled with the vitamins you need every day.
Scheduling Tasks
Even though I have always been a fan of organizing my daily tasks every day, writing in a diary what I am expecting to get done by the day is still my favourite way to stay productive and remember to finish everything.
I try to order every chore I need to do by importance, writing the most essential ones at the top and the optional at the bottom.
I have been doing this for years now and I hope I never stop doing it!
Exercise During Work Breaks
Exercising is another important habit that I decided to take more seriously this year.
I often struggle to find the perfect time to put my legging on and go for a run. I used to do my physical activities in the evening. However, London is currently getting dark by 5 pm and that makes me feel discouraged to go out.
I found out that using my work break to stretch and do a couple of arms and legs training keeps my body alive. I don’t mind if I skip one day of running, I will still exercise at home and take it out of the way.
Drink Water
I bought myself a new water bottle that I could keep in my desk whilst working. This has helped me A LOT to stay hydrated and remember myself to drink every hour.
Hydrating myself has always been an issue. I didn’t enjoy drinking and often use coffee and fruits as “water source”. That’s a massive mistake as I found out that coffee is, in fact, extremely dehydrating. Make sure you drink at least 2 cups of after per cup of coffee in order to keep the balance!
Soooo keeping a massive bottle full of water near you will help you create a healthy habit your skin will thank you for.
Journaling
Journaling is, has been, and will always be my mindscape. I used to write every single thing that had happened in the day as an individual bedtime story when I was a teenager. Now, I write my thoughts, my tasks for the day and everything in between.
Journaling is always a wonderful way to organize your priorities, thoughts and enjoy wholesome conversations with yourself. I have come to the best conclusions when leaving on paper every feeling I carry and understand myself better.
Yet, hard time sometimes make journaling difficult. When we are struggling or going through an emotional burden, writing it may seem like you are reliving it again with the negative attached to it. At the end of the day is completely up to you what do you want to write about. Leaving every thought on paper can help you vent and relieve the emotional tension of the day, but if you don’t feel like doing it you can still use journaling as a scapegoat from the reality.
Reading Every Day
I came back to reading paper books during the quarantine. Tired of spending my working hours and subsequent free time in front of a digital screen, I started buying paper books again!
I fell in love with the possibility of underlining and highlighting some epic texts I plan on reading again and again.
- *I am still loving the comfort of audiobooks when it comes to listening to fiction stories before going to sleep.
Which are your favourite habits of the year so far?
26 Comments
John Malone
Great post. From my experience eating better and drinking more are total life changers so good that you are controlling that!
Kiira Smith
They say we are what we eat 🙂
Jamie
Yes, journaling is awesome. I have been writing a journal entry every day for nearly two months now.
I generally only glance through the previous days writing when I’m doing the next day. I haven’t really felt the need to go back and read other stuff I’ve written. For me, just the act of writing it down is enough to get it in my head and keep me moving forward (I have some motivational issues).
Some days consist of me basically saying that I fucked up the day and did nothing. I read that the next day and that gives me the edge to not fuck up the day again.
Kiira Smith
Journaling to make sure you stay productive is a fantastic idea. I like journaling at the beginning of the day because of the same reason, I put down on paper the number of tasks I need to do and then proceed to write why I have to do them. It’s a great way to make yourself take accountability for your actions!
Louise
Just discovered your blog and I am browsing through your previous content. Love your style 🙂
Kiira Smith
That’s very sweet thank you Louise, and welcome to the club!
Manon
Great update! My favourite habits are: 1: cold shower 2: journaling 3: gym (above all)
Kiira Smith
Love them. I want o get into cold showers too but it’s pretty hard!
Karen
This might seem simple and silly, but my favorite habit is going on long walks everyday. I think going out in the fresh air, taking time away from my devices, and exploring different areas in my city are all very good for the soul. It’s also a form of moderate exercise if you walk fast enough, but sometimes it’s just nice to take it a little slow to “smell the roses”. This has had an impact on my mental health that all other habits haven’t quite had on me. It’s the only thing that I can rely on to improve my mood, because it makes me feel refreshed.
Kiira Smith
Going for a walk helps me a lot when I am in a bad mood. I love it when it’s very cold outside and I get warm again after the walk, is the most relaxing feeling 🙂
Mark
Great list, another nice one is No snooze button in the mornings. It really helps me set the tone for the day.
Kiira Smith
That’s a difficult one! I have read that snoozing multiple times every day has a very negative effect because it makes us feel more tired during the day. Well done 🙂
Janine
1. Always deal with tasks immediately, if they need under 5 minutes of work.
2. Always write down the task to Reminders app, if it need more than 5 minutes of my attention.
It gave me incredible amount of focus and structure of the day. I always know how busy I am, and how many time I can spend on thing I want.
Kiira Smith
Those are very effective methods to stay productive. I love the idea of doing a task if it’s a short one that can be done in a few minutes. Sometimes answering emails and doing phone calls are the ones we like to postpone the most 🙂
Sarah
Great list! My favourite habit is Taking time off with a tea or coffee and sitting in the sun to relax for an hour to de-speed my life. It really helps me
Kiira Smith
Tea/coffee + Vitamin D = The formula to happiness and good health 🙂
Mariona
Exercising is great – it’s easier to start young, get into the habit, then continue. It’ll keep you healthy, and make old age easier. Wish that I had done that, now I have to fight the laziness which is my life to be able to exercise.
Kiira Smith
I started exercising when I was very young, but it gets more difficult when as an adult. There is always something else to do and nobody holds you accountable. It’s awesome that you are pushing yourself to do it!
Tia
To me:
Flossing
Reading fiction or “substantial” non-fiction for 20 minutes/day, or 3 hours/week
Giving to charity
Going out of your way to make at least one person laugh every day
Learning to cook well
Having your own exercise regimen
Kiira Smith
That’s a killing list! It’s beautiful that you care about helping other people as well as improving yourself, we need more people like you in the world 🙂
Irene
Exercising and eating right. Seriously around 30/35 your metabolism takes a big hit and its harder to maintain a healthy weight eating bad and fatty foods. You’ll start to notice around your mid 30’s all your friends who don’t take good care of themselves are starting to look like shit.
Kiira Smith
Our metabolism is so complex. We always ignore the importance of the insulin levels in our blood and that makes a big change in our bodies the exercise we do after that!
Renee
Great list. I just read about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s three rules of life:
Be silly.
Be honest.
Be kind.
Thought it was pretty good!
Kiira Smith
Interesting, I’ll have a look too!
Amanda
Mine is Regular exercise. Not just for weight, but it is the most under-utilised antidepressant
Kiira Smith
Some consider exercise as essential for their mental health as their physical one. Good luck with it Amanda!