You want to take control of your life, be more focused and increase your productivity. But making sweeping improvements seems so overwhelming. Do you need a better strategy?
Here are five small everyday habits that can add up to make a life-changing difference.
1. Don’t Hit the Snooze Button
In his book Resisting Happiness, Matthew Kelley writes, “This is your first decision of the day. Will you get out of bed or hit the snooze button? You press the snooze button and rollover. What just happened? No big deal, right? Wrong. You just lost the first battle of the day.” Start your morning on the right foot. Get up on time.
2. Set a Regular Bedtime
According to a recent survey, approximately one-third of Americans don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. To perform at your best, you must be well-rested. Even though you may feel like a little kid again, following a bedtime schedule makes you less likely to stay up late and more likely to get enough sleep. Plus, a regular routine allows you to fall asleep and wake up faster. (This helps with #1 too.)
3. Exercise at the Same Time Every Day
We all know we should work out, but sometimes we just run out of time. Rather than waiting around for the right opportunity, automatically add exercise to your daily routine. This makes it more difficult to come up with excuses. And remember, your workout doesn’t need to belong or complicated. In fact, simple programs are easier to maintain. Commit to a 15-minute stretching routine when you wake up, a walk during your lunch break or a 30-minute stop at the gym on your way home. You’ll have more energy, enjoy all the health benefits of regular exercise and feel better about yourself.
4. Rethink Your To-Do List
Is your to-do list impossibly ambitious? Or do you find by the time you deal with all those just-can’t-wait tasks, you haven’t crossed anything off your list? Plan smarter so you can take advantage of your day. Write your list the night before, including a handful of manageable items and prioritize your schedule so you can focus on high-impact tasks instead of distractions.
5. Choose Your Attitude
As bestselling author Jon Acuff points out, changing your attitude could take years. “Choosing it, though, takes a handful of seconds… Choose not to be cynical… Choose not to complain. Choose to cheer for the accomplishments of your coworkers. … This is the one thing you can do right this minute to actually shock your boss, improve your work relationships and dramatically increase your long-term odds of an awesome career.”
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