Our wellbeing is important for all of us. These tips for developing healthy habits will guide you towards accomplishing your goals and a happier mind.
When we talk about succeeding in work and life, we often choose to focus on unhealthy habits and the things about ourselves or our behaviour that we’d like to change. This is understandable. Everyone has a few bad habits that set them back or get in the way of success, and examining those patterns and working to change them is a great thing to do.
But what if you took a more positive approach? You probably already have lots of healthy habits that you incorporate as part of your life. A healthy habit is anything you do regularly that is beneficial to your wellbeing or contributes towards your success in some way.
You can also cultivate additional healthy habits, deliberately adding things to your life that enhance your wellbeing, increase your chances of success, and bring you happiness.
Healthy Habits at Work
Success at work can depend on many factors. Norms and requirements for success differ across sectors and industries. But you can set yourself up for success in any workplace by following a few simple healthy workplace habits. If you’re a student, you can also apply these habits to your school, college, or university work.
What would make your life at work easier, make you more productive, or help you to reach your professional goals? You’re best placed to answer that, but here are a few options you might want to think about:
- Starting each day by writing a to-do list and prioritising the day’s tasks in order of importance.
- Checking email only at specific times (say, for 10 minutes every 2 hours) rather than sporadically.
- Avoiding checking social media during the working day, except during scheduled breaks.
- Taking lunch away from your desk.
- Taking a few minutes each day to catch up with relevant news, developments, and insights from your industry.
Another healthy habit that many of us struggle with? Leaving work at work. Take your work email account off your personal phone, stop checking messages when you’re on annual leave, and protect your off-time. You’ll be happier, healthier, and a better employee for it.
Healthy Habits in Relationships
Our relationships with other people are one of the things that make life worth living. Relationships might include your spouse or partner, friends, family, coworkers, and even those in your wider network or community.
Healthy habits in relationships can help us to feel loved, valued, and connected with other people. Here are a few you might want to think about:
- Putting your phone away at dinner time so you can give your family your full attention.
- Having lunch regularly (say, once a week) with a colleague whose company you enjoy.
- Calling or visiting an elderly neighbour or relative regularly.
- Arranging a standing social date with a friend or group of friends (say, a weekly film night or monthly games afternoon).
- Making it a goal to do something kind for someone else every day. Tiny acts of kindness can make a big difference.
Though it sounds counterintuitive, another healthy habit you can implement is saying no when you need to. Taking on commitments and obligations when you don’t want to or don’t have the mental bandwidth leads to burnout and resentment. A kind but firm “no” is a gift to yourself and your loved ones.
Healthy Habits for Physical and Mental Wellbeing
Physical health is about your body, and mental health is about your mind. When you implement habits that will enhance both of these crucial elements of overall wellbeing, you will find that you feel happier and healthier in all aspects of your life.
The habits that make sense for you will depend on your life circumstances, available resources, and current health status. But here are a few ideas for you to consider:
- Walk or cycle to work instead of driving or taking the bus.
- Join a sports club, dance class, or other hobby based around physical activity, and commit to going every week.
- Spend at least 30 minutes outside in fresh air every day.
- Practice yoga for 10 minutes per day.
- Drink a large glass of water with every meal.
- Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
- Set an alarm to ensure you always take your medication on time.
Don’t forget the importance of rest, too. Pushing yourself too hard for too long is bad news for your physical and mental health. Rest and take a break when you need it.
What is Habit Tracking and How Can It Help?
Habit tracking is exactly what it sounds like: keeping track of your healthy habits to hold yourself accountable and ensure you don’t forget.
There are numerous ways to track your healthy habits. Downloadable and printable habit tracking charts are available online. Some people who use a physical diary like to use stickers to mark the days they have stuck to their habits. Others use a habit tracking app, mark days in their online calendar, or simply keep a physical or digital note.
There’s no right or wrong way to track (and you don’t have to do it at all if it doesn’t appeal to you!) But many people find it gives them a sense of accomplishment and a type of self-accountability that makes them more likely to stick to their habits. Try a few methods out and see what works for you.
Activity: 10 Healthy Habits
Write down 5 healthy things you already do regularly. Give yourself a pat on the back for those! Now write down 5 additional healthy habits you would like to add to your life.
You don’t need to add all your new healthy habits all at once. In fact, if you do, you’ll probably get overwhelmed and give up. So pick just one and focus on it for the next week. The week after, pick a different one. Continue until you’ve worked through all five habits on your goal list.
Remember that trying a habit for a week doesn’t commit you to anything longer term. If something works well for you, consider adding it to your life going forward. If it doesn’t, then you’ve learned something about yourself. Either way, it’s a win.
