I have previously written about how the habit of exercising every day has helped me tremendously
Doing something every day is such a powerful way to form a habit that I thought I would make a list of 24 habits that are worth doing on a daily basis
Note: I have divided these into morning, day and night although some could obviously be under different headings
1 Wake Early: I am a big fan of waking at 5am and spending time working on myself before going to work
I have written more about this habit here: How to Wake Early When All You Want to Do Is Sleep
2 Exercise: when I had the goal of exercising 4 times a week I found it was very easy to tell myself I will exercise tomorrow instead
Setting the expectation of daily exercise removed this as a potential excuse and I have since reaped the benefits of this daily habit
3 Review or (even better) Rewrite Your Goals: each day I try to get closer to achieving my short, medium and long term goals
Starting the day by reviewing or rewriting my goals means that I have better awareness of them throughout the day
4 Read and/ or Listen to Motivational Material: in the morning a whole day of endless possibilities lies ahead
I motivate myself to play my best game by reading and listening to inspirational books/ audiobooks
5 Visualize the Day Ahead: I like to take a few minutes to shut my eyes and visualize what I want happen in the coming day
6 Write a “To Do” List: I like to write out a list in my diary of the important tasks I need to do that day
7 Check the News Headlines: I think it’s important to have an idea of what is happening in our community and the world
Also if don’t at least check the main stories, I find it is easy to feel left out of conversations throughout the day
Having said this, much of the news is negative and I’m careful not to spend too much time digesting it unless there is a particular story of note
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9 Take Time to Look Good: it’s a reality of life that people judge us by our appearance
I take a few minutes each morning to ensure I go out into the world looking the best I can
The Day
You’ve probably heard about the importance of smiling, but as the saying goes “common sense is often quite uncommon” I try to carry a smile with me on throughout the day
I find that not only does it make me happier, but it can make other people smile and open the door to conversations with people I haven’t talked to before
Put First Things First: I try to avoid having my day controlled by tasks that are urgent , but not necessarily important
The habit of putting first things first is about organizing and executing your life around your deepest priorities
Under-Promise and Over-Deliver: at work I try to go the extra mile on my projects, especially on the details many people might miss
I set reasonable deadlines for myself and, when possible, try to get them done early
Be Proactive: being proactive means showing initiative and taking the responsibility to make things happen
Whenever I want to get something done, I ask myself: “what can I do to make this happen?”
Connect with Nature: I find spending time outdoors in nature is great for my sense of well-being
On work days I like to go for a walk during my lunch break
Ping a Friend: I try to send a quick email or text to a friend each day
It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends when I am extremely busy
A great way to find the money to save is to break it down to a daily amount, for example $10-15
By taking account of the Latte Factor I find it easy to save this much
Have Family Time: I believe it’s important to be present most evenings
Family time is about quantity and quality
Take Time for Myself: I also believe it’s important to spend a little time each day just for me
Some things I like to do: read, write, meditate, yoga, play music and/ or visit the gym
I find it’s best to stay on top of things by tidying up each day
Wind Down: I try to switch off the computer and the TV about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime and let my brain have some down time after a long day
Review My Day: I find this is a great way to hold myself to account for taking action throughout the day
Did I get closer to achieving my goals?
Did I complete my to do list?
Did my day go as planned?
I say these words to my wife and sons at least once per day
Go to Bed At A Reasonable Time: the first habit of this list (waking early) begins by going to bed at a reasonable time and getting a good nights sleep