30 Small Habits That Have A Significant Impact On Daily Life, According To Folks In This Online Group
You can’t deny that being disciplined is definitely a huge plus when it comes to getting your life together. Not saying discipline is for everyone—if you got things under control without it, great—but you can’t deny that it does help put some things into perspective and streamline life in ways that are otherwise hella hard.
Well, folks on Reddit have been talking about something that has a lot to do with discipline, and that is habits. In particular, it’s small, minimal-effort habits that go a long way in improving your quality of life and thus make a huge difference in how you approach it.
We’ve scoped out the best, most helpful tips, tricks, hacks, and just habits in general that folks in this thread suggested and created a lovely curated list that you can find, vote and comment on below. And why not share some of your bits of advice for small, yet high-impact habits in the comment section below!
And yes, we are aware that some of these submissions are rather similar, if not identical, yet they provide different takes on the same habits. So, smile and be kind.
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Drink water instead of pretty much anything else.
Except coffee. I'm not a monster.
Getting into the habit of saying please and thank you. I’ve seen endless horror stories about people in retail getting sh*t on by ungrateful and rude customers, so I made a resolve to try and be as amicable and cooperative whenever I can.
And it really made a difference. It really helps smooth things along when both people are working together to get things done as efficiently as possible. It’s a great feeling helping make someone’s day easier. Goes to show a little bit of kindness goes a long way.
This needs to be #1. I've worked retail and food service off-and-on for many years and I got all kinds of people. I will always be grateful to the customers that showed patience and kindness towards me. I do what I can to pay that forward because, unfortunately, these employees are still getting the short end of the stick because certain customers feel its okay to take their negative emotions out on minimum wage workers.
Every time you leave a room take something that doesn't belong there and put it away. As soon as it is a habit you're house will stay tidy.
1) Trying to see the other person's point of view, or at least not reacting explosively negative to it when you disagree. (This helps immeasurably with in-laws.)
2) knowing when to keep your mouth shut. It’s not necessary to always express an opinion or make a remark, especially when there's no hope of changing another's viewpoint.
3) It costs NOTHING to be kind, to affirm other people by recognizing them, to say please & thank you.
Yes. Yes. and Yes. 4) Choose your battles and, if necessary, concede defeat even if you're right. It's pointless to continue arguing.
Exercise at least 3-5 times a week. You don't need to train like a an Olympic athlete. Going for a walk or jog is good enough. Do pushups and crunches right after you get up. As long as you get your heart rate up.
Small steps, it'll all add up.
I really need to keep this consistent. The worst thing that has happened to me was a desk job. You're so burnt at the end of the day and you haven't even been active. It's insane.
2 minute rule.
If you see something that needs doing that will take 2 minutes or less; go ahead and do it. Put away those clothes. Pick up that toy as you walk by. Empty that dish washer when you go to get a drink. Scoop the litterbox when you go to take a p**s.
Things will stay neater, you'll be more organized, and you'll find you have more time in the long run for stuff you want to do, instead of having to take care of stuff you've been putting off.
Stop drinking soda. In the long run soda is bad for you and after a while of not drinking you will realize that it tastes to sweet.
Making a habit of being kind. Positivity that has the possibility of infinite growth.
I try to overpower mean people with kindness. If I'm dealing with a tough customer I'll dial up the "thank you" and "I'm glad you brought this to my attention" and "oh no, we must rectify this" and eventually they mellow out. Not a 10-10 strategy but works most of the time.
Replacing items before they run out. E.g.. detergent, toilet paper, shampoo, etc.
My 4yo does this without ever being asked. I was shocked and amazed, thought I had bought magic toilet paper!
Healthy eating. If you make it habitual, you look and feel a million times better than when you eat like c**p. You don't even crave c****y food often.
Meal planning.
You save so much more money if you pre-plan what you're going to eat for the week than if you wing it.
Brushing your teeth, your smile look good, you save money and your health, benefits quite a lot from a healthy mouth.
Doing dishes at night so I wake up to a clean sink and clean dishes. I live in a tiny studio and don’t have a dishwasher so this makes a big difference for me.
I do the dishes all day long. I'd rather wash a few items several times a day, than wash sinks full all at once. And you'll wake up to a neat kitchen with a clean sink and clean dishes.
Somewhere in Europe you pay a 10-cent deposit on all your beer bottles, my small habit of alcoholism gives me a nice return on bottles when I hand them in for recycling.
I hate paying the 10 cent deposit, but don't complain when I'm broke. The bottle/can money comes in handy.
Most things related to hygiene. Brushing teeth, showering daily, washing your clothes regularly. Hygiene is the #1 thing that the opposite sex cares about, and the first thing people notice.
Eating a little less. You don’t even have to eat better, just leave 1/4-1/3 of your food on your plate. Get a smaller bowl of ice cream. Eat one less slice of pizza. Don’t eat all the fries. If everything else stays the same you’ll lose weight, and it’s a start towards being healthier.
If you use smaller plates, your portions will be smaller as well. Even if you "clean" your plate you'll have eaten less. It's ok to leave some food on your plate, regardless.
Flossing. There are a lot of people who don't floss, but it's an important habit to get into. Once you start flossing, you'll feel gross when you don't do it.
For decades dentists have recommended flossing as an essential part of oral hygiene. But how useful is it really? An investigation by the Associated Press has revealed there is insufficient proof to back up this claim. The US Department for Health and Human Services and Agriculture admitted in a letter that the benefits of flossing had never been properly researched. A British dentist at the University of Birmingham, Prof Damien Walmsley, also said there is only "weak evidence" to suggest flossing is beneficial.
Sleep well.
It isn't even the long run, the next morning you'll become 10x better.
Wearing daily face cream with sunscreen UV protection.
What do you all do about the eye burning? I sweat a lot and boy does it sting when it gets in my eyes.
Saving money.
I have lost count of how many people who got themselves into serious debt simply because they spend more than what's necessary.
Sometimes they get into serious debt trouble because what's necessary is more than they earn.
There's a difference between situational debt and personal (what I like to call irrational debt)
Load More Replies...Inflation and the cost of living is ridiculous now. The saying, "It's expensive to be poor" is so true. Everything going up, bills piling up, just hard to make it paycheck to paycheck now. Its not right. People can no longer afford ths basics in life. Its not fair. We deserve more we deserve to have a decent living too.
I have been very very poor. Luckily for me that was a time when I was young and single, I can't imagine with other mouths to feed. Now I am much better off than colleagues on the same pay, but having been poor I know why. It is NOT that they are spending more than is necessary. It is because I was lucky enough to go through a few years of plenty which let me buy all the things needed to live cheaply. Being able to afford quality items and efficient appliances means my bills are lower and I don't need to replace things. Being able to get ahead of needs by buying in bulk where there are discounts helps a lot. Being poor is very expensive. A lot of people who are financially comfortable assume that their weekly shop and other bills could be met on a low income. They are right, but the poor have to spend a lot more money to just survive.
Yes, sure, there are people out there who spend their money unwisely, frittering money away on things they don't really need when that money would be better put aside for future expenses. But for every fritterer out there, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of hard-working, thrifty folks who simply don't have enough money for the unavoidable, day-to-day living expenses they already have, many families going hungry or barely surviving on substandard foodstuffs, because they can't afford the healthy stuff their bodies need to function properly. How exactly are people supposed to put money aside, when in actual fact they are getting deeper and deeper into debt with each passing month, each serious illness or sudden health expense, each cheap appliance that keeps breaking down. I'm getting really tired of the people who are lucky enough to not know the absolute heartbreak and desperation of grinding, relentless poverty, telling us how to save the 'extra' money we simply don't have!
How could you save money if nearly 90% of my income already been used for basic things (rent, food, gas, etc)? And don't forget those unwanted things that can make you broke instantly.
I save as much as I can but inflation and earning less money has made it nearly impossible...just surviving is taking almost every penny.
Be prepared is maybe better. Your dishwasher/washing machine/boiler/furnace is older then 5 years? Make sure you have money to replace them. Are you having pets? Make sure you have money for medical care. Going on a holiday?? Make sure you have a little extra money to spend. Be prepared for uncertain circumstances.
My momma always says "Live within your means. It solves all your problems. You dont need fancy things. You dont need new clothes every month. Live within your means. Dont spend more than you make. You dont have to micromanage. Just make sure you arent spending a lot, or $5 here and $10 there.. " Live within your means! :)
Terry Pratchett observed, through the lense of Sam Vimes, that sometimes spending money is necessary to save it. His example was a good pair of boots that cost twice as much but lasted three times as long. There is much to be gained by occasionally buying nice things and taking care of them.
Living within our means isn't rocket science. Unlike the gov't example, we can't spend what we don't earn. And if we don't earn enough for the things we want, even the small things? A part-time job, a room-mate to share expenses, taking classes / upgrade (invest in self to earn more) ... but most of all, we really need to think about it and make good decisions as opposed to expecting the world to pay our way.
I know some poor people who tend to compensate for being poor by buying a big tv or a lot of stuff, or having many pets. I don't say they shouldn't but I don't think its wise.
Positively impact someone's day. And I think that's a small habit, because you don't have to do anything huge.
You could go really simple and just give a random, genuine compliment. "I like that jacket."
You could go slightly more advanced and compliment someone to someone else. "Man, Martha has been killing it lately with her work." There's a chance the compliment gets back to her. But even if not, you're boosting your image to the person you said that to, because of your willingness to compliment others.
You could do a slightly more advanced move like complimenting someone in the form of requesting their expertise. "Sam, you seem to really understand pivot tables in Excel. If you have time, do you mind showing me how they work?"
All 3 of those tactics are *slightly* manipulative, because you have to consciously manufacture those moments with regularity, at least at first. But they breed nothing but benefits. The other person feels better. You feel better. And you're easing that gap that separates people, unless one takes the initiative of lessening it.
I have always done this. Random compliments make people happy. I enjoy the responses more, I think, than they do the compliment. Even if I'm having a REALLY bad day, I will say something positive to someone. "Pretty dress.", or "I appreciate you." It makes the day a little less bad too. :)
Regularly going to the gym and eating well. I wasn't skinny because of metabolism. I was skinny because I wasn't eating and exercising enough. I'm up 20 pounds since this time last year.
With exercising and eating healthy you "loose" fat cells and gain muscle cells. Those tend to weigh more than fat cells, so you gain weight, but you are slimmer. Sad fact: the fat cells don't just go away, they are only emptied of the stored fat, so when you stop exercising and start up bad eating habits, they fill up again in no time. Voilà: here we have the yo-yo effect.
Mine is less sugar intake. The amount that most people eat is really disruptive to our bodies. Instead of getting that ice cream, get a yogurt or fruit. :)
Wake up at the same time. Every. Single. Day. Even on weekends. You stop waking up tired and start waking up naturally before your alarm.
Yes, I’m well aware this doesn’t work for everyone.
Budget your money.
That is the only solid way I know to get "rich" quick.
The concept of no zero days. On days when I'm feeling lazy and unproductive, I try to do something even if it's as simple reading or cleaning my room for 5 minutes.
Making your bed in the morning. It takes 3 minutes, and it makes your room look neat and presentable, as well as giving you the feeling that you accomplished something for the day. It's easy from there to just let that productive feeling snowball into being productive in other areas in your life.
If something needs to be done, *just do it.* Most people spend more time whining about work, whether household chores or employment related tasks, than if they'd just get in there and do it. Work and productivity is not the earth-shattering concept most people, of all ages, act like it is and no type of honest work is beneath anyone. Bathrooms are dirty at your high school job? Volunteer to do it. Your roommates not cleaning the common areas? Suck it up and do it or it'll just get worse because they won't do it regardless. Short-staffed at your adult job? Stay the extra thirty minutes to cover a task when everyone else acts like its moving mountains to do so.
After a while, you'll find there's a lot of personal satisfaction that can be found in this productivity for very little lost time in the big picture. Maybe you can only watch one episode on Netflix tonight instead of two for getting something done - so what? No, it's not always going to be fair, just like nothing else in life will be either. But, you can confidently say that you are humble enough and willing enough to take ownership and pride in your piece of the world when virtually no one else does the same. And in the end, it will be noticed by the right people. You will have better friends, better relationships, and better treated as an employee because genuine people in all of these categories know just how rare this trait is in a sea of total mediocrity. And there's no special skills required, just an open attitude you can start today with at any age.
I strongly disagree with this one. It is not my responsibility to do someone else's job or take care of their messes. I take absolutely no pride in doing menial chores. My house is clean because it has to be in order for me to live in it. I have lots of good habits, but it doesn't mean I like doing any of it. If my friends see my house a bit messy, they feel bad that I had a busy week. They're not suddenly worse friends, and if they did behave that way, we wouldn't be friends because I don't need that kind of toxicity in my life. I am a good employee, but I don't do extra. I don't get paid to do extra. I do what I need to, and I do it well. I am not mediocre. I just don't puff my chest out for doing normal tasks and what is expected of me. That's what it means to be humble. Not whatever this is.
Pay attention to your goddamn money. As a Canadian, Tim Horton's once or twice a day doesn't seem so bad. It's not like Starbucks, where a large coffee can cost you like 8 bucks after tax, an extra large is only 2.20 after tax.
So I recently was tired of being both overweight and cash poor. Despite being technically at the lowest income bracket, we always had money for food and clothes for our family, but things like $400 for a new bed and mattress for our kid was something to consider and save up for for a few pays. I was sick of it.
So I logged into my banking app. And I added up all the Tim Horton's transactions from March 23rd all the way back to the beginning of March. Just to see how much of my pay went to them. Now, I'll admit , I had a real problem. My once or twice a day, turns out, was just as often ***four or five times a day.***
Two f*****g hundred and m***********g eighty-goddamned-seven f****d up dollars later and I was only at March 10th or so. I couldn't go through with it and finish. I was ashamed. And I hadn't even told anyone at that point.
So I dropped it. Cold turkey. Got caffeine pills to deal with the withdrawals. Since then I have paid all my bills early, including rent, seen my savings account inflate from ~70 to almost $400, bought that bed, and I **still** had three digits before the decimal in chequing when my last two pays rolled around. That never happened before. I would either scrape by with 50ish, or even overdraft. Every. Single. Pay.
So yeah, go look and add up your worst vice. Imagine having *that* much extra in your pocket every single month. It might just be worth giving it up.
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Sidebar: I have lost ***over f*****g 23 pounds*** since March 9th, mainly because I am not consuming ***~1000 - 1800 calories from coffee alone.*** To be fair, I also stopped hitting all other fast food places and am definitely eating less overall, because part of my issue and breaking point was the weight, not just the money. So that 20lbs of weightloss is not to be expected for everyone unless they are also purposefully trying to lose weight.
Even if your "vice" is one candy bar a day, that could be $50/month you'd save.
Drink water with every food item you eat, even if you're having a small snack.
I don't drink anything when I eat. Once I've finished eating, I'll have my beverage.
Learning everyone's name at work.
Once they stick, you'll be like glue in the workplace. It's impossible to get rid of the guy everybody loves without destroying the camaraderie.
To me, this is just basic respect. Learn the names of people with whom you spend time. I teach in a sports program (youths and adults), and it bothers me that some of the other instructors barely remember each others' names, let alone the names of the students. Learning their names tells other people that you see them as individuals, and not just a body taking up space. Learn their names, and make sure you're pronouncing them correctly. Also, ask if they prefer to be called something else. "Michael" might actually want to be called "Buckethead", his childhood nickname. You never know.
Pick a room in your house (I chose bathroom) and every time you exit that room, do X number (I do 20) of push-ups, sit ups, whatever. I thought it seemed odd when my buddy told me he did this but after a bit you notice some changes.
I would most definitely choose the Ballroom, Observatory or Billiards room.
Smiling more often.
There are a lot of "habits" here that only work for neurotypical people. You can't "just do it" if you have certain mental health issues.
Thank you!! I have a laundry list of issues including adhd and I'm trying to get better with alot of this stuff and it's so hard to "just do it" I can never "just do it" with anything.
Load More Replies..."Eating healthy" and "excercise every week" are not small habits. They're major elements of persons lifestyle
Some of these are ableist as heck. Not everyone can manage constant productivity and healthy habits like tons of exercise.
Exactly. A big change in my mindset had to happen when I became chronically ill, as I was so used to just being able to get stuff done. Pacing is so important if you have low energy.
Load More Replies...Uh, thanks for telling me, an adult, how and what to do with my life, obviously otherwise, I would be drinking and eating c**p, laying in my own filth, thanks.
Every day I try to do 15 minutes of tiding, which mostly works. I walk around the house putting random stuff away where it belongs, make my bed, wipe my bathroom sink and toiletseat and put food in the fridge that my kids left on the counter, put dishes in the dishwasher and wipe the counter.In just 15 minutes your house looks tidy and well kept. And importantly I can manage being disciplined with it. Sometimes I get in the mood to do some extra chores I wouldn't have done otherwise.
Something that helped me with cleaning habits is to keep cleaning supplies in most rooms, in a cupboard somewhere. Its a lot easier to do a quick clean if the supplies are right there, than when you have to go to a different part of the house to get them and might get sidetracked along the way.
If your angry about something SAY SO. Don't mutter under your breath in another room just loud enough for me to hear it. My husband is the king of this and it makes me extremely anxious. I spend my life in a state of perpetual anxiety, even if it's not about me. I'm always wondering "what did I do (or not do) NOW"
All of these comments below are true, however, we must not compare ourselves to others. Simply try to see these fellow humanbeings' comments as encouragements to their fellow travelers thru life. Be encouraged to try your best with your own goals and be gentle with yourself on those days that are a struggle. Blessings on us all.
Doing a little something is always better than doing a whole lot of nothing. Applies to everything - chores, exercise, eating nutritiously, putting a little money aside.
I wipe the grout in my bathtub dry after I shower. It's still a bit grubby, but it's not getting worse.
Thank you so much for sharing this useful information!! Going down this road to successfully change your habits and develop a new routine might be tough. The good news is that with gummies, you can make the decision to alter your life. - Nidra Nutrition https://nidranutrition.com
There are a lot of "habits" here that only work for neurotypical people. You can't "just do it" if you have certain mental health issues.
Thank you!! I have a laundry list of issues including adhd and I'm trying to get better with alot of this stuff and it's so hard to "just do it" I can never "just do it" with anything.
Load More Replies..."Eating healthy" and "excercise every week" are not small habits. They're major elements of persons lifestyle
Some of these are ableist as heck. Not everyone can manage constant productivity and healthy habits like tons of exercise.
Exactly. A big change in my mindset had to happen when I became chronically ill, as I was so used to just being able to get stuff done. Pacing is so important if you have low energy.
Load More Replies...Uh, thanks for telling me, an adult, how and what to do with my life, obviously otherwise, I would be drinking and eating c**p, laying in my own filth, thanks.
Every day I try to do 15 minutes of tiding, which mostly works. I walk around the house putting random stuff away where it belongs, make my bed, wipe my bathroom sink and toiletseat and put food in the fridge that my kids left on the counter, put dishes in the dishwasher and wipe the counter.In just 15 minutes your house looks tidy and well kept. And importantly I can manage being disciplined with it. Sometimes I get in the mood to do some extra chores I wouldn't have done otherwise.
Something that helped me with cleaning habits is to keep cleaning supplies in most rooms, in a cupboard somewhere. Its a lot easier to do a quick clean if the supplies are right there, than when you have to go to a different part of the house to get them and might get sidetracked along the way.
If your angry about something SAY SO. Don't mutter under your breath in another room just loud enough for me to hear it. My husband is the king of this and it makes me extremely anxious. I spend my life in a state of perpetual anxiety, even if it's not about me. I'm always wondering "what did I do (or not do) NOW"
All of these comments below are true, however, we must not compare ourselves to others. Simply try to see these fellow humanbeings' comments as encouragements to their fellow travelers thru life. Be encouraged to try your best with your own goals and be gentle with yourself on those days that are a struggle. Blessings on us all.
Doing a little something is always better than doing a whole lot of nothing. Applies to everything - chores, exercise, eating nutritiously, putting a little money aside.
I wipe the grout in my bathtub dry after I shower. It's still a bit grubby, but it's not getting worse.
Thank you so much for sharing this useful information!! Going down this road to successfully change your habits and develop a new routine might be tough. The good news is that with gummies, you can make the decision to alter your life. - Nidra Nutrition https://nidranutrition.com