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.
More Info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
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.
I've done weightwatchers for a year and one part is, to really listen to yourself when you're full. It took some time, but I really needed smaller portions. And this "theres only a few spoons full left, I'll finish it even when I'm full to have a clean plate" was hard to overcome. That's been a few years ago and I really should start working on that habit again ^^
Load More Replies...
Don't leave 1/4 to 1/3 of the food on your plate. That's such a waste - prepare less food in the first place. Put less food on the plate.
Depends on the culture. In Japan, it's considered rude and wasteful to leave food on your plate. You also will not be allowed to take leftovers home. In China, leaving food on your plate means the host fed you enough and you liked the food because you ate until you were stuffed. So it depends on the culture.
I don't like this one. It's not fun to hear people telling you to eat less or stop eating when you only have one meal a day. It feels like you should just stop once and for all. I've lost 10kg since being on a diet and started eating more. But still struggle a lot with this sort of message.
If you're only eating one meal a day then this one isn't for you. I hope you're able to find what is healthy for you. We all have different needs when it comes to food and that's ok.
Load More Replies...
I don't think it's ever a good idea to waste food. If you leave food on your plate, you ought to refrigerate it and eat it later. Do one better and just take smaller portions.
This is a really hard concept for those of use raised in "clean your plate" households. Hard, but not impossible. Just pretend that you can come back to "finish the plate" later as a snack, or call it a snack for tomorrow and go ahead and put it in the fridge.
Less carbs and sugars makes the biggest difference, for weight and for health.
I have to eat small meals for health reasons...I've lost weight despite not depriving myself of favorites. It also helps to savor the small meals in a mindful way.
When you do eat out, have them bring a to-go box right away. You can put half of your food in it for later.
And bevare of the big portions. When I was a child soda came in1/4 l bottles, then it started coming in ½ l bottles. Nowadays it is often cheaper to buy a 2 l bottle than a ½ l one, so you are often tempted to drink more, than is good for you because now you have bought it
This one should really only be for people with slower metabolisms. I have a faster one and I know eating slightly less of the food is worse for me because I need more nutritions then most people and portions are usually for average metabolisms. Not saying the advice is wrong jsut think through it before you listen to this one
Take what you want, but eat what you take. It's not responsible to take more than you will eat and leave the rest on your plate.
"Don't eat all the fries." What language is this? My babel fish must have stepped out for some fries.
At meals, *never* eat until you're full. Eat until you are not hungry. Set your fork down after every bite. And *never* eat more just because you cooked too much. Never "clean your plate" just for the purpose of "not letting food go to waste." Acting like there is something noble about eating food you are not hungry for is, IMHO, the most destructive value we teach our children. Stop. Eating. When you are not hungry. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.
My bsf does this without even trying, she just gets so full she can't eat, I guess that's why she's 5ft 3 and only weighs about 85pounds, then again we are in 7th grade
although I agree with you, my problem is, I'm an expert, maverick level expert at heaping my plate even if it's the size of a saucer. Some people see it as a life skill. 😏🤷
Not everybody needs to lose weight. Don't just assume that everybody needs to eat less. I hate when people do this. "Calories = bad". No they aren't.
Okinawa diet, no? I always thought in Okinawa diet (alongside other things), you must stop eating before fully replete...
I don't know about the Okinawa diet but I got into the habit of eating until I'm not hungry, instead of full. I feel a lot better after the meal as I'm not overfull.
Load More Replies...
Painful advice to those who don't get enough food to be able to "Eat a little less"! As for the advice to "leave 1/4 - 1/3 of your food on your plate" - how about buying less food in the first place, instead of wasting it, and donating the difference to the hungry. Believe me, they won't be wasting any food, they don't need to get thin - they already are too thin without needing any fancy diet programs!
I know some people with this habit that are already in their 50s and 60s, been doing this for the larger portion of their life, and the sad thing is, that when you do it constantly, it becomes some kind of eating disorder where they start feeling guilty if they eat the proper amount of food that fully satisfies them. And that's sad. It's sad when you see a person, who really would like an other bite, a piece of pica, because the previous portion was way too small but this habit does not let them do it. Don't torture yourselves like that, just eat the right portion for your healthy goal and that does not mean, that you have to eat less. For some foods, you can actually eat more.
I feel you might be reading too much Cosmo (is that still a thing?) Who says I want to (or indeed, should) lose weight? How do you know that losing weight will make me healthier? This idea that everyone in the world is on a weight-loss diet is ridiculous!
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.
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.
Note: this post originally had 36 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
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
