Good habits are the foundation of a successful and fulfilling life. They shape our character, our health, and our relationships. Whether you want to achieve your fitness goals, improve productivity at work, or simply live a happier life, developing positive habits is essential.
Let’s be honest, building good habits is easier said than done. It can be challenging and takes a tremendous amount of willpower and discipline to create positive habits that stick but it is also one of the most important things you can do for yourself.
The good news is that there are proven strategies and techniques that can help you develop healthy habits and make them stick. In this article, I will share with you the fundamental concept of habit, and 3 steps to develop any habit and also I will share the list of 70 powerful good habits to change your life.
So, are you ready to change your life forever using the power of habit? if yes then let’s get started…
Table of Contents
What is a habit?
Have you ever wondered how successful people seem to effortlessly achieve their goals and maintain their productivity? It’s not because they have superhuman willpower or they are just lucky, it’s because they have built good habits that support their progress.
Habits are automatic behavior or actions, rituals that you perform regularly and repeatedly, often without conscious thought or effort. They are the unconscious actions that you do day in and day out, shaping the way you think, act, and feel.
They are powerful tools that can either make or break your success and learning how to build positive healthy habits can change your life in ways you never thought possible.
New habit forming actually starts with behavior change. Initially, it starts with a simple task and then with continuous repetition behavior get changes and you start doing things automatically.
In 2009, there was a study run by researchers at the University College London about how much time it takes to form a new habit or automatic behavior. So they found that building new good habits takes around 66 days before the behavior change becomes automatic.
Habits can be good and bad and can be formed through repetition and reinforcement. Good automatic behavior can help you achieve your goals and improve your life, on the other hand, bad automatic behavior can hold you back and have negative consequences.
Good automatic behavior or actions promotes health, productivity, happiness, and mental well-being. Examples like exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, practicing meditation, spending time with family, setting goals, etc.
Bad automatic behavior or actions are harmful to physical and mental well-being. Examples like Smoking, eating junk food, excessive drinking, procrastination, overthinking, not taking action toward goals, etc.
Here are some examples of habits –
- Making your bed every morning.
- Checking your email first thing in the morning.
- Washing hands before meals.
- Waking up at regular time every day.
- Brushing your teeth in the morning.
- Eating breakfast in the morning.
How to develop good habits?
Developing good automatic behavior and breaking bad ones can be challenging but it is essential for a healthy and fulfilling life. It requires self-discipline, self-awareness, and consistent efforts. Here are 3 simple steps you can follow to develop good habits –
Step – 1: Start small
One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to develop new habits is trying to take too much at once. If you want to start exercising regularly, for example, it’s not realistic to suddenly commit to working out for an hour every day.
Instead start small, maybe you can commit to doing a 10 min workout each morning or taking a 15 min walk after dinner. The key is to make the habit manageable so that it becomes something you can stick to.
Step – 2: Make it consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to developing good habits. You need to commit to doing the habit every day, or at least on a regular schedule (Do it for at least 66 days). This helps to reinforce the habit and make it a natural part of your routine.
Try setting a specific time each day for your habit or linking it to another activity that you do regularly. For example, if you want to start reading more, commit to reading for 15 minutes before bed each night.
Step – 3: Reward yourself
Finally, it’s important to reward yourself for your efforts. This doesn’t mean treating yourself to a pint of ice cream every time you go for a run, but rather finding ways to celebrate your process and success.
Maybe you treat yourself to a new book after reading for a month straight or buy a new workout outfit after hitting a fitness goal. These rewards help to reinforce the habit and make it something that you look forward to doing.
70 Powerful Good habits for you
Now you understood how to develop good habits using 3 simple steps and achieve more in life. It’s time to get aware of 70 powerful good habits that can change your life forever.
Developing positive behavior is all about making small decisions on a daily basis. You don’t have to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Start by making one positive choice each day that’s how you can develop positive behavior over time.
For example, let’s say you want to build the habit of doing meditation regularly then start with 2 minutes of meditation every day. Commit to it for at least 7 to 8 days then gradually increase the timing and do that consistently.
Over a period of time, it becomes a part of your daily routine. Use this same approach to build any habit and if you want to see great results then focus on maintaining every positive behavior for the long run.
Let’s see the list of 70 powerful habits one by one and make sure that you should start building these habits today.
Health and Wellness habits:
Health and wellness is the most important part of your life. It affects your career, relationships, lifestyle, and overall quality of life. This is the foundation of your life that’s why you need to first focus on building positive behavior in this (Health & Wellness) area of your life.
- Exercise daily – Regular exercise is a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. At least do exercise 5 days a week for 30 to 45 minutes each day. This will give you long-term benefits and makes you physically as well as mentally fit.
- Drink enough water – Drinking enough water every day is essential for the human body to function properly. Health experts recommend that you should drink 3 to 3.5 liters of water every day to maintain the body functioning well.
- Eat breakfast every morning – Studies show that eating breakfast every morning boosts your metabolism rate and provides a sufficient amount of energy to your body so that you can work efficiently throughout the day.
- Eat an apple every day – There is a famous saying ” An apple each day will keep a doctor away.” Eating an apple every day is so effective because apple is a great source of fiber which maintains a healthy digestive system.
- Sleep at least 7 hrs daily – Experts suggested that sleeping at least 7 hrs every night is crucial for the proper functioning of your body and brain. It improves your physical as well as mental health.
- Get sunlight in the morning – Spending 5 to 10 minutes in the morning sunlight has a significant impact on physical as well as mental well-being. It increases bone strength and improves the immune system. It also reduces the stress level and symptoms of depression.
- Eat Green Vegetables – Eating green vegetables is very important for maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. It is fully nutrition-rich, includes fiber, and antioxidants, and is also a huge source of alkalinity that balances the body’s PH level.
- Daily 20 to 30 min walking – Walking for 30 minutes a day can help you lower blood pressure, and improves physical and mental health. It strengthens your muscle and also improves sleep.
- Drinking 1 glass of hot water in the morning – Drinking 1 glass of hot water every day after you brush your teeth can improve your digestion, increase your metabolism rate, and detoxify your body.
- Eat enough fiber – Eating an ample amount of fiber can help you in weight management, control blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of heart disease also reduce the risk of cancer.
Relationship habits:
The next pillar of a high-quality lifestyle is relationships. Whether you are a businessman, corporate professional, or student, your success in personal and professional life is dependent on the quality of relationships you have. That’s why after health you need to focus on building positive behavior in a relationship.
- Communication is essential for any relationship whether it is personal or professional. It helps in understanding each other’s needs, wants, and feelings.
- Spending quality time together helps in strengthening the relationship. It can be simple like watching a Movie together, traveling together, or taking a walk together.
- Showing affection towards each other is important. It could be through kind words or small gestures of love.
- Being there for each other during tough times is crucial. It shows that you care and are willing to help each other through thick and thin.
- Showing gratitude towards each other helps in appreciating and valuing the relationship. It could be through a small act of kindness or expressing gratitude through words.
- Respecting each other’s opinions, feelings and boundaries is very important to build a strong relationship.
- Practice active listening and empathizing with your partner’s thoughts, and feelings.
- Work through conflicts and disagreements in a respectful and constructive manner.
- Forgiveness is crucial, you must be willing to forgive each other when mistakes are made and move forward with a focus on growth and healing.
- Relationship requires compromise, you must be willing to give and take in order to create a healthy and balanced relationship. This involves being open to different perspectives and ideas.
Career habits:
After health and Relationship, the 3rd most important aspect of a high-quality lifestyle is your career. Whether you own a business or you work in a company there are some positive behaviors that you must develop to stay ahead of the crowd and exponentially grow in your career.
- Focus on continuous learning. Commit to ongoing learning and personal development to stay ahead of the curve in your field.
- Strong work ethic. Develop a strong work ethic and consistently deliver high-quality work. Take short breaks when needed to recharge yourself so that you can deliver quality work.
- Being polite is essential in a career, it helps to build strong relationships with your colleagues/clients and create a positive work environment.
- Take responsibility for your actions. If you make a mistake accept it and make sure you should not blame others.
- Taking initiative in the workplace is important if you see any problem at the workplace and you think that you have the ability to solve that then just take initiative to solve that problem. This will lead to better teamwork, and collaboration and everyone consider you as a leader.
- Practice written skills as well as verbal communication. Whether you are in business or a job, you must be very good at communicating and expressing your thoughts either in written or verbal form.
- Be time-efficient. Don’t waste your as well as others’ time. Time is valuable so manage your time effectively and make sure that you must try to finish your work on time.
- Organize your workspace. Spend 5 to 10 minutes every day cleaning and organizing your workspace. This is underrated but the most effective thing you can do every day to increase your productivity.
- Be systematic at the workplace. You must create a to-do list, plan your work, and create systems, and guidelines to perform your daily activities effectively, this simple thing increases your productivity. Avoid distractions, manage your time, and say no to tasks that are beyond your capacity to handle.
- Following up at the workplace is essential for accountability, building trust, improving communication, and increasing productivity.
Financial habits:
After understanding habits for 3 important pillars (Health, Relationship, Career) of a successful life, the next important area of your life is personal finance.
Everyone on this planet should know how to earn money and then how to manage that money effectively so that money can save you in your difficult times.
Whether you are in a job or doing your business to become wealthy in the long term you must know money management. Because how you manage your money impacts your ability to grow your wealth and attain financial freedom.
- Build a habit of seeking financial advice. If you are unsure about a financial decision, seek advice from a trusted financial advisor. They can help you make informed decisions that align with your goals and risk tolerance.
- Setting clear financial goals can help you stay motivated and focused on achieving your desired outcome. Make it a habit to set both short-term and long-term goals and track your progress regularly.
- Keeping an emergency fund. Life is full of surprises so it’s important to have an emergency fund in case of unexpected expenses or income loss. Make it a habit to set aside a portion of your income each month for this purpose.
- Tracking your expenses is a great way to stay on top of your spending and avoid overspending. Use a diary or digital app to track your spending and identify areas where you can cut back.
- Creating a monthly budget and sticking to it is the most important financial habit you can develop. This will help you understand your income, expenses, and saving goals and allocate your resources accordingly.
- It’s important to save a portion of your income every month. You can start small and gradually increase the amount you save. Set aside a fixed amount each month for emergencies, retirement, and other financial goals.
- Avoid debt. Developing a habit of avoiding debt can help you avoid high-interest rates and excessive fees. It’s important to only borrow what you can afford to repay and to always carefully read the document of the loan or any financial document.
- Being frugal doesn’t mean being cheap. It means being mindful of your spending and finding ways to save money without sacrificing the quality of your life. You should avoid unnecessary expenses.
- Investing your money wisely can help you grow your wealth over time. Make it a habit to research your options and choose investments that match your goals and risk tolerance.
- Paying bills on time. Late payment can lead to costly fees and negatively impact your credit score. So pay your bills on time to avoid negative consequences.
Networking habits:
Whether you are doing a job or doing business in both cases it is true that your network is your net worth. Networking and nurturing your relationships with your network is an important part of being a successful employee or entrepreneur. Develop the following networking habits to grow in your life.
- Add value. While building a network it is very important that you should add value to others without seeking something in return. Just add value and you will see huge returns in the long term.
- Nurture your network. Build a habit of nurturing people you meet and network with. Don’t just meet and forget about them. Stay in touch with them as often as possible.
- Approach other. To build a network you must take initiative to approach people. Don’t just wait for others to approach you.
- Give compliments to others. In networking and building strong relationships giving compliments is very important. People love compliments and they will remember you for a long time. (Complement their work)
- Be honest. While networking with people if you want to build long-term relationships stay honest. Promise only what you are capable of delivering. And try your best to over-deliver from your side.
- Listen attentively. When networking it’s important to be a good listener. Pat attention to what others are saying, ask questions and show genuine interest in their experiences and ideas.
- Use social media properly. Use social media platforms like Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to network with the right people from your industry. Don’t just use it for entertainment.
- Attending industry events and conferences is a great way to meet new people and learn about the latest trends and developments in your field.
- Be positive while networking because it is challenging sometimes so stay positive and keep an open mind. Remember that every single connection is an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Ready to help your network, you can find ways to help your network in solving their problem. This way you can build long-lasting trust with them.
Goal-setting habits:
In order to become successful in your personal as well as professional life you need to focus on setting goals for yourself and achieving them with constant effort. But most people fail in setting goals for themselves and the reason behind it is not having proper goal-setting habits.
Let’s see some of the most important goal-setting habits that can help you achieve any goal related to health, relationship, finance, career, etc.
- Set SMART goals. You should focus on setting SMART goals which means your goal should be Specific, Meaningful, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
- Write your goals down. Writing down your goals makes them more tangible and helps you stay focused on what exactly you want to achieve.
- Break your goals down into smaller steps. Breaking your goals down into smaller, manageable steps can make them less overwhelming and easier to accomplish.
- Reviewing your goals regularly can help you stay on track and adjust your plan if necessary. It can also remind you why you set the goal in the first place and motivate you to keep going.
- Hold yourself accountable. Take responsibility for your own progress and hold yourself accountable for achieving your goals. This can help you stay focused and motivated, even when faced with obstacles.
- Visualize your success. Visualizing yourself achieving your goals can be a powerful way to motivate yourself. It can help you stay focused on your goal and increase your belief that you can achieve that goal.
- Maintaining a positive attitude can help you stay motivated and focused on your goal. Sometimes you may fail to achieve your goal on time and during that time you need to maintain a positive attitude to trust the process and focus on the end result.
- Create a plan of action for every goal. Develop a plan for how you will achieve each goal, including the steps you will take and the resources you will need. This will help you stay organized and on track. (Check out – Why you should avoid multitasking?)
- Prioritize your goals. Identify which goals are most important to you and focus your efforts on those first. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and ensure that you are making progress toward your most important objectives.
- Celebrate your success. This is one of the most important habits you should develop. Celebrating your successes, no matter how small, can help you stay motivated with a positive attitude and inspired to continue working toward your goal.
Habits to know yourself:
To become successful in life, it is important that you should aware of your true self, you should know how you think, behave, act, etc. You should know your strengths, and weaknesses, and what you can improve about yourself.
Because the more you know yourself the more you make the right choices in life and your choices make your life. Here are the 10 simple habits you can develop to know more about yourself.
- Practice self-reflection. Set aside some time regularly to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and action. This can help you identify patterns and gain insights into your behavior and beliefs.
- Spend time alone. Take time each day to be alone with your thoughts. This can be as simple as sitting in silence for a few minutes or going walk by yourself.
- Keep a journal. Writing down your thoughts, experiences, and feelings in a journal can help you understand yourself and identify areas for growth. This can help you process your emotions and gain insights into your inner world.
- Try new things. Experiment with different activities and experiences to discover your likes, dislikes, strengths, and weakness. This can help you learn more about yourself and what brings you fulfillment.
- Pay attention to your emotion. Notice how you feel in different situations and learn to recognize your emotional triggers. This can help you better manage your emotions and make more informed decisions.
- Practice self-care. Take care of your physical, emotional, and mental health. This can help you cultivate self-love and self-compassion and develop a deeper connection with yourself.
- Practice mindfulness. Incorporate mindfulness practices such as yoga, and meditation into your routine to develop greater self-awareness and gain a deeper understanding of yourself.
- Get feedback from others. Ask your trusted friends and family members for feedback on your behavior and personality. This can help you gain a new perspective on yourself and identify blind spots.
- Set goals for yourself. Set personal goals and work towards achieving them. This can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and develop a sense of purpose and direction.
- Practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, especially during times of failure, difficulty, and suffering in life.
Conclusion
Adopting these 70 good habits can have a profound impact on your life. By making simple changes to your daily routine, you can improve your health, relationships, career, and overall quality of life.
It takes commitment and consistency to cultivate these good habits, but the benefits are well worth it. So start today and choose at least one habit from this list to work on and see transform your life for the better.
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Thank you a lot it is big lesson I learnt a lot. I have a dream to automatically practice it some of it I already have it but more of it I will develop as per the standard listed. Really appreciate
Thanks for your feedback!
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