Hi everyone! Today's post is going to be about the habits that I have adopted that have literally changed my life. I've been inspired to do this post after watching some YouTube videos on the topic. I got to thinking about the habits that have influenced the way I live my life currently, and how they have benefited my life positively.
These habits range from things I started doing back in primary school, to things I have only recently adopted within the last few months, yet they're making such a difference. Building a habit in itself can be quite difficult but with determination and motivation, anything is possible!
#1 DRINKING WATER
Drinking water comes so naturally for a lot of people, but for me it has always been a struggle. Now, it's like second nature to me to drink water throughout the day but a few years ago I either didn't want to drink water at all, or I would make an effort but forget.
The thing that made it easy to start drinking a lot more water was keeping a water bottle with me at all times and refilling it when it was empty. I also set reminders on my phone for me to drink water every few hours, and it really helped! Now, I can drink 2 - 3 litres without needing a reminder! What also helped was giving up drinks that weren't water such as fizzy drinks and juices. All I drink now is water or tea. By removing other drinks, it made it easier to focus on water itself and not get distracted.
I love water now, and I'm so glad that I began taking it more seriously!
#2 BUILDING ROUTINES
This is something that saved my skin during half-terms in school and also on my gap year. School always gave me a structured routine that I didn't know I needed until I didn't have it anymore! Having a routine helps keep me sane because I know what I'm doing at what time, and I'm not sat there twiddling my thumbs.
A night-time routine was amongst the first that I built for myself. I have a post about my current night time routine over here! I'm also getting myself into the swing of my new morning routine (a blog post is coming soon!) and I find that they both help me with laying the right foundation for my day, and also ending it in the right way too.
During school breaks, I also always made myself a routine so that I wouldn't be left with nothing to do for weeks on end! Routines help me feel way more productive and like I am being intentional with my actions. I suggest you all watch Chelsea Dinen's video on the importance of building daily routines. Check it out here!
In addition to these routines, I've also built a yoga routine, a skincare routine, and a getting-ready-for-work routine. It may seem like a lot, but they really do help me with productivity and time management.
During school breaks, I also always made myself a routine so that I wouldn't be left with nothing to do for weeks on end! Routines help me feel way more productive and like I am being intentional with my actions. I suggest you all watch Chelsea Dinen's video on the importance of building daily routines. Check it out here!
In addition to these routines, I've also built a yoga routine, a skincare routine, and a getting-ready-for-work routine. It may seem like a lot, but they really do help me with productivity and time management.
#3 DOING EVERYTHING THE NIGHT BEFORE
This is something that I learnt how to do back in primary school, and I'm so thankful my mum taught it to me. By doing everything the night before, I mean laying out my clothes for the morning, packing my lunch and putting it in the fridge for the next day, making my to-do list etc.
By doing these things the night before, I saved so much time in the mornings because the important things had already been done! Now, it's been ingrained in me and I can't not do these things in the evening. If you're looking to start waking up earlier for either work or school, then this is something to definitely start doing!
#4 ADOPTING A MINIMALIST MINDSET
Now, I am in no way declaring myself a minimalist but there are some areas of my life where I applied this mindset and I've seen really good results!
By adopting a minimalist mindset, I've been able to de-clutter so much stuff from my room that served no purpose. I've been able to cut down on the number of items I buy by thinking about it for a couple of days and if I still want it, then I buy it. I've also been able to stop buying impulsively just for the sake of it.
I only have the necessities that really spark joy in me and I've been able to see that I appreciate those things more. I used to be someone who kept everything because I thought I could need it later or I just grew attached to it, but I've learnt that I don't need everything; only the essentials! Going forward, I hope to get rid of more of my belongings and continue with this mindset, because it has seriously helped me out!
#5 CLEANING UP AFTER MYSELF IMMEDIATELY
The last habit that has changed my life is simply just cleaning up after myself. Growing up, I was taught to always do this, but as I got older I just got lazier and wasn't bothered anymore. I would leave cleaning to the last minute and when that minute came, I'd procrastinate until my mum got reaaally angry at me. Not great.
I'm way better now, and it's something that's become second nature to me too! After I eat, I'll wash all the dishes, I'll put my books away, I'll put all my clothes away in the evening, I'll find designated homes for things around the house, I'll be cleaning up used ingredients while I'm cooking, and small things like that. They are so easy for me to do now because I've built the habit and kept it up.
By cleaning up immediately after I'm done, I keep the area around me as clean as possible so I don't have to keep doing a deep clean every few days. It's also great because my room is kept clean a lot of the time and I don't have to brace myself when walking in! It's something that I'm so glad I started doing because everyone wants a clean space right?
I hope you enjoyed this post, and that it gave you some inspiration! Habits are tough to build, but once you do it, it feels great! Tell me what habits have changed your life below!