Any productivity or personal growth expert will be the first to tell you that identifying and sticking with the right daily habits is one of the most important factors when you want to see real growth and change. Silk + Sonder is dedicated to helping its members grow in a meaningful way, which is why every issue comes with a habit tracker—but identifying the habits that will actually enable this growth (and breaking bad habits!) is key.
Below, we’ve listed 67 habit ideas for personal growth, so feel free to pick and choose the ones that feel most applicable to your life.
- Make your bed every day
- Celebrate small victories
- Don’t multitask
- Check in with your personal goals once a week
- Prioritize meeting new people
- Get better at time management
- Incorporate something green into one meal a day
- Wash and put away all dishes after dinner
- Eat a piece of fruit every day
- Have mini dance parties
- Consume the news in a way that feels healthy for you
- Tackle the most important tasks on your to-do list first
- Eat less sugar
- Prepare for the next day the night before
- Surround yourself with positive people
- Wake up at the same time every day
- Check out and engage with events in your city or town
- Take an after dinner walk
- Spend less time on social media
- Meditate
- Send thank you notes or texts as soon as you receive a gift
- Do your laundry on the same day every week
- Floss your teeth every day
- Read for 20 minutes a day
- Take a mental health day once a month
- Utilize daily affirmations
- Take breaks during the workday
- See a therapist
- Keep your workspace relaxing and clutter-free
- Drink less alcohol
- Check in with your career goals once a week
- Practice good sleep hygiene
- Do a short yoga flow
- Stick with a morning routine
- Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day
- Exercise regularly
- Wait half an hour to check your phone after you wake up in the morning
- Journal on a regular basis
- Call a friend
- Stretch
- Listen to music that brings you joy and relaxes you
- Take an online course
- Automatically transfer money from your paycheck into your savings account
- Write every day, even if it’s just one line
- Put your gym clothes next to your bed to encourage you to go to the gym as soon as you wake up
- Set aside time every week to learn a new skill
- Maintain a positive mindset
- Cook new recipes every month
- Say no to things you don’t want to do
- Keep up with doctors and dental appointments on a yearly (or bi-yearly) basis
- Don’t procrastinate
- Dedicate a specific amount of time to self-care every week
- Meal prep on Sundays
- Put your phone “to bed” two hours before you go to sleep
- Dedicate time every week to a hobby that brings you joy
- Delegate tasks
- Make travel a priority, even if you’re traveling somewhere close to home
- Drink less coffee
- Arrive places on time
- Learn a new language (and practice it regularly)
- Do something that puts you outside your comfort zone
- Practice deep breathing
- Cultivate a gratitude practice
- Drink a big glass of water as soon as you wake up
- Master something in your field that isn’t in your job description
- Create an evening ritual that helps you wind down
- Cut down on how much time you spend watching TV
How to develop a new habit
When you want to develop a new habit, one of the best things you can do is come up with a plan for how you'll execute it. Start by being realistic: If you want to exercise regularly, for example, is it realistic to do it every day? Or is four times a week more sustainable for you? Once you come up with a plan, you'll just need to stick to it.
How to stick with your personal growth habits
Coming up with the habits you want to stick to is one thing, actually sticking to them is another. A habit tracker is a great starting point, because it builds in some accountability. But there are other strategies that can help you stick with your habits, too, like:
Habit stacking. By stacking a habit you want to build with a habit you already have, you’ll be able to stick with your new habits more easily. For example, if you want to start flossing regularly, you could do it right after you brush your teeth.
Find an accountability buddy. Finding someone in your life who is willing to hold you accountable is an excellent tool when you’re trying to build a habit. This can be as simple as sending a quick text or email after you participate in your habit.
Give yourself rewards. This is tied to the habit tracker concept, but giving yourself rewards when you’ve participated in the habit you want to build for a certain number of days or weeks can be a good incentive to stick with it. For example, if your goal is to cook five new meals a month, maybe you buy yourself a new pan you’ve been eyeing once you do it.
Living in an atmosphere of growth is important, and the right habits are key to making this happen. And if you’re working on journaling more, you can find inspiration with these 49 journaling prompts for spring.