Habits create reality. What we do every day determines what we become.
If you exercise and eat well, you will be in good shape. If you procrastinated in the past, you might not see any progress in your work.
There is no doubt that you must incorporate good habits into your life. But what about the bad ones? You can create a better life by avoiding bad habits similar to keeping the good ones.
Start 2023 by avoiding these four daily habits.
1. Sleeping less than 6 hours
Sleep is essential to reboot your energy. It is necessary for your physical and mental well-being.
Sleeping less than 6 hours makes you feel unproductive and tired. A good 6–8 hours of rest is compulsory every day.
Matthew Walker, the author of Why We Sleep, says;
“Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.”
If you have been a night owl — sleeping only a few hours daily, it’s time to reconsider it.
In my experience, having a good night’s sleep makes my morning and day very productive and refreshing. Sometimes, I take power naps during the afternoon when I feel tired and stressed. It works wonders for me.
Don’t neglect your sleeping hours.
2. Eating whatever you want
We all know the importance of eating healthily. Yet, most of us neglect it.
I have been guilty of that too. I used to eat what I liked, not what I needed. But now I have realized that the consequences of eating whatever you want might affect you slowly in the long term.
Avoid eating junk and processed food. Eat proper foods that provide all the nutrients. Plan a diet and eat accordingly.
3. Not moving your body
Wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, sit on your chair throughout work hours, return home, have dinner, watch TV sitting on the couch, fall asleep, and repeat. That’s a typical day for a lot of people in the world.
The human body is not meant to be at rest. Instead, we have been built to move. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors walked all day in search of food. Their entire day was filled with physical activities, except when they slept.
Physical exercise is a must. You don’t have to join the gym for that. You can go on brisk walks, jog in the park, do yoga at home, or do some dancing. Do any of these activities for at least 30 minutes daily, and you will feel great.
I like to take walks and lift weights at home.
What you do doesn’t matter as long as you do some physical activity daily. Your future self will thank you for it.
4. Using your phone too much
People spend at least 2–3 hours a day on their phones. Some people even have screen time of 8 hours. That’s madness.
Too much screen time affects your health. It causes stress, anxiety, vision problems, lack of productivity, and cancer risks.
Use your phones productively. Remember, you can control it. Don’t let it control you.
We’ve all been guilty of overeating, not exercising, using phones excessively, and not getting enough sleep. The problem arises when you do them daily.
If you can’t change your habits, you won’t be able to change your external circumstances. You can start by taking small steps initially. But, you must realize the problem and act immediately.
I focused too much on work in 2022 and neglected my health. As I said, I have been guilty of each habit discussed above. So, I’m writing this post not just to motivate you but as a reminder to myself. It’s time for a change.
I’m in for it. Are you?
This article first appeared on Medium.com here.
Biliz is a writer, creator, and entrepreneur. He writes about self-improvement and online writing. If you want to get inspired and learn more from him, subscribe to his newsletter. Also, check out his writing on Medium. See all his links here.
