Make these easy switches to revitalise your daily routine, as told by experts
Changing your life doesn’t have to come at some extravagant, world moving cost. A career change or house move can be a great kickstart for a new era of your life, but small switches in your everyday routine can have an incredible change to your energy levels.
A couple of tweaks to your everyday routine can help revolutionise your physical health, mental wellbeing and force you out of a creative burnout. Putting in the effort to build positive habits can make you feel less exhausted and become more refreshed for the day ahead, every day.
‘Where we recognise the need for habit formation, we are recognising the possibility that we can change the future,’ shares Tony Coward, ADHD business coach at Nomadd Coaching. ‘Working to develop the habit is embracing that possibility and proactively working to effect the change we want.’
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Small step for big strides
Building positive habits can transform our lifestyles and enable us to achieve the goals we set for ourselves, one small change at a time.
If there’s a big goal or New Year’s resolution that you set yourself at the start of the year that has now been forgotten about since January, taking new steps to work towards your targets can get you back on track to completing that forgotten challenge you set yourself. By taking the smallest step, you can begin to take strides on setting goals and accomplishing them.
‘Our lives are shaped by small habits, not one-off moments,’ shares Jess Pritchard, fitness coach, writer and organiser of MIRRA Journal Club. ‘Moving your body, journaling, resting - these tiny rituals send a powerful message to yourself that says ‘I matter’. They create stability when life feels chaotic but beyond that, they nurture self-trust.’
‘Your relationship with you dictates so much of your life, and habits are a daily way of choosing that relationship. When we build habits out of self-devotion rather than pressure, we find the energy and resilience to thrive, not just survive.’
If you’re ready to start thriving and not just surviving, then these 10 habits may be exactly what has been missing to create the lifestyle you deserve.
The 10 daily habits you need to build
1. Read for 20 minutes a day
Picking up and dusting off a book from the cluttered pile in the corner of your room can help you find the perfect no-screentime activity that your daily routine has been craving.
Not only does reading boost your vocabulary, build your knowledge and increase your attainment at school and work, it also creatively engages your brain and positively boosts cognitive activity.
No matter fact or fiction, reading for as little as 20 minutes a day can make you that much smarter for when you’re next trying to win at your local pub quiz.
2. Make your bed as soon as you wake up
Staring at a crumpled mess of sheets isn’t a pretty sight. Making your bed as soon as you wake up discourages you from getting back into it and putting off the day even further from under the covers.
It’s a great way to make you feel organised for the day ahead, proving that a tidy space can help you to create a tidy mind headspace.
3. Try to clean as much as you can while making your coffee
Something as simple as replacing your brain-rotting scrolling on social media while the kettle boils for your morning tea, coffee, matcha or comfort drink equivalent to get you out of bed could be the energy boost you need to start the day.
See how much you can get done in such a short period, from tackling the washing up to taking the bins out. The tiniest chore completed can make your to-do list that much smaller and help you to free up space later in the day.
4. Pick up a piece of litter on your commute
It may not be the most glamorous of hacks but putting something in the bin can help to build clean green spaces in your local environment.
Studies have found that clean outdoor spaces boost our mental health and reduce symptoms of anxiety, alongside doing our small part for looking after the planet.
Romanticising the space around you has never been so simple or sustainable.
5. Develop a no-screens hobby
Knitting, crochet, baking, yoga, journalling, gardening. There are endless hobbies that don’t involve you being plugged in online and feeling exhausted with the never-ending noise of notifications or social media alerts.
Having a creative hobby or activity to do that keeps you busy offline can be exactly what you need to feel more yourself.
‘Journaling is like building a friendship with yourself,’ adds Jess, ‘It’s a space to pause, notice how you’re really feeling, and untangle the noise in your head. Sometimes it’s a brain dump, sometimes it’s celebrating wins, and sometimes it’s simply holding space for you.’
‘Over time, it strengthens the most important relationship you’ll ever have - the one with yourself. And when you know and back yourself, you’re able to take up your space and be the main character in your own life with more clarity, confidence, and ease.’
6. Complete a puzzle
There’s a reason that the mini and the wordle have reignited our excitement for brain-boosting games, and it’s not just for the endorphin rush of reaching a new high score. Jigsaws, sudokus and crosswords are fun challenges that boost motor function and improve our problem-solving skills.
Research highlights that if you want to improve your attention span, brain training puzzles could be the way forward.
7. Spend 30 minutes doing light exercise
It could be a stroll through the park, a home workout or meeting with friends to go to an exercise class. Keeping your body moving makes sures that your physical health and mobility is being supported every single day.
‘Even small adjustments, like keeping meals balanced or carving out a set time for physical activity, reinforce neural circuits that regulate stress and energy,’ shared Dr Ramon Velazquez, neuroscientist and scientific advisor at Mind Lab Pro.
‘Over a period of time, these circuits become more efficient, which makes the brain better at handling the unexpected.’
8. Drink enough water
That decorative water bottle you bought on sale is nice, so why have you forgotten about it in the back of the cupboard?
Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day, or roughly two litres, can prevent dehydration and leave you with more energy by supporting your digestion.
Staying hydrated is also the secret ingredient to looking after your skin, leaving you looking refreshed and younger.
9. Do something you’ve never done before
Try a new recipe. Attend a community event. Redecorate your spare bedroom. Join a dance class. Doing something different to your regular routine and learning a new hobby can keep your brain alert and get you out of a boring daily routine that leaves you feeling uninspired.
Try something on your own or trial out a new activity with a friend, as it could be a step to unlocking a new passion.
10. Keep a regular bedtime
Battling with your brain to unwind and switch off at the same time every day may be tough, but it’s exactly what your body needs to feel recharged.
Not only does getting enough sleep look after the health of our brain, it also gives us the vital energy we need to physically recover and protect our mental wellbeing.
Dr Ramon adds: ‘What I see in my role is that the most effective routines are the ones that give the brain regular cues for recovery and stability. Sleep and meal timing are prime examples.’
‘When these are kept consistent, the circadian system - the body’s internal clock - stays aligned, and that supports everything from hormone regulation to memory consolidation.’
Here’s how you can build new habits, and stick to them
So, you’ve set your goals of what habits you want to build to become the best version of yourself, but you still need to put the work in to actually keep them. Habit stacking could be the essential in creating a new routine that you don’t forget about after a week.
‘Consistency is not about perfection; it's about choosing to show up, day after day, even when you don't feel like it,’ encourages Tony, ‘It’s about progress, not perfection. We can effectively support our way towards overcoming our habit-forming challenges and create lasting positive change.’
Habit stacking is a method of segmenting tasks to make them more approachable and adaptable to our everyday life. If you struggle drinking enough water, for example, start by drinking a glass every time you grab a bite to eat. Or if you struggle to manage your screen time, read a chapter of a book after scrolling on social media to do something away from your phone.
Habit stacking can be a great way of incorporating positive habits into your exiting routine that don’t feel overwhelming or impossible to achieve.
Tony adds: ‘Habit stacking can help create the changes we want to make, one small micro-excellent step at a time. Keep going, even when it feels like you're wading through treacle. Your future self will thank you for it.’
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