to ask for your good habits so I can copy them!?

[cloverlover]

On the look out for great new habits. What are yours? Here are a few of mine to start us off:

• floss and use interdental in the shower
• take one old item out of the fridge each time I open it
• get dressed as soon as I get out of bed to avoid lounging in dressing gown

what are your great habits that help your life run smoothly? I'm in need of inspiration! thanks :)

I listened to podcast by Michael Mosely called Just One Thing. It's a 20min or so pod about small daily habits that make a big difference (one habit per episode)
For me, the ones that have stuck are :

Drink water on waking and after a meal
Stand on one leg while cleaning teeth.
2 squares of 90% chocolate a day.
Breathing exercises- box breathing
Micro exercise bursts throughout the day ( run up and downstairs, jog on spot etc )
Daily walk, first thing if possible.
Take daily prebiotic (Idrink kefir at breakfast time )
Spend some time in nature daily, listening to birds and breathing in earth/grass/tree smells

There are more, but these have stuck.

Also doing one daily project around the house, even if it's tiny, and started a thread about it

Place marking to come back to later because I love threads like this and really need it at the moment!

[quote RandomBasic]@Hellorhighwater

I write on things with sharpie a lot. Label Tupperware in the freezer with It

I have a roll of masking tape that lives in the kitchen for this purpose. I write on the tape instead of directly on the lunchbox.[/quote]
Love this!

I’m quite organised and disciplined I think, love a good routine!

Dishwasher on every evening, emptied every morning
All dishes / glasses / mugs straight into it after use, not left on side
All beds made every morning (each person responsible for their own)
Meal plan on Sunday, ingredients onto Ocado for delivery. Try to avoid any top up shops at all.
Cuticle oil and hand cream every night
Apple cider vinegar diluted slightly with warm water every morning, down it like a shot before my double shot extra hot flat white with oat milk
Limit dairy - not none, but less. digestion improved so much.
Switched to drinking hot / warm water, never cold. See digestion point above. Used to have terrible stomach / ibs issues and this massively improved things.
Plan my week in advance in my paper diary, month in advance on the family chalkboard

I use the inside of a food cupboard as a white board. (Copied from someone else on a similar thread) I write a two week menu, a list of things I need to buy, a list of things I don’t need to buy, and a list of homemade ready meals in the freezer. All written in a wipeable pen, spray with bleach and start again every two weeks.

If a task will take 2 minutes, just do it

All the washing-up/cleaning ones lead me to suggest that my good habits are having a dishwasher and having a cleaner

I do exercise regularly though (yoga, BalletFit, running, zumba).
I cleanse and moisturise every night.
And, not sure if it counts as a habit, but I get a veg box delivered and it's made a real change in how I eat; I start very much from veg now rather than thinking of them as 'additions' or sides to meaty or dairy things. I cook and eat a lot less meat and many veggie or vegan dishes just as standard now. It may well be a good habit for me health-wise, and it's certainly good for my carbon footprint and animal welfare!

Another one here who drinks a big glass of water first thing.

I follow this with a large kiwi and then wait 20 minutes before eating anything else to allow it to absorb (learnt this from a personal trainer).

For lunch I always eat what needs to be eaten (ie with the soonest use by date). I've been trying unsuccessfully to get my family to do the same for years - I hate waste.

When I wash my hands I always just turn the tap on to wet them and them rinse them. I thought this was just logical, but so many people, family included, have the water running the whole time.

@Comfortableatlast

Putting bedding sets into the matching pillow case, this saves so much faffing.

You have blown my mind.

@Hellorhighwater Sharpie on light bulbs - love this! I recently labelled my vacuum attachments as I can never remember what goes with what.

Keep a set of glass wipes (or spray & cloth or whatever) in the car. Give it a quick dust and wipe when you are inevitably stuck in a car park waiting for DC.

@Barkingmadhouse

Go outside for fresh air every single day. It doesn't have to be walking miles but atleast something. To me it's a small thing that makes a big difference - I'm always amazed when I see people on here that don't leave the house

Same - I feel kinda ill if I don't have fresh air daily.

I love these. Though i don't think I have many good habits to share. I do the bedding inside the matching pillow case thing, but struggle to get DH to do it when he puts the bedding away . We always wash up as soon as possible after a meal - immediately if it's just us, once the last guest has gone if we've had people round for the evening. I always have enough basics in the cupboard/fridge/freezer so we could manage for a week without going out if we had to. I do my ankle exercises while I'm waiting for the kettle to boil or brushing my teeth. One of our houseplants likes to be sprayed with warm water, so once a week it stands at the end of the bath while I have my shower. I keep a box of breadcrumbs and a box of crumble mix in the freezer (labelled with masking tape) so that they're always handy when I need some .

Don't snack - get comfortable with the feeling of being hungry between meals.

@RandomBasic

Last one. I listen to audio books when doing housework or something boring. I save those books for the chores, so I only get to find out what happened next if I put away the laundry.

This is such a great idea. I think if I do this I might start looking forward to those tasks.

I love the idea of doing short tasks while the kettle boils.

My best habit is clearing away as I cook, and making sure to wipe surfaces and sweep the kitchen right after dinner. Saves so much work in the long run.

I actually drafted myself a daily schedule including chores and self care and fun activities. It helps me, as I don't have to worry about everything that needs doing, I just focus on the next item on my schedule

-After dinner I always do the washing/drying-up so the kitchen counter is clear, and get stuff ready for the morning (lunch boxes, meds).
-Lay out my clothes for the next day before I go to bed (my kids now do this as well...not in UK so no school uniform).
-Every time I take a food item out of the storage cupboard (tin, new bottle of sauce, greaseproof paper) it gets written on the shopping list.

-I have a glass of water with a soluble multi-vitamin as my first drink of the day
-I have restarted a diary with one page per week opposite a blank page. I make a list for admin/work/study that I tick off during the week and transfer any tasks not done to the next week.
-Once a month I batch cook bolognese, once a month soup, once a month stew. These are our freezer meals with rice/easy veg for busy days when we're all working/late home.

@ImplementingTheDennisSystem

Don't snack - get comfortable with the feeling of being hungry between meals.

just get invisalign, you can't bloody snack! (at least not without brushing your teeth)

If you have worn make up during the day, you get home from work or wherever and are not going out again, cleanse your face THEN (or at least soon after). That way it doesn't wait until bed time when you are tired can't be bothered.

I also drink a large glass of water after I have cleaned my teeth first thing in the morning. I like the suggestion of flossing in the shower.

At the end of the day When everything is done, I sit and watch the news for half an hour. In this time I floss my teeth (🤪) cleanse, tone and moisturise my face and sometimes give myself a manicure. I have a little basket/tray thing to store everything I need to do these things next to the sofa. Otherwise I'd never get round to it.

Great thread. Thank you OP

• Started a gratitude journal last year. I write three things that happened that im thankful for. It really had made me more positive and appreciative and when im feeling down is a real pick me up.
• 10 mins a day min cleaning - got that from here. Im a messy person so this has transformed my life. House is cleaner, DH gets less irritated with my mess. DC see me clean so they chip in as well now and for the first time in my life Ive started cleaning as i go along
• Workout before 10 am everyday. I find if i dont i dont do it
• Bottles of water on work desk, car, nightstand

I keep a resistance band over the door and get in a few arm exercises while kettle boiling. Also squats and lunges.
I also do the water in the morning habit.

Just wish I could kick the wine habit!

Do your housework and change the beds before going on holiday. Then you come home to a clean house and clean sheets and don't have to worry about it.

Porridge and fruit for breakfast every day so I poop regular and usually before I leave the house.

Fill a jug of water up every morning and drink it by the time I cook evening meal again to help the poop be regular.

Honestly not being constipated or thirsty are massive life improvements for anyone. Not just me with a fucked up digestive system and no gallbladder

@RandomBasic

Last one. I listen to audio books when doing housework or something boring. I save those books for the chores, so I only get to find out what happened next if I put away the laundry.

I tried this with watching Vikings while at the gym. I never got past episode 2

A glass of carrot juice every day, first thing. Love it and I feel like it really energises me silly as that sounds.
5k run every few days.
Only buy Rye bread = always eat rye bread.
Never buy chocolate unless for baking.
Always have a dog/s = always dog/s to be walked.
Tidy kitchen before bed.
xo

Another one...

I wake up before everyone - get myself ready, get the breakfast prep done, lay out the uniforms then wake up the children one at a time and make them get washed and dressed while I make up their beds, draw the curtains, open windows etc. Everything works like clockwork this way and I can start my day. When everyone wakes up together it descends into utter chaos and I come back from the school run into what looks like a pig sty.