“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
Every New Year’s eve, we feel the urge to make bold, ambitious resolutions to turn around our lives starting January 1st! And then within a month most of our big declarations flounder. They fade away and we carry on.
To save ourselves this annual heartache, we asked “is there a way to make small, achievable changes that don’t put us under pressure?”. The answer is a big YES – and they’re called microhabits.
What is a Microhabit?
A microhabits is a slight tweaks to your daily routine in the direction you want your life to change.
Believe it or not, the results can be powerful! These little habits help by breaking down your BIG life goals into smaller and doable steps that take only a few minutes per day and don’t overwhelm you. That sounds like a pretty good deal to us.
9 Microhabits You Can Start Now for a Fantastic 2022
They’re so simple, that instead of waiting till 1 January to start, we decided to help you embrace them now! This way, you’ll shimmy into the New Year like a boss! Here are 9 super easy microhabits that can help you enjoy a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling 2022.
1 – Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up
Instead of pressuring yourself to down 8 glasses of water everyday perfectly (and then feeling bad and giving up if you don’t), start with drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up. That’s it.
This little habit will hydrate you first thing in the morning and energize you for the day. Once this becomes a natural part of the routine, add another glass to your day!
2 – Do one physical activity everyday
Today’s digital age has disconnected us from our own bodies, and it’s time we claim our physical joy back. Decided “I’ll go to the gym everyday” is non specific, and can be quite intimidating, start small. Choose one physical activity that makes you happy, and do it for just 15 minutes every day.
Feel like a quick dance session on Monday night? Go for it. Wednesday makes you feel like a quick jog around the block? Sounds great! The trick is to start small and do something you really enjoy – that’ll prevent it from becoming a dull chore you force on yourself.
Easy Microhabit 3 – Add an intention to your daily-to list
So here’s a little tip: when writing down your to-do list for the day, add your intention for the day onto the list itself! Like this:
TO DO:
- ‘Buy groceries’
- ‘Get the broken door fixed’
- ‘Stay open to new opportunities today’.
The third task may not look like it belongs on a typical to-do list, but it should! Intentions are powerful. They can shape how we think about our lives and motivate us, both consciously and subconsciously, to achieve our goals.
By putting your desired mindset for the day into words, it takes a real form and nudges you to in the right direction. The intention you choose for the day totally depends on you – it could even be something as simple as choosing to do something fun!
4 – Stop eating in front of a screen!
When was the last time you slowed down and really – we mean really – focused on your meal? We’ve all got into the habit of eating in front of screens, and that leaves us hungry and unsatisfied even after the meal is finished. Eating while watching movies and TV shows can also encourage binge-eating since our brain doesn’t get the time to register that it’s full.
To remedy this, start working on a microhabit to consciously choose to avoid screentime when you’re eating. Instead, turn your everyday meals into an occasion to be enjoyed and cherished. Eat mindfully. Focus all your senses – touch, smell, taste, vision – on the act of enjoying your meal. It feels therapeutic and after only a few times of doing this, we promise you’d never want to distract yourself during mealtime again.
5 – Choose a microhabit that lifts others up and remind them that you care
Even the strongest of relationships need tender, loving care to keep going! In the rush of our daily lives, we may end up taking our loved ones for granted even if we don’t intend to. That’s why we ask you to make a mindful effort to tell the special people in your life every now and then that you’re grateful for them.
It could be something as simple as a text in the middle of the day, although a phone or video call will be even better! Regardless of how you choose to express yourself, this little action will mean to the world to your loved ones. It could be your parents, partner, siblings, or friends!
6 – Choose a sustainable objective
“I want to be more sustainable” is a resolution we hear a lot around this time of year. But it can mean so many different things that it often gets left behind. Personal sustainability is one of our guiding stars, and we know first hand how much of a challenge it can be to jump into a sustainable journey all at once.
Choose one small thing, like not buying plastic packaged bell peppers on your grocery store visits. Or choose to take the time to properly sort your waste into paper, plastic, glass, compost, textiles, and trash. These small choices make a big difference!
7 – Limit your scrolling time
If you think you’re weak for not being able to stop scrolling on social media, we’re here to tell you that it’s not your fault. Social media platforms are designed to be addictive. Their algorithms are built to hook you in and keep you scrolling for hours and hours every day. And that can easily lead one down a spiral of sensory overload, insecurities, and anxiousness.
So if you want to curb your impulse to scroll, you have to start consciously training yourself to limit your newsfeed scrolling. There are browser extensions and smartphone apps that let you set a time limit for using certain apps and websites. Plus, there are others that monitor and analyze your phone and app usage – which can be a brutal but much-needed wake-up call for many!
Easy Microhabit 8 – Spent 10 minutes everyday on a hobby
We believe that every child is born an artist, with a boundless capacity to imagine, dream and create! But as we grow older and busier, life gets in the way of us enjoying the hobbies we loved as children or trying out a new one. So do your younger self a big favor and use your 2022 microhabits dedication to spend 10 minutes indulging in your hobby.
It could be anything that makes you happy – reading, sketching, painting, singing, playing the kazoo, anything at all! And do it purely for the pleasure of it, instead of pressurizing yourself to be perfect at it.
9 – Add 5 minutes of meditation before bed
If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep most nights, then this microhabit is for you. Mindful meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, and modern research has also testified to its benefits for our physical and mental well-being. In fact, there’s strong evidence that meditation fights insomnia and improves the quality of sleep. That’s why the microhabit of a 5-minute meditation before hitting the bed can be of great help!
To do this, sit on the bed cross-legged in a relaxed and comfortable position with closed eyes. Rest your upward-facing palms on your knees. Then, relax and breathe deeply while you focus on your breath. As your breath goes from deep to a natural rhythm, train your awareness on what’s happening around you as an observer, not a participant. If intrusive thoughts try to enter your mind, don’t wrestle with them. Instead, watch them flow through you. Stay in this state for as long as you’d like, and then slowly open your eyes as you settle into sleep.
Choosing The Best Microhabits for 2022
The smallest of habits, when done consistently, can lead to life-changing transformations. When you dedicate just a few moment to your microhabits, you can slowly shift your impulses, thoughts, routine, and actions to help you achieve your goals.
Like with a new year’s resolution, choosing too many microhabits right away can leave you feeling overwhelmed by your goals. Our advice is to start with something small. And if you need a little bit of encouragement, sign up for our email list to see our Living Habitz Guide!
We wish you all the very best on this beautiful journey of self-improvement and self-love!
