Why does it seem so much easier to have a candy bar every afternoon, instead of a piece of fruit? Why do we procrastinate instead of getting things done now? Why do we hit the snooze button instead of getting up to exercise?
If you think it’s because you’re lazy or have no self-discipline, you can cut yourself some slack.
Science explains that bad habits form quickly because they produce immediate reinforcement. Good habits can take a while to feel, pun intended, good.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could create a healthy habit that was easy and provided immediate gratification? Good news: they exist. Read on for five unique and healthy habits that make it easy to feel good fast.
1. Try this healthier way to conduct meetings
“My schedule tends to be packed with back-to-back meetings,” says Leo Smigel, personal finance expert and founder of Analyzing Alpha. “A few years ago, I started taking walks with team members and potential clients instead of sitting in the conference room. It has boosted my daily step count, and the discussions are much more dynamic and engaging. Being on the move seems to get people’s creative juices flowing. People often share their most innovative ideas as we’re walking around the block.”
Smigel also finds that walking meetings improve his mental clarity, stress levels and relationships.
“There’s something about strolling side by side that invites deeper and more casual conversations,” he says. “It breaks down barriers and fosters better collaboration.”
2. Write permission slips for self-care
“My favorite habit is writing myself permission slips,” says Shelley Paxton, author of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life. “I give myself five to 10 minutes of quiet every morning and ask this question, ‘What do I need to allow myself to do, not do, and/or feel today to show up as my most bold, brave, bada$$ self? I then take a stack of my favorite orange Post-it notes and write the answers as permission slips on the Post-its. For example, I might say, ‘Order dinner instead of cooking tonight’ so I can go for a walk on the trail or ‘Take a nap this afternoon’ or ‘Say no to that event tonight.’ Some days I write two and some days my fridge, bathroom mirror and office space are wallpapered with them!”
This behavior empowers Paxton to pause and check in with what she needs to show up feeling alive and energized in her life and leadership. It reminds me to choose permission over (people) pleasing, Paxton says. “I serve my needs first.”
3. Train technology to serve your mental health
“I only consume content that helps me grow,” says Sarene Alsharif, LDN, MPH, CEO and cofounder of Tad More Tailoring and Alterations. “I have trained the algorithm on my social media to show me positive messages and success stories. I do not listen to crime podcasts or watch the news or horror movies. I used to be a CSI junkie, but I was always tense and the smallest noises made me jump. If I am not mentally healthy and strong, how can I support my family and lead my team? Cutting out the junk and negative messages has helped my mental health massively.”
To train your social media, follow people or accounts you are interested in, says Alsharif. When social media platforms show you content you don’t want, swipe through them immediately. The platforms track how long you watch videos, and even if you watch them without interacting with them, they will show you more like that, Alsharif says. Finally, like and comment on the content you find valuable.
4. Plunge into an ice bath to increase productivity
While most people associate this practice with enhancing physical recovery from intense exercise (such as reducing muscle soreness, swelling and inflammation), ice baths are also helpful for both personal and professional development, says Amanda Augustine, a career expert for TopResume and a certified professional career coach.
“Once you commit to the plunge, the shock of the cold water is incredibly invigorating, creating a sense of clarity that’s helpful when you need to do some creative problem-solving,” says Augustine. “It has helped me feel more alert, improved my concentration and increased my productivity—especially when I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed. In some ways, it acts as a reset for me.”
Augustine and her family fill their bathtub with cold water and bags of ice and stay submerged in the 50-59°F water for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also purchase an inflatable ice bath for your backyard or garage.
A word of caution: before trying ice baths, check with your doctor. Ice baths can have a negative effect on some conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
5. Use habit stacking to put exercise on autopilot
I’m a fan of James Clear’s Atomic Habits book, which offers ways to use small habits to improve your life. One of my favorite takeaways from the book is habit stacking. If you’re trying to build a new habit, one way to do that is to find a current habit you already do and put a new behavior on top of it. That’s habit stacking.
I had been trying unsuccessfully to build a strength-training habit until I devised a way to stack it on top of another habit.
One of my favorite activities is playing pickleball, three days a week. After several injuries, I knew I needed to warm up more, and one day I had an aha moment. If I did my strength training before pickleball (and included any additional dynamic stretches), I would be solving two problems: getting in a warm-up to minimize potential injury and doing strength training three times per week.
Habit stacking worked like a charm, and now my strength training is a habit on autopilot.
Photo by oneinchpunch/Shutterstock
