Habits for Life

2021 is here! It’s a new year, a new slate. There is no better time to start working on your goals, developing new habits, or working on all the ones you did not get to in previous years.

Here is a list of 10 habits for life that you can put on your “new year, new me” list:

1. Journaling

Journaling is writing down all your thoughts and feelings about everything you

encountered in a day. It allows you to reflect on any areas of stress, keep track of

all your creative ideas, and it is certainly one way to refine your writing skills, and

improve your communication. If you ever plan on writing an autobiography one

day – your journal will simplify that process.

2. Reading

Aim for at least 15 pages a day! Reading allows you to acquire a lifetime of

knowledge in a couple of hundreds of pages. Just like that you know how to

prepare yourself to retire at the age of forty-five, you know how you can go about

starting your business in your parent’s garage or you can now live your life as a

highly effective individual. Reading is a form of meditation that allows you to

improve your vocabulary and comprehension.

3. Meditating

You probably picture someone sitting on a mat, cross-legged and humming – that is one way to do it. Meditation is the practice of mindfulness. It focuses on achieving awareness and observation in a manner that is calm and healthy for the mind and body. You should go download Headspace right now.

4. Save and invest

I am certainly no financial guru, but the 50/30/20 rule is one that most people swear by. 50% of your earnings should be utilized to acquire necessities, 30% should be reserved for wants and 20% should be put aside for savings and investments. A very easy way to start saving is to set up an automatic transfer of 10% of every deposit that is made into your cheque account to go into a savings account. If you are new to investing, many banks have accounts run by robot advisors who will decide how your money is distributed whether you wish to

invest in shares, offshore, or wherever you believe you will reap the best profits.

5. Good hygiene

This is one of 2020’s biggest lessons. It is important to get the simple things right

– shower daily, brush your teeth twice a day, and sneeze and cough into your

elbow. Good hygiene allows you to maintain your health and avoid spreading

germs and infectious diseases.

6. Take care of your body

Get moving and eat well. You do not have to start a vegan diet today, but meat

free Mondays definitely benefit our planet and your digestive system. Drinking

enough water also aids the functions of your body and helps you avoid certain

medical conditions.

7. Less screen time

Unless you make money off of your social media, there is really no need to

average 7,5 hours a day staring at that small screen. Use the time to start on the

projects you keep on postponing, work on yourself, get going! Reduced screen

time allows you to develop better relationships with the people around you in real- time and maintain a better mood throughout the day.

8. Take care of your planet

We are destroying our planet by the day: animal and plant species are becoming extinct and our land, air, and oceans overly polluted. We need to learn to use our resources more sustainably. Where you spend your money matters. Purchase goods from companies that utilize systems that are “clean, lean, inclusive and

circular”.

9. Make to-do lists

How do you measure your progress daily if you are not setting daily goals?

Making to-do lists allows you to hold yourself accountable to get things done.

10. Practice positive self-talk

You are your biggest hype squad. Stop seeking external motivation because

internal motivation trumps external motivation. Make it a point to write down two

affirmations daily.

10. Practice positive self-talk

You are your biggest hype squad. Stop seeking external motivation because

internal motivation trumps external motivation. Make it a point to write down two

affirmations daily.