7 Realistic Micro Habits That Will Totally Change Your Life In A Year

By ideaman | Lets Grow | 14 Feb 2023

Most lists of micro habits leave me feeling miserable.

Getting up at 4 AM. Taking ice-cold showers. Drinking endless liters of water every day.

These habits might work for some people, but they never seemed to work for me. I felt awful trying to follow them.

I'm not interested in becoming a god, and I'm willing to bet you aren't either.

That's why I went on a mission to find scientifically-proven micro habits that wouldn't make me miserable and actually made me feel good. After scouring the internet, I found a few that fit the bill.

Do a few squats into your morning routine while you brush your teeth.

Lack of time is a common excuse for skipping exercise, but by doing;

5 slow wide sumo squats,
5 feet-touching squats, and
a 30-second squat hold while you brush,

You can get in some leg and spine exercises and a good stretch in just a few minutes.

At first, it may be challenging, but it's still easier than doing planks. You can even do it in the evenings, although be mindful of exercising too late in the day if it affects your sleep.

According to a study in The Journal of Human Kinetics, squats activate your spine muscles four times more than planks, making them a great choice for a micro habit that packs a punch.

Serve food on a smaller plate

This can lead to a greater feeling of satisfaction and less of a desire to overeat.

Additionally, using smaller plates can help reduce the amount of food people serve themselves, ultimately aiding in controlling calorie intake. It's important to note that while reducing plate size can be effective, it should be balanced with other weight-loss strategies such as exercise and nutrition.

Recent scientific studies have shown that reducing plate size can have a positive impact on eating habits.

Keep your buts touching all way back to the chair

Maintaining proper posture by pushing your butt all the way back in the chair can help reduce strain on the back and neck, as well as improve breathing, digestion, and musculoskeletal problems.

Proper posture can also help to improve:

Breathing
Digestion
Musculoskeletal problems

Sitting with feet flat on the ground and back straight helps distribute weight evenly and reduce discomfort.

It's important to be mindful of your posture and try to sit in a way that supports the natural curvature of your spine. If sitting with your butt all the way back is uncomfortable, consider adjusting your chair or trying a different seating position.

Use time blocking strategically for laze

By giving yourself permission to relax and do nothing, you can prevent burnout and ensure that you have the energy and motivation to meet your commitments. Scheduling lazy time also allows you to fully enjoy and embrace moments of leisure without feeling like you should be doing something else.

Feeling guilty about being lazy can be exhausting
Intentionally block off periods of time for strategic laziness
Prevent burnout and maintain energy and motivation
Fully enjoy and embrace leisure time without guilt
Effective for overworking or feeling guilty about taking time off
The balance between productivity and relaxation is essential for overall health and wellbeing
Prioritize self-care to achieve goals in personal and professional life.

Never skip a habit two days in a row

It's normal to skip habits once in a while, but doing it twice in a row can break the habit and make it harder to start again.

Habits take time and effort to build, so being consistent is important. If you skip twice in a row, it creates a gap in your routine and makes it harder to pick up where you left off.

Turn off your youtube autoplay

Autoplay can create an endless loop of video consumption, leading to restlessness and frustration. It--

Leads to excessive video consumption
Can be a time-waster
Can cause distraction and reduce productivity
May contribute to feelings of restlessness or frustration
Can trigger addiction-like behavior and interfere with mental health

By turning off autoplay, you can watch videos more intentionally, reducing stress and burnout, especially if you're dealing with mental health issues and need to prioritize self-care and self-compassion.

Turn your smart light to red 1 hour before bedtime

Electronic devices like smartphones and laptops emit blue light, which can disrupt sleep by reducing the production of melatonin and making it difficult to fall asleep. However, red light has a longer wavelength and is less likely to affect melatonin.

Research has suggested that red light at night can improve sleep quality and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. By setting your smart light to red or another warm color an hour before bedtime, you can create a relaxing environment for sleep.

It's important to remember that sleep hygiene and personal preferences are also important factors that affect sleep quality.

According to a study in the Journal of Athletic Training, exposure to red light for 30 minutes can greatly improve sleep quality and melatonin levels.