7 Tiny Habits That Can Have a Huge Effect on Your Life

Too often, we focus on the big stuff. Someone who never works out is told to hit the gym five days a week. A person who eats poorly is given a diet of 1000 calories daily. Someone terrible with money is told to start investing.

The problem is that attempting the big stuff leads to failure. The gap between where you are and where this advice wants you to be is too big.

You have to build up gradually, using the power of tiny habits that compound over time.

In isolation, these tiny habits may not seem like much. But a year from now, you’ll be glad you started today.

1. Why “just lift bro” is terrible advice.

I’ve been struggling to get over long Covid (not “the bat virus” or Cov!d. We’re all adults here, and it’s called Covid).

I first got ill at the end of 2020, and I’ve been suffering ever since with breathlessness, low energy, and general malaise. My workout routine was shot to pieces; getting from one room to the next has been a struggle.

Today I went for a walk for the first time in recent memory. It was tiring, but I managed it, and I’ll continue building on the momentum to return to my old self.

All the Twitter threads telling you to go to the gym and lift weights are useless to me. That’s the problem with cookie-cutter advice.

So if you’re struggling to get back into exercise after illness or falling off the wagon, build up slowly. Get a few easy wins behind you for momentum and build your way back up.

2. Making your bed and the buzz of achievement.

Of course, it’s not just about the bed; just like in the Armed Forces, the requirement to have everything pristine and neat isn’t just about tidiness.

Making your bed is about getting an early win and a slight buzz of accomplishment before you start the day. It keeps your living space tidy and organized. If you have to do any work there, you won’t be wasting time wading through trash.

If you take pride in your room, you’ll take pride in your appearance.

3. How to benefit from books if you hate reading.

Reading turns you into a better thinker and writer. Input dictates output. If you don’t like to read, suck it up. There are many things in life we don’t “like.” Just do it every day until it becomes a habit.

If you don’t like a book, move on to another. Most likely, you’ll read for 10 minutes and become gripped. 10 minutes will lead to 30 and then an hour. You’ll be educating yourself and having fun at the same time.

Set aside that non-negotiable ten minutes a day. If you don’t read, stare at the wall. You can do one or the other.

4. The M word.

The word meditation scares some people off. They think they must become a Buddhist monk sitting in the lotus position, contemplating life for 8 hours a day and chanting “Ummmmmm.”

So let's forget the M word.

You don’t have to sit cross-legged, close your eyes or do anything Zen-like. It’s OK if your mind is racing. Just sit and breathe for a few minutes. Experience not saying or doing anything.

At first, you’ll find this uncomfortable. Where are the quick dopamine fixes? Where’s the stimulation? Just keep going and see where that few minutes lead you.

5. Flow states.

Our brains are incredible, but they suck at switching tasks in short spaces of time.

One beep of an email notification or text can destroy your work time. Is it worth having your flow state interrupted by a stupid text message?

If you don’t have unlimited time (who does?), put your phone on silent for at least 2 hours. See the power of working uninterrupted.

6. Lack of sleep can drive you crazy.

Sleep is a priority for me. My mental health is at stake if I don’t get enough.

You don’t have to go to bed early, regardless of what anyone says. I’m fortunate enough to be in charge of my schedule. I go to bed around 2:30 am and sleep until 11 am. I work best at night, and I enjoy the quiet.

It doesn’t matter when you get the 7 hours; ensure you get them.

By the way, all those gurus who claim they can function on 5 hours of sleep or less are lying to you.

7. Take a few minutes to let someone know they matter.

We’re more connected than ever, yet we engage less. Some people only talk to work colleagues, and by the time they get home, they collapse on the sofa in a stupor until bedtime.

Friends and family suffer.

Maintaining a relationship takes a few minutes a day, and a solid social network could be crucial during the bad points of your life.

One of the main reasons I survived my mental health problems is because of the love of my family, and I never take it for granted.

Final thoughts — expand your time horizon.

Remember, the key to this is to start small and be consistent. When we begin something new, we are bubbling with motivation. We want to do everything and think we’ll never get bored or tired.

That lasts a couple of weeks. Then reality smacks you across the face, and you burn out.

The cumulative effect of the habits I described here will help change your physical health, mental well-being, productivity, and quality of life. But you have to give them time to work.

Expand your time horizon and let compounding change your life.