Build Healthy Habits

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

• Identify new healthy habits you want to build.
• Deploy new strategies for making small changes that deliver big impact.

The Power of Daily Rituals

You probably have a regular routine that you follow each day. It likely includes things like commuting, going to work, preparing meals, running errands, and getting exercise; and may also include childcare, caring for other family members, walking the dog, and more. You might do slightly different things on different days or at different times, but there’s a basic pattern you tend to follow.

It’s a useful exercise to take a beat, revisit your regular routines, and, potentially, develop some new, healthy habits. Here are some habits you may want to add to your daily, weekly, or monthly routine.

Habit #1: Maintain Connections

If you have a flexible work schedule, you may be at home more often than you used to and missing the social interaction you got from being around your colleagues at work. Or maybe, during the lockdown times in 2020, you got out of the habit of visiting with friends and family. So why not build a new habit around staying connected with the people you care about? Consider these strategies.

• Set up a monthly get together with friends, like a trivia night, a game night, or a book club.
• Arrange a video call with friends or family who live out of town.
• Set up a regular meeting at work, purely for socializing or having fun, like lunch, coffee time, or a happy hour gathering.
• Send an email, text message, or e-card to someone you care about.
• Start an online discussion with friends or colleagues around a theme (for example, “Everyone share a high school photo” or “Share your favorite quick yet delish weeknight recipes”).

Habit #2: Stay Active

Physical activity has so many benefits beyond cardiovascular fitness; studies show that exercising 3 to 5 days per week is beneficial not just for your body, but for your mind, too. As you’re looking to build a new habit around staying active, consider these options.

• Take a walk, jog, or run.
• Ride a bike or scooter.
• Follow an at-home exercise routine, like a series of squats, jumping jacks, arm circles, pushups, or crunches—you can find many online exercise classes or fitness apps.
• Take stretch breaks throughout your day.
• Fit in micro-moment exercises throughout your day, like a 3-minute wall sit or an upper body stretch.
• Put on music and have an impromptu dance party.

Habit #3: Get Creative

Everyone needs a creative outlet, whether it’s playing a game, drawing a picture, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, or writing a poem. Whatever your passion is, give yourself permission to express yourself creatively. Consider these ideas.

• Put together a puzzle.
• Play a board game.
• Color in a coloring book, or make your own.
• Draw a picture.
• Write a story, poem, or blog post.
• Build something fun using LEGO.
• Do a crossword or sudoku puzzle.
• Sew, knit, embroider, or crochet.
• Play a musical instrument or sing.

Habit #4: Relax

Between all your responsibilities around work, family, and your own wellbeing, sometimes you may end up taking on a little too much (or more than you can handle). Give yourself permission to rest, recuperate, and relax (as well as permission to say no to things to free up time for yourself). In the next unit, dive into strategies to help you with your own mindfulness and returning to your breath.

Small Changes Have Big Impact

It can seem daunting to try new things. Start by making small changes. For example, try to take a walk once a day, even if it’s a short walk around your house or yard. Set up a calendar reminder to call your friend or family member. And instead of catching up on email at night, give yourself permission to do a puzzle, play a game, or read a book.

To get started, try just doing one of these one time this week.

• Read a magazine or start reading a book.
• Do a crossword puzzle.
• Learn a new skill.
• Do a sudoku puzzle.
• Call a friend on the phone.
• Take a stretch break.
• Meditate for 15 minutes.
• Write a poem.

Then if you enjoyed the activity, try to do it again the following week. Use a calendar app to add reminders or block the time.

Having a regular schedule of activities can be helpful to your wellbeing. Try out adding these healthy habits to your regular routine.