Habits that have a significant impact on life - part 1

When I decided to write about my habits, I first had to become aware of what they were. The first thoughts came quickly, and they were obvious points. The fascinating habits are the less conscious ones, because they happen entirely automatically. In my list, I categorized the habits that I consider to have positive effects.

As it turned out to be a lengthy list, I'm sharing the first part, which focuses on journaling, nutrition, and mindfulness, here. The second part will take place next Friday. It will cover work, family, and feeling good.

Journaling

Writing a Journal

By following the principle of writing down experiences, I've managed to notice and do things much more consciously. I note successes and failures, thoughts and tasks, and anything else I consider worth noting. Instead of using to-do lists, I keep a journal, which provides an overview not only of what I did, but also how I felt about it, how well, or poorly it worked, and whether any new insights emerged from it. This is a wonderful and valuable treasure that I created myself. Of all my habits, this is my most valuable.

Ending the Day with Gratitude

As an evening ritual, I end the day by writing. To conclude the day, I answer eight questions about my day. The penultimate question is: What am I grateful for? I've read about this exercise many times and never quite understood what I should write. I've found that this exercise is like a muscle that needs to be trained. Over time, I've become more grateful for the little things that happen during the day. For someone who holds the door open for me when I'm carrying two shopping bags, or for another runner who greets me back. And I've realized: this thought pattern creates contentment.

Highlight of the Day

In my evening ritual, the last thing I answer is the question about the highlight of the next day. I try to imagine how I would like to answer the question, "What nice thing did I do today?" And whenever possible, I block out time for it, squeeze it into my day, or create a clear focus for a previously unplanned daily routine. In one way or another, this ensures my satisfaction for the following day.

Nutrition

Eating Order

Since reading The Glucose Trick (Amazon Affiliate link), I eat salad first or chop up vegetables as a snack. This helps me eat healthier and more consciously. I've also found that I can easily maintain my weight, even if I've dessert occasionally. Instead of skipping something and following a strict diet, changing the order of my meals is enough. Perfect!

Intermittent Fasting

I used to get up and eat breakfast first, regardless of whether I was hungry or not. It was my morning routine – that's it. When I read that it can be helpful to extend the time window between dinner and the first meal to encourage my body to use its existing reserves during that time, I tried it right away. On the one hand, it helps me avoid eating late in the evening – e.g., after exercise – and instead look forward to breakfast. On the other hand, I only eat when I'm hungry in the morning, which automatically creates a 14-hour interval.

Power Breakfast

My breakfast consisted of bread or cornflakes with milk. As I've learned, this is the body's direct start to the early morning glucose roller coaster. So I've got into the habit of making natural yogurt with quark and warmed fruit. This gives me an immediate protein boost, the fruit is delicious, and the yogurt is hopefully good for my gut. And it keeps me full and satisfied for a long time.

No Buying Sweets

I enjoy snacking, especially when watching movies and TV series. To restrain myself, there's only one option: to have nothing at home. That's why I try to stick to a strict schedule when shopping. It usually works well.

A Glass of Water to Start the Day

Over time, I've developed a few morning rituals. They're linked because new habits are easier to build on existing ones. That's why I always start with the same first step: drinking a large glass of cold water. Usually two. This helps me counter dehydration during the night.

Mindfulness

Turn off notifications

I've turned off notifications on all devices. Only a few apps are allowed to draw my attention on my Mac or phone. Firstly, I've enabled calendar notifications on both my Mac and phone. Otherwise, calls are allowed to vibrate on my phone (unless I'm in Do Not Disturb mode), and Messenger is allowed to appear on the lock screen (but not vibrate or otherwise bother me with a sound). This excellent approach will enable me to focus on completing the things I've planned.

Phone in the charging station in the evening

When the evening calmness sets in, the phone is placed on the charging station. It stays there until morning. Other things play a role after dinner. Coupled with deleting many apps from my phone, this habit has reduced my phone time to less than 30 minutes per day. This time is spent checking the weather, using the shopping list app, and using messenger apps. Still a lot, but significantly better than the three hours or more that preceded it.

JOMO instead of FOMO

I recently learned that my habit has a name: JOMO (Joy of Missing Out). Instead of attending every event, celebration, and opportunity (FOMO = Fear of Missing Out), I've decided only to participate in selected events. This allows me to be fully present, listen, and enjoy the moment (especially without a cell phone).

Critically examine the word "should."

Any moment in which I formulate sentences containing "should" in my mind or actually speak them, I become alert. Usually, the origin of this thought or expression isn't my own desire, but rather the sufficiency of social pressure. This includes "We should do that again" or "We should see each other more often." The same applies to "I should do more of whatever." Instead of such a cliché, I prefer to arrange a new meeting directly, do or not do whatever I intend to do. I'm much happier and more committed this way than I would be with a sentence containing "should." The social pressure is off, and nothing happens. This is the negative magic of should.