Bill Gates once said that most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.
Similarly, the majority think of positive routines as a magic treatment to fix their lives and underestimate the power of avoiding negative habits.
However, the truth is that if you don’t give up on harmful practices that come to your way, a series of positive rituals will barely reveal their full power.
Simply put, eating an apple a day will not eliminate the negative effects of smoking.
Similarly, a few 60 minute-exercises done in a week won’t make up for the lack of movement if you spend the remaining 23 hours of the day sedentary.
Quite often, instead of improving what’s already there, we put a lot more emphasis on creating something new.
Yet the truth is that your daily activities ultimately determine your way of life.
If your daily life is full of practices that keep you from living up to your potential, you probably aren’t your best self.
In most cases, this is because something you do occasionally will not have a fundamental impact on your life – whether it be positive or negative. However, what you do regularly every day can have a really powerful effect.
Stop taking things personally, even if it is hard.
“Taking things personally”; it is easier said than done. But the truth is that those who judge or mistreat you barely have a problem with you but are actually struggling with themselves.
No one who is happy and considerate leaves any bad comments or treats someone badly.
We’re all human and life isn’t about being perfect, it’s about doing our best and creating a reality that we can be proud of.
And the truth is that, in the long run, taking things very personally can cost you hundreds of hours and your sanity.
What should we do instead:
When you are offended by someone’s behavior or message, you have two options:
You may ask yourself why it has hurt or affected you and whether or not there is an unresolved problem deep inside you.
Or you can let them do and say what they want and wish them the best.
If someone is hurting you out of nowhere with their words, they probably have a problem with themselves and their own life. Often times, these people are trying to project their frustration on you because it is easier than facing their own shadow.
Rather than being overly emotional about it, when you look at it from a neutral position, you will often realize that the people who might hurt you are actually deeply frustrated.
Moreover, don’t forget that there is a big difference between constructive criticism and rude comments. You should always be willing to learn and grow, but someone whose opinion is truly valuable won’t make you feel miserable anyway.
Avoid using (social) media excessively.
In his book, Limitless, brain coach Jim Kwik shares that compared to the 15th century, we now consume more data in a single day than the average person would absorb in their entire lifetime in the 1400s.
A 2015 report even noted that participants spent about eight hours a day consuming media.
According to Kwik, we have a hard time connecting when we’re with friends and family and have a hard time focusing on work because of our always-on and constantly connected devices.
And the real problem is that we actually enjoy being online and mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds. This is because every time we refresh a page or our notifications, we experience a dopamine rush. With each hit of dopamine, we get more inclined to swipe and refresh, and soon we find ourselves in a cycle of doom that is hard to escape.
What to do instead:
Controlling your (social) media use can save you a lot of freedom and time. In order to connect with yourself, it helps you disconnect from the world.
While most of us are very used to our devices and certain platforms, there are a few simple steps that we can take to regain the control over our time and energy.
You can schedule 30 minutes of free time on your calendar each day and use that time to do something that nourishes you. You can practice writing in your diary, do some painting, cook some food for yourself, quietly enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, meditate, read a book, or do anything that helps you feel energetic and relaxed. If it is done correctly, 30 quiet minutes can sometimes be as refreshing as a week’s vacation.
You can avoid using your phone during downtime and deliberately enjoy the free minutes while waiting for a bus or waiting in line at a grocery store.
You can turn off all notifications on your phone and so, can reduce your urge to unlock your screen. Research shows that after receiving a notification on our phone, even if we don’t unlock the screen, it takes more than 15 minutes for us to fully focus on a particular task. Just hearing or seeing the notification is enough to distract you.
You can set specific time limits for the use of certain apps, such as Facebook or Instagram. When you exceed this time, you will see a notification reminding you of your intention.
Keeping control over your social media use can be difficult, but it will help you have a clearer mind to focus on what really matters, more time, and more mental energy.
Stop ruining your sleep.
According to the bestselling author Shawn Stevenson, there is no aspect of your mental, emotional or physical performance that is not affected by the quality of your sleep.
Yet studies prove that the majority of the global population is deprived of adequate sleep.
Self-proclaimed productivity gurus often try to convince you that you can achieve more if you sleep less, but the truth is that, sleep can be your #1 productivity and energy booster if it is done right.
Good rest is essential for a happy and healthy life. With just a few tips and tricks, you can quickly improve your sleep and quality of life.
What to do instead:
The first thing to do is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
Contrary to the popular belief, even if you think it’s enough, you can’t function well and do your best by getting an average of 4-5 hours of sleep each night.
In addition, you should sleep in the dark and in silence. These two tips can tremendously improve the quality of your sleep. If you can’t completely darken your room, use a sleep mask. This is cheap and easy. Plus, you can take it with you wherever you go.
If your bedroom isn’t completely quiet, use earplugs. It is also cheap and easy, but super effective.
What matters for a great night’s sleep is what you do before going to bed.
For example, avoid eating large, fatty meals or exercising excessively. Instead of them, focus on quiet activities such as dairy writing, meditation, reading, or gentle yoga exercises.
Additionally, avoid screens and excessive lighting. If you must use your devices, use a blue-light-blocking app or blue-light-blocking glasses.
You can improve your health, productivity, and focus by sleeping better (and more). Getting enough sleep will increase your energy level, creativity, and ability to make tough decisions.
Final thoughts
Often times, it is the most underrated daily routines that harm our happiness, productivity, and success.
If you manage to stop taking things personally, reduce your passive use of social media, and improve your sleep quality, you will have a positive impact in almost every area of your life.
Breaking these three habits will help you:
- Be more prepared and compassionate in your relationships
- Be more effective during working hours
- be more careful
And ultimately this improves your health
Moreover, overcoming these three common negative habits will provide you with much more time and energy for new, positive routines that can help transform your life.