Here are 8 habits that should be a non-negotiable part of your everyday life.
There are certain habits that you have in phases.
For example, you might become obsessed with journaling for a month, and then not do it at all for a year.
Or you might wake up at 6 am all summer and follow a perfect morning routine, and then give in to the habit of sleeping late in the fall.
Now, having so many ups and downs with your habits may seem demotivating, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
Life happens in seasons and phases for us.
Some seasons give you more energy; others demand every ounce of it to get through the day.
Your schedule changes, priorities change, and even the weather can make you want to do different things.
That’s why I don’t believe every habit has to stay with you forever.
But I do believe every person needs a few completely non-negotiable habits for the sake of stability and groundedness.
These habits can be your anchors — the things you start your day with and come back to, no matter how chaotic, busy, stressful, exciting, or lazy life feels.
I have experimented and played around with habits a lot (it’s kind of my job, as a wellness writer).
And I have found 8 simple habits that, if I do regularly, keep me sane, healthy, and productive every day. In this post, I am sharing those with you.
Here are the 8 non-negotiable habits that are worth prioritizing and will keep your everyday life on track.
8 Non-Negotiable Habits To Follow Every Day
1. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere
Like it or not, your body and mind do not do well without water.
If you want glowy skin, a healthy gut, and a calm mind, hydration is the basic habit you can’t skip.
And the easiest way I’ve found to keep up with my hydration needs is to just keep a water bottle with me at all times.
I have plenty of stressful and crazy days (just like any other human), but even on those days, I manage to stay hydrated because my water bottle is right there beside me.
Just like you keep your phone on you at all times, make your water bottle a non-negotiable part of you.
When your bottle is sitting on your desk while you work (even at home), you’ll naturally take a few sips throughout the day.
When it’s next to you in the car, you’ll drink while waiting at a red light.
When it’s in your bag while you’re out running errands, you won’t have to wait until you get home to have a glass of water.
Those little sips add up much faster than you’d think.
It just goes to prove that healthy living isn’t always about making huge changes. Sometimes, it’s just about remembering to take another sip.
2. Spend a few minutes outside
I fully believe that being outdoors is one of the most underrated forms of self-care.
Nowadays, we’re spending more time inside than ever before. We work indoors, scroll indoors, and even relax indoors.
Sometimes we don’t even realize we’ve gone an entire day without feeling the sun on our face or breathing fresh air.
But a few minutes outside can completely change the way you look at life, the world, and yourself. No amount of indoor time can ever do that for you.
Go sit on your balcony with your morning coffee. Walk around your neighborhood after dinner. Or read a chapter of your book in the park.
Water your plants, watch the sunrise, or catch the sunset in time.
Even if you don’t do anything productive, you’re still giving your mind a break from walls, screens, and constant stimulation.
Nature has a beautiful way of slowing our thoughts down. That’s why this habit stays on my non-negotiable list all year long.
Some of my clearest thoughts have come from slow walks with absolutely no destination.
Spend time outdoors for 15 minutes, even if you’re busy, it’s cold outside, or you don’t really feel like leaving the house.
You won’t once regret being outdoors.
3. Have one healthy thing every day
I’ve made the mistake of trying to change my diet in just a day or two. I’d cut off sugar, snacks, takeout, and basically any fun food.
And while I still believe the body thrives on a healthy diet, the mind may not necessarily.
If you are someone who struggles to keep a healthy diet, then here’s a habit for those hard days.
Just get yourself to eat at least one healthy thing every day.
It can be a protein-rich breakfast, green tea with digestive cookies in the evening, or a homemade soup full of veggies for dinner.
You can make a smoothie packed with fruits, a bowl of yogurt with seeds, or a colorful salad.
Once you’ve had one healthy thing, you’ll often find yourself naturally making better choices for the rest of the day, too.
This habit also removes the guilt that comes with trying to eat perfectly. You get to give your body at least one gift every day.
That’s a promise that’s much easier to keep, and one that can genuinely improve your health over time.
4. Move your body actively for 20 minutes
When I don’t move my body regularly, I don’t just become less fit. I become less motivated to take care of myself in general.
And having talked to other people about this, I know this is a common feeling amongst most of us.
That’s why I think movement should be your topmost non-negotiable habit.
Not only does it improve your energy, sleep, and mood, but it also makes you want to be healthy every day (in whatever small choices you make).
But just like with everything else in life, it isn’t always possible to have a top-notch exercise routine.
A 20-minute workout, on the other hand, is very much doable.
You can find many of those on YouTube for free. You can do yoga, HIIT, basic strength training, or a walk workout (yes, that’s a real thing).
You can also dance, stretch in the morning, or walk around your neighbourhood for twenty minutes.
Doing this is the easiest way to remind your body that it is made to move.
Just don’t let yourself believe that if you can’t do a ‘perfect’ workout, you shouldn’t do anything at all.
Something will always be better than nothing when it comes to exercise.
5. Keep your space reasonably tidy
Your home doesn’t need to look perfect twenty-four hours a day.
But you do need a space that feels peaceful enough for you to relax, think clearly, and enjoy being in it.
Because if your space is full of clutter, your mind will feel the same.
So, if there’s a habit that can save you from that, it is to keep your space tidy enough every day.
Don’t wait until your house becomes a disaster before cleaning. Instead, do tiny resets throughout the day.
- Make your bed in the morning.
- Put things back where they belong after using them.
- Wipe the kitchen counter after cooking.
- Spend five or ten minutes tidying before bed.
None of these tasks takes very long on its own, but together they will stop the mess from becoming overwhelming.
I also think a tidy home is one of the kindest things you can do for your future self.
Tomorrow morning’s version of you will be so grateful that tonight’s version washed the dishes.
On the weekend, you will thank your weekday self for not letting laundry pile up.
It’s a small act of self-care that pays you back every single day.
6. Brush your teeth and do your skincare morning and night
We’ve all been told to brush our teeth since we were kids. But it can still be easy to forget to follow this habit or get lazy as adults.
There are days when I get home late and just want to crash into my bed. But because I am habitual, I still haul myself to the bathroom to get my skincare routine done.
And it’s why I am able to keep my acne-prone skin healthy and my teeth good.
Treat this habit as a little promise to yourself, if you must.
No matter how busy the day was, how unmotivated you feel, or how late it is: Brush your teeth, wash your face, and do your skincare.
A gentle cleanser, a moisturizer, and whatever treatment your skin needs are more than enough.
Beyond the health benefits, this habit will also act as a bookend for your day, helping you pause naturally and get ready for your beauty sleep.
7. Read a book (even if it’s just one page)
It’s easy to spend hours consuming short-form content these days, but reading is a habit for the wise, patient, and happy minds.
Books get you to slow down, focus, and imagine. You get to sit with an idea for longer than thirty seconds.
That’s something we don’t do enough anymore, which is why reading should be non-negotiable.
It doesn’t matter if you’re reading just one page of fifty in a day. Just sit down and read something.
You can escape into a cozy fantasy, read an inspiring memoir, or pick up a lighthearted romance. It all counts!
The benefits of this habit are genuinely amazing.
Regular reading will enhance your vocabulary and give you new perspectives. You discover ideas you never would have come across otherwise.
Sometimes a single sentence or a story can stick with you for days and even change the way you look at life.
And my favorite pro of all is that it makes you love your own company.
Hands-down, one of the best ways to create a cozy me-time for yourself is to genuinely look forward to it every day.
8. End the day with a meditation session
It usually only takes five or ten minutes to meditate every day, but the difference it makes is incredible.
Instead of going to bed with a mind that’s still racing, you get your thoughts to slow down and connect with yourself.
You can sit still or lie down, close your eyes, and focus on your breath for five or ten mindful minutes.
I personally love using the YouTube channel The Great Meditation.
They have guided meditations for just about everything, and they’re very easy to follow along with and visualize.
In the beginning few days, you might find yourself struggling a bit.
When you’re used to constantly being busy or reaching for your phone whenever you have a quiet moment, sitting with your thoughts can be challenging.
But once meditation becomes part of your routine, you almost start craving it.
Your brain begins to recognize those few quiet minutes as a signal that the day is coming to an end and it’s finally time to relax.
And since it only takes five or ten minutes, it’s a habit that’s surprisingly easy to fit into even the busiest schedule.
Your mind works hard for you every single day. A short meditation is one of the simplest ways to thank it.
Make Your Health and Happiness Non-Negotiable
The point of having non-negotiable habits is to keep pouring into your health and happiness every day, even if it’s drop by drop.
Once these habits are in place, you can build other habits on top of them depending on what season of life you’re in.
You can start learning a language, train for a marathon, try a keto diet, or whatever your life needs from you at the moment.
Those extra habits can come and go. But your anchor habits should stay.
They will keep you feeling like yourself even when everything else around you changes. And believe me, there is real power in that.
Read next: Morning Routine Reset To Fall In Love with Mornings Again
Which of these habits are you going to try first? Let me know in the comment box! It’ll help you actually make it happen.
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