Habits can help you have a better life. But starting good habits isn’t always easy.
Although they may seem small, habits affect our lives in lots of ways. Good habits can help you feel healthier, better, confident and more productive. Bad habits can leave you feeling stressed, tired, and stuck.
The good news is it’s never too late! You can start a new habit anytime, anywhere.
Here are 20 good habits to start in your 20s.
20 really good habits to start in your 20s:
1) Work out
Get your body moving! Whether you hit the gym, take a spin class or try a new sport, start the habit of working out regularly.
2) Eat healthy
To feel better and more energized, practice eating healthier. You don’t have to cut junk food out of your life cold turkey, but try to add some healthier options to your diet.
3) Unplug
Social media is fun…in moderation. If you catch yourself checking instagram twelve times a day, make it a habit to check it less often.
4) Practice a hobby
Painting? Pottery? A new language? No matter what hobby you do, make it a point to practice it often. To get started, here are some hobbies to try.
5) Connect with friends
Whether it’s going out for coffee or just a phone call catch up, try connecting with the people you care about every week (or more if you like). To learn more about how to make friends as an adult, here are a few tips.
6) Read more
Read something that isn’t your psych textbook. Whether you like steamy romance novels or inspiring self-help books, make a reading a part of your regular life.
7) Meditate
Breathe in, breathe out. To feel calmer and more mindful, download a meditation app and take a few minutes of your day to practice meditation.
8) Sleep
Are you getting enough sleep? Another good habit to start is to practice better sleep hygiene. Try winding down earlier so you can get at least eight hours a sleep every night.
9) Drink water
Like easting healthy, drinking water isn’t the most fun habit out there, but it’s still an important habit to practice. Challenge yourself to drink more glasses of water every day.
10) Journal
Journaling on a daily basis is a good way to express all those thoughts and feelings on paper. You can write about whatever you like – the good, the bad, that amazing new candle you bought. Up to you.
11) Skin care routine
Cleanser? Check. Toner? Check. Moisturizer? Check. More moisturizer? Duh. Building a solid skin care routine will help you feel better and leave your skin feeling happy.
12) Random acts of kindness
“Treat others the way you want to be treated.” From holding the door open for someone to buying coffee for the person behind you in line, doing small, simple random acts of kindness is a great habit to get into.
13) Network
Looking to connect with people in your industry? Challenge yourself to regularly jump on LinkedIn and reach out to people. For more tips on using LinkedIn, check out this guide here.
14) Make a schedule
Ever heard of the expression “if you don’t control time, time controls you?” Make weekly schedules to track everything you got going on so you spend a little less time on Tik Tok and a little more time doing what you actually want to do.
15) Make a budget
Who spent $60 on Uber Eats last week?! Oops. Make a budget every month so you can keep track of where all your hard-earned money goes.
16) Brush and floss
Take care of those beautiful teeth. Again, not exactly a fun hobby, but not flossing and not brushing your teeth before bed can hurt your mouth in the long run. So brush, brush, brush!
17) Go to therapy
Low self-esteem? Co-depedency issues? Lots of anxiety? Work through whatever’s bothering you with a therapist. Here a few tips for going to therapy for the first time.
18) Learn something new
Become a smart cookie! Whether it’s reading the news or listening to a podcast about cats, practice the habit of learning something new every day.
19) Practice gratitude
Gratitude’s not just a Thanksgiving thing. Either out loud or on paper, every day challenge yourself to name three to five things you’re grateful for.
20) Practice positive affirmations
Start reminding yourself how awesome you are! Practicing positive affirmations is a great habit for practicing self-love. Here are a few amazing positive affirmations to get you started.
Final thoughts on good habits:
Habits are a game-changer that can make impact your life for the better (or worse). Sure, spending ten minutes a day meditating may seem like no big deal, but over time, it does add up. With this list of ideas, you can start building a foundation of solid good habits that will help you so much throughout your 20s and beyond.
