70 Good Daily Habits: The Ultimate List for 2024

Having good daily habits help you in all aspects of life.

From your career to your mental health and overall wellness. 

Changing even the smallest of habits can lead to a positive outcome on many fronts.

The question is, How do you know which daily habits to change? What will make the biggest impact for you personally?

Good Daily Habits – Where Should You Begin?

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a ton of things you’d like to change to enhance your life. We could all be better at something, right?

No matter who you are you have habits in your life you want to improve on or to begin. 

How do you decide which daily habits to focus on?

My recommendation is to try one new habit every month.

From the list below you’ll notice that each of these good daily habits are actually quite achievable on their own. 

Tip: Make sure that the habit you are focusing on every month will be good for you – it will improve your life, even in a small way.

To make this relevant for many different types of people, we’ll be covering 70 different good habits you can add to your routine. 

This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Read disclosure here for more info.

Want to improve your life? Add one of these good daily habits to your routine! #goodhabits Click To Tweet

The Ultimate List of Good Daily Habits to Improve Life

Health and Wellness Habits

1. Think about the environment and how it impacts your health.

Now, start by shopping the eco-friendly way and create an eco-friendly kitchen. This will benefit your health in a multitude of ways and also be kinder to the environment.

2. Use a food journal to track your daily food and exercise.

I prefer a paper journal over an app as I’m not a fan of tracking calories.

This is the food journal I’m currently using which has done a great job of keeping me on track towards my goals.

3. Make time for rest and rejuvenation in your day.

You can’t run on empty, so block out time for lunch and breaks.

4. Walk daily.

Hitting 10,000 steps a day can be hard if you are working from home or if you commute in your car, but still get out and walk.

Walking is a great stress reliever and can help you reset your thoughts and practice mindfulness.

5. Meal prep.

If you can’t meal prep dinner at least prep food for lunch and snacks. This will help when you have no time and you need to grab something to eat quickly.

Also, try starting dinner prep at lunchtime (if you’re able). This is great for those who work from home.

👉 Try my printable weekly meal planner to help you get started.

6. Drink more water.

For every drink you have that is not water, balance that out with a big glass of water. 

7. Stretch in the morning or evening.

This is a great way to prep yourself for the day or wind down at night.

8. Make a healthy smoothie every day.

Try new recipes to find different ways to incorporate new fruits and vegetables into your smoothie. 

9. Go to sleep at the same time every night.

Use this opportunity to create a relaxing bedtime routine.

10. Eat one plant-based meal every day.

It’s proven that eating a plant-based diet is good for your health and the environment. Aim for a fully plant-based lunch or dinner.

Self Care Habits

11. Start a self care morning routine.

Starting the day off right has a massive impact on everything you do.  Find self-care morning routine ideas here.

12. Get some quality alone time.

Find ways to get good quality alone time every day. During this time do what you love, no matter how big or small.

13. Start saying no and get good at it!

So many of us want to be accepted and liked, and part of this means we feel bad saying no. This means we do things that can make us exhausted and even unhappy.

By saying no, you can create time for important things in life and create a better balance for yourself.

14. Write in a journal.

There are so many positive benefits to daily journaling – getting creative, focusing on gratitude, reaching your goals, focusing on positivity.

To get started here are a few journals I think you’ll love:

• Love Yourself First daily Guided Journal – 30-day self-love challenge & reflection journal
• Self-Care Planner Worksheets – Build a happy week, every week with these self-care ideas and tracker

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Related: Self Care Journal Prompts to Improve Mental Health

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15. Have a relaxing bath or shower.

The perfect time to do this may be at night before bed. Try and make this time extra cozy with some essential oils, candles and even relaxing music.

16. Dedicate 30 minutes to something you are passionate about.

Reading, exercise, listening to music, gardening – you choose.

17. Ask for help from your family.

If you feel like you’re drowning this is really important to make sure your family members are pitching in daily.

18. Discover the simple pleasures in life.

By finding simple things in life that bring you joy you are taking control of your daily happiness.

Focusing on little, easily attainable things that make you feel good is a recipe for positivity and a good life. Give it a try.

19. Eat healthy.

Make sure you eat at least one really healthy meal that you feel good about.

20. Find time for your faith.

Read, pray, journal, reflect.

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Related: The Art of Dating Yourself + 10 Self Date Ideas

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Good Mental Health Habits & Tips

21. Stop overthinking.

Being an overthinker about stressful situations can really take over your happiness. This is also called ruminating which is having repetitive negative thoughts. 

Learn more about ruminating here and get tips on how to stop overthinking.

22. Practice self-love affirmations.

Practicing daily self love is a wonderful way to look after yourself and one of the best ways you can do this is with self-love affirmations.

Download these affirmations and worksheet to get started.

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Related: What are Affirmations & How to Use Them

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23. Do what makes you feel good.

This is your opportunity to take a step back from your current daily habits and take a look at whether you’re allocating time to something you love, something that makes you feel good.

It doesn’t matter what this is, it’s unique to you – but it does matter that you allocate a little time every day to this.

24. Get outside.

There are so many wonderful health benefits to spending time in the great outdoors.

See if you can get outside every day.

• Breathe in the fresh air
• Get a little exercise
• Enjoy the environment around you
• Take notice of mother nature – the brids chirping, the leaves on the trees dancing in the wind

25. Use a mood tracker.

Using a mood tracker is good to understand what triggers you to feel a certain way.

Once you know what makes you feel good, do more of this. If you see a pattern of things that make you feel down, try to avoid those situations.

Check out my mood tracking journal you can pick up on Amazon as a great way to get started.

26. Start a gratitude journal.

Practicing daily gratitude really helps change your perspective on life. No matter who you are or what you’re current situation is there are so many things to be grateful for in life.

When you can focus on the habit of daily gratitude this might be just what you need for support in tough times.

Check out these gratitude journal prompts for inspiration.

27. Create a go-to “feel better routine”.

This way when you need to reduce stress quickly you already know what will make you feel a little better.

Some examples:

• A cup of tea
• A walk around the block
• Listening to happy music
• Calling your best friend

Make a list of things that make you feel really good and keep that list handy when you need it most. 

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Related: Create Your Own Feel Better Routine for Stress Relief

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28. Speak up.

When you’re feeling low or want to address a concern, talk about it.

Holding in things that matter to you is unhealthy and can build up over time. 

29. Get some affection.

Affection looks different for all of us, but we all need it.

It could a cuddle with your dog, your kids, your spouse, but make sure to get it, even if you have to ask. (This is especially important for people who really need physical touch).

30. Start a new hobby.

Finding something new you’re passionate about can give you a new lease on life. Here are some ideas that might inspire you.

• Modern calligraphy
• Watercolour painting
• Geocaching
• Gardening
• Crocheting
• Photography
• Blogging – sign up for my free course on how to start a blog!
• Scrapbooking
• Flower arranging
• Hiking
• Canoeing
• DIY essential oil recipes
• Pottery
• Baking
• Chess

There are SO many things you can do! So, think about what lights you up and try something new. It’s so good for your mind and soul.

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Related: Check out this big list of hobbies here for more ideas.

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Mindful Relationship and Social Habits

31. Call someone you love.

Do this every day to let the people important in your life know you love them. 

32. Tell your spouse something sweet.

There are so many ways you can do this. Some examples:

• Compliment them on how they look or something they’ve accomplished
• Thank them for their efforts on something they’ve been doing
• Whisper romantic (or naughty!) sweet nothings 
• Say I love You
• Sing a song lyric to them

33. Say good morning.

When you’re out on a daily walk or running errands, say good morning or hello to people you pass by.

We move so fast these days and forget simple, kind gestures to others can really make someone’s day.

Sure, some people might think you’re strange, but honestly – who cares. What’s important is you’re passing on positivity to others and many people will appreciate it.

(And, yes, you can even do this if you live in the city)!

34. Make a daily effort to look and feel good.

You can do this for yourself and your spouse. Even if you work from home, get yourself dressed and refreshed every day.

35. Be a good listener.

Being an active listener in conversations can really improve your relationships with others.

Focus on being engaged when others are talking. Ask questions, show interest. 

36. Don’t complain about a problem – find a solution.

People who constantly complain but never do anything to improve a situation can be hard to be around.

If you think this might be you, don’t be hard on yourself, but instead think about how you can find a solution to a problem you’re having.

Try and take the positive route.

37. Be affectionate with your partner.

This goes without saying, but let’s face it – some people aren’t as affectionate as others.

It’s important, however, to be mindful of showing affection every single day.

Even if you aren’t an affectionate person, your partner might be and they could very well need this to be happy.

So, hold hands, kiss them on the forehead, whisper you love them, prioritize love.

38. Text someone you care about.

We’re all super busy, but there is always time to send a little note to someone you care about.

• Send them a funny meme
• Ask them how they are
• Tell them something you love about them.

Life is short, so more interactions like this can be your key to happiness.

39. Compliment your friends and family.

Sometimes people just need to hear that they matter, that their efforts are recognized, that they are doing a good job. 

Your loved ones want to be noticed by you. So, take the time out and compliment them.

• Tell your kids you are so proud of the hard work they are doing at school
• Let your husband know his workouts have been paying off
• Share with your mom how much you appreciate that she taught you something
• And, tell your dog “good boy”! 😉

40. Make time for people when they need you.

Making time for people also means giving your full attention to them.

This could be your kids, your spouse, your friends. (Now you can’t always say yes to everyone all the time, but make it a habit to be there for the people who really matter in your life).

 

Good Daily Habits for Organization

41. Do one thing at a time.

Over recent years we’ve learned that multitasking is not the way to go, yet many of us still do it every day.

Multitasking actually makes you less productive, so instead, focus on completing one thing at a time and you’ll notice you actually accomplish more in a day.

42. Write a daily to-do list that is achievable and stick to it.

Be realistic about what you can complete in one day.

If you are consistently writing to-do lists and you aren’t completing them, this will cause you unneeded stress. It will also make you less productive.

Instead, think about how long each task will take that you’re adding to your daily list. Also, know that it’s 100% okay to add just 3 things to your list in a day – you don’t need to overdo it.

Listen to this podcast episode (or read the blog post) from my friend (and productivity expert) Paula on the best way to write a to-do list.

43. Daily Decluttering.

You can start the habit of daily decluttering as part of a 30-day challenge.

Choose one (small) area to declutter every day and get to it! Some examples:

• Kitchen cabinet
• Office drawer
• Storage box
• Household paperwork (bills, documents)
• Garden shed

All of this will build up and by the end of the 30 days, you’ll notice you have most of your home in order.

Once you declutter all of the main areas of your home, it will be easier to maintain it on a daily basis.

44. Create a place for everything.

If an item doesn’t have a home, create one. You can combine this habit with the above decluttering challenge.

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Related: 8 Easy Ways to Organize Your Home – Tips from a Minimalist

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45. Deal with mail (and bills) as soon as you receive them.

Pay, file, shred, etc. This way you don’t have to deal with a large pile of paper clutter down the road.

46. When you leave a room, pick it up!

Make sure to get your kids and family on board with this too.

• Getting up from the sofa? Take your coffee cup with you. 
• Leaving the laundry room? Bring those clothes to their home (and get your family to put theirs away of course).

47. Set reminders and/or alarms.

Setting alarms and reminders for important meetings, appointments and tasks is really important to stay organized. 

I recommend setting an alarm/reminder 15 minutes before your task should begin so you can complete what you’re doing, grab a snack (or whatever) and be ready to begin at the right time.

48. Don’t put off important tasks that stress you out.

You know the ones I’m talking about – doing your taxes, home maintenance, paying bills.

If the task seems too big, make a list of mini items you can complete to finish this job.

49. Write everything down.

You can do this in a dedicated notebook or an online tool like Trello.

Just make sure that if something important enters your mind, capture it; and even more importantly, know where you have recorded this information so you can refer to it later.

50. Set a timer and compete against the clock.

This is such a great way to complete a task with no distractions.

You can use this method for projects, writing, doing a quick clean-up of the kitchen, or cleaning up your inbox.

List of Good Money Habits

51. Never carry credit card debt.

In order to do this, you really must stick to a budget and never buy big things you can’t afford on credit.

It’s okay to use a credit card (especially if you get points), but make sure you can pay it off every single month.

Tip: If you get paid twice a month, pay the current balance on payday – that way you are always ahead.

52. Have an automatic savings plan

The amount you put away every month doesn’t actually matter. What’s important is getting into the habit of putting money away.

Set up an automated savings account that takes a set amount of money from another account every month (or every paycheque).

Even if you just put away $50 a month, that’s $600 in one year. Once you’re used to automatically saving money think about increasing the amount just a little.

53. Save up for big purchases.

If you want a new sofa, dining room table, or to take a vacation – save up the money.

Also, make sure to never use a high-interest credit card for these purchases. Paying interest on something you can save up for is a waste.

54. Only buy what you need.

Do you really need that new dress? A new set of dishes? A new car?

No matter the price, always ask yourself if what you’re about to purchase is something you really need and want?

Tip: When you find something you want to purchase, wait 7 days and then decide. Or if there is a sale, come back before the end of the sale period and decide then.

55. Plan your meals and use all your food.

Meal planning can be a fantastic way to save money and eat healthier. Also, get into the habit of eating everything in your fridge. Too often good food is wasted. 

You can be more mindful with your food and think about…

• The hard work a farmer put into growing those carrots in your fridge
• Animals who’ve lost their lives to feed us humans
• People who worked hard (from farm to table) to get you this food
• People in your own town or city who don’t have food on their tables tonight

When you look at food like this – it’s very hard to throw it away. So, use your food!

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Check out this printable weekly meal plan template with grocery list, to help you make meal planning easier.

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56. Start saving for retirement early.

It’s best to start putting money into retirement in your 20s but if you haven’t done so yet, start now.

To make this a daily habit, see if you can set aside a small amount every day. What does this add up to every month?

Even a little savings for retirement makes a difference in the long run, especially when you start early.

57. Buy property instead of renting.

If you can afford to, buy a home instead of renting. This way you’re putting money into your future. 

If you’re unable to purchase a home, start saving and also think of other ways you can get into the real estate market (buy a condo, move into a more affordable area).

58. Have a ‘rainy day’ fund.

Saving money for a rainy day may sound cliché but I promise you will need this. We all have rainy days that come (hello pandemic), so prepare for it. It’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

59. Create a monthly home budget and track your expenses.

Start with your fixed expenses (bills, rent/mortgage) then add in your variable expenses (food, entertainment, personal needs).

Try setting a budget for one month and see how it works for you. You can always adjust where needed. 

60. Always negotiate your bills.

You’d be surprised how much you can save if you just ask!

I love negotiating, but for those who find this task horrible, just asking “is this the best price?” or “is this the best package you have” can save you a lot!

Try this with your cable or wireless provider to start. 

Good Daily Habits for Work & Career

61. Practice time blocking to accomplish one task at a time.

There are many ways you can time block your day, such as blocking time in a planner. You simply allocate a block of time to a certain task – example: 9 – 9:30am email, 10-11 am writing a project outline.

To add to this I like to set a timer to help me time block and have a more balanced day.

62. Clear your desk at the end of each day.

In addition to removing anything you won’t need for the following day, put out the things you will need. This will make it easier to start work immediately the following day. 

63. Determine your most productive time of day.

Many people think that morning is the most productive part of the day, but it really depends on the type of work you’re doing. 

If you’re a creative person and you need to write or design something you may find that early afternoon is your best time.

However, if you have more analytical work to do such as updating an excel spreadsheet or working on a budget, the morning may be better for this.

Tip: Think about your work habits and try different times of the day for different types of tasks.

64. Build good relationships.

Focus on building strong relationships with colleagues, business partners and clients.

When people know one another on a personal level work relationships are always enhanced.

66. Always show up 100% prepared.

Whether you work for yourself or a company always show up 100% prepared.

• Get to work 10 minutes early
• Make sure you know what projects, tasks and appointments you have for the day and be prepared for these

Showing you are prepared communicates that you take your job seriously and you are dedicated to the task at hand.

67. Be a good listener.

Listen to your boss, your clients, colleagues, associates.

When people you work with know you are a good listener they see you as a team player, a positive person to work with and someone who supports them.

This is an extremely important skill to hone regardless of the type of work you do.

68. Be positive, even when you don’t always feel it.

In every situation at work and career, you can choose how you respond to events.

It can be easy to respond in a negative way at times but think about how you can be positive in any situation.

69. Be kind and respectful to everyone around you.

This also goes for those people you don’t love. Be the better person and show professionalism in all situations.

70. Take criticism well.

Feedback of all kinds helps you grow in your business and career no matter what you do for a living.

Take feedback and act on it. This feedback will help you reach your goals and ultimately make you more money.

How to Start Good Daily Habits

Now that you have inspiration on some good daily habits to try here are a few tips to help make it happen.

Write the Habit Down

Either in a journal, your phone, a sticky note on the fridge. Just make sure that wherever you write this new habit down, you will see it throughout the day as a reminder.

Use a Habit Tracker

This is a great way to stay on top of your new daily habit.

Check out these habit tracker PDFs you can print at home and use to stay on target. Habit tracking is a great way to reach your goals one day at a time.

Try Habit Stacking

Depending on the habit you can try something called habit stacking (the process of adding a new habit to something you already do).

Examples:

• Do squats while brushing your teeth
• Write a daily to-do list while your tea is steeping in the morning
• Listen to an educational podcast on your daily walk

Find Other Ways to Incorporate New Daily Habits Into Your Routine

If your new habit is a social skill such as being a better listener or being more positive in your day start with writing down scenarios where you can improve these daily habits. 

For example:

• If you want to be more positive every day, think about what you can do (or focus on) if you feel negativity creeping in. Check out this list of simple pleasures in life to give you inspiration.
• If you want to be a better listener, write down steps you will take when in a conversation – for example, practice eye contact, put away distractions such as your phone, ask questions and show genuine interest.

Just Start!

Yes, starting a new habit on a Monday or the first day of the month is a great idea, but this shouldn’t stop you from starting your new daily habit today.

Let’s rip the bandaid on this one – no excuses, just begin!

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Related: How to Create Lasting Habits: 3 Step Process for Success

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What Good Daily Habits are you Going to Try?

Share in the comments below!

Related Resources on Daily Habits and Healthy Routines

• 225 Best Habits To Track + Free Printable Habit Tracker
• 35 Healthy Habits To Improve Mental Health
• Morning Self Care Routine – New Ideas to Start Your Day

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Yolanda xo