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Have you ever learned something that blew your mind but simultaneously made you regret all of the time you spent not doing it? Like meal prepping on Sunday evening, watching your favorite Netflix show while walking on the treadmill, or working remotely instead of commuting. We are always on the lookout for ways to improve the quality of our lives, so why not hear some tips from others online too?
2 weeks ago, Reddit user Kxrll reached out asking others to share the things that improved their lives so much they wish they had started doing them sooner. The comments were flooded with time-saving tips and habits people developed that increased their happiness. So we hope you enjoy reading the responses below, and maybe you’ll even be inspired to start reading every evening or eating healthier as well. Be sure to upvote the replies that resonate with you, and then if you’re interested in finding out more small habits that can have an impact on your daily life, check out this Bored Panda piece next.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Doing at least one chore a day.
You would be amazed at how well getting *something* done, even if you hate it, can fight back against certain depressive mentalities, particularly the ones that convince you you're useless or are a burden.
We all know that certain things on this list are good for us: exercising daily, eating healthy, taking walks, avoiding conflicts with strangers on the internet, etc. But as with anything else in life, developing healthy habits is easier said than done. We can decide that we want to cook more meals at home to save money, but executing that plan does not happen overnight. Humans are creatures of habit, and to develop a new routine, we usually have to disrupt our current one.
There is a widely held belief that it takes about 21 days to break a habit, as Dr. Maxwell Maltz claimed that most people need about three weeks to get accustomed to a new home, new facial features from a plastic surgery operation, or losing a limb due to amputation. This three-week rule does not always apply though, as getting used to something new is not necessarily the same as kicking a habit you have had for years, like smoking cigarettes or eating processed sugar every day.
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#3
Moved away from the state I grew up in. I didn't know how unhappy I was. I had gotten used to being miserable and now that I'm in a better area I'm a completely different person.
Alexia 2 years ago (edited)
Big upvote. For me it was moving away from my toxic, abusive family. I needed approx. 1 year to get used to the calm, quiet atmosphere in my rented apartment. It was unbelievable that days can start without slammed doors at 6 am, with no yelling, arguing and insults. Wish I had done this earlier, instead of desperately hoping that my family would change and treat me better.
If you are really interested in breaking a habit to make room for a new one, there is unfortunately no perfect timeline to follow. There are various factors coming into play like how long you have had the habit for, how often you do it, what rewards you receive from it, whether other behaviors or those around you enable the habit, and what your motivation is for stopping. For example, quitting drinking will be a lot harder if your partner has a glass of wine every evening, and your plans with friends always involve alcohol.
Some research from the University College London even suggests that a more realistic gauge of how long breaking a habit will take is about 10 weeks. Don’t let that discourage you though; sustainable changes take time. Be patient with yourself and implement small changes first. If you want to reduce your sugar intake, for example, do not go cold-turkey. Begin by banning sugary drinks and/or candy from your household. Then slowly work up to cutting out baked goods and frozen desserts as well. If you are torturing yourself, your changes are not likely to stick.
#4
I stopped living my life just waiting for the weekend. When you work 5 days a week and have just 2 off, it's not good to be always waiting for those 2 days. You can plan something meaningful or fun every day, even if it's just a small thing.
#6
Got a cat
On the bright side, it is typically much easier to develop a new habit than to break an old one. So after you finish this list and are feeling inspired, start making arrangements to do at least one chore every day or find a therapist that suits your needs. While all changes take time to get used to, picking up a new hobby or healthy habit that improves your life will always be worth it. For tips on how to get started, I consulted James Clear’s blog post “How to Build a New Habit: This is Your Strategy Guide”.
His first recommendation is to “start with an incredibly small habit”. He notes that often we assume that we lack the willpower to achieve a goal, but willpower is just a muscle that we need to strengthen. If you have a goal of doing 50 pushups per day, for example, remember that is your goal. You can start out doing 5 a day. Then maybe 10 the next week. There is no reason to rush when it makes a small habit seem unattainable.
#7
Stopped caring what others think about me.
ace axolotl (she/her) 2 years ago
this is really hard. i always tell myself not to care too much and that in twenty years i'll think, "why did i care so much about what others though?" however it's really hard to let go of this thought process. maybe it'll come with age.
Once a very small habit has been developed, James recommends increasing it by 1% every day. “Rather than trying to do something amazing from the beginning, start small and gradually improve,” he writes. “Along the way, your willpower and motivation will increase, which will make it easier to stick to your habit for good.” Once you have built up a habit, James notes that it is important to keep your goals reasonable to maintain momentum. Don’t be afraid to break up your 20 minutes a day of meditation into two 10 minute chunks or your 50 pushups into 5 sets of 10. It is much better to have manageable goals then to become overwhelmed and throw in the towel altogether.
#10
Reading books way more
Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago
Audiobooks are a great way of adding books into a busy life. I use audiobooks on my morning commute, and before bed.
#11
I started viewing things as potential experiences rather than just opportunities for achievement.
Before that, for example, if I took a class then I was only focused on the grade. If I couldn't get a good grade, I didn't like the class. Heck, I wouldn't even start a book if I thought it might be too hard or too long and I might not finish it.
Then I realized the purpose of classes (and books and other things) was to learn and that hard ones were likely the ones I learned the most from, even if I didn't get the best grade.
I started doing all sorts of stuff with the idea that I just wanted the experience. Even if I was the worst one out there, who cares? I wasn't there for the achievement, I wanted to learn things.
This works socially as well and I started taking way more risks, telling myself that, at the very least, it would be a learning experience.
I saw a saying once: "It's only a failure if you stop trying, otherwise, it's an experiment." I love it.
#12
Left my abusive relationship of 14 years.
WordWeaver 2 years ago
Well done, you! They had the chance to learn to be a better person but didn't - now you go have a better life. Arohanui
Inevitably, there will be a few moments where you slip up or fall out of your routine. Life just gets in the way sometimes, with things like injuries, family emergencies, and holidays disrupting our plans. James writes, “Rather than trying to be perfect, abandon your all-or-nothing mentality.” Nobody is perfect, so your aim should be consistency. Don’t beat yourself up for falling off track on occasion, just continue along as normal. Lastly, James says to be patient and “stick to a pace you can sustain”. Long-lasting changes do not happen overnight, so don’t give into the temptation of letting impatience discourage you. If you really want to develop a sustainable habit, there are no shortcuts, but the effort will be worth the reward.
#13
Stopped going to church. Not going to church is such a big part of my life now. I wish I had not gone sooner.
Drive Bee 2 years ago
THIS! Best decision I ever made. I tried for so many years to make it work, kept making excuses for everyone and everything there, and then one day I thought to myself, I don't have to come here if I don't want to. The freedom and relief I have had since then are immense and I see things so much more clearly from outside the bubble.
#14
Quitting drinking is the best thing I’ve ever done for my mental and physical health and it’s done nothing but improve my relationships. The last year and a half have been the best I’ve ever had
Lyone Fein 2 years ago
Congratulations. Your efforts are valuable to yourself and those around you.
#15
Walking! I’ve got stamina again
BiscuitOfDoom 2 years ago
I'm in complete agreement with this. I went from hardly ever walking to 4 or more miles a day over the past year and it feels great.
While reading this list, you might be realizing that your life could stand to have some improvements too. It is important to appreciate what you have and find a way to be content wherever you are, but there is nothing wrong with a little self-reflection. Maybe you’re realizing that a healthy habit you once had disappeared somewhere along the line over the past few years. Somehow that 6am daily workout got phased out of your life after taking on a new job or moving farther away from your gym. It is easy to slip into a routine on autopilot and forget that we have the power to make changes, however, making an effort to set and work towards goals is a great way to bring motivation and excitement to our lives.
#16
Eating dinner or a late snack at work. Too often I would leave work hungry, and the temptation driving past Chick-fil-A or the corner taco shop was too much. I've kept my weight under control for a couple of years now, having dropped from the 220s to the 170s.
#17
Got a proper diagnosis. I think a lot of people that for years questioned themselves “what’s wrong with me?” when they finally got diagnosed it’s a big relief and changes a lot in a better way
#18
Bachelor degree at 47 years old. Master degree at 50 years old.
Doubled my salary in 4 years, from just getting by to on track for retiring at 60.
SheamusFan1987 2 years ago
Life is one big classroom without the walls, you never stop learning and you never should.
Professor of Psychology Leslie Riopel wrote a piece for Positive Psychology titled “The Importance, Benefits, and Value of Goal Setting” that breaks down the reasons why we should all have aspirations. She notes that it is normal for our goals to change over time as we get older and develop our priorities, but they are still important to have so that our lives don’t become stagnant. It’s easy to feel aimless or meaningless when we don’t have anything to look forward to. But when we set goals, particularly very specific ones, we have something driving us. According to research in goal-setting theory by Edward Locke, “Over 90% of the time, goals that were specific and challenging, but not overly challenging, led to higher performance when compared to easy goals or goals that were too generic such as a goal to do your best.” It is assumed that we all want to be happy, do our best, etc, but not everyone wants to run a marathon in the next year or get a promotion at work before their next birthday. Set your sights on goals specific to you.
#19
When I was told that I would lose my eyesight it made me pay more attention to how beautiful the sky was. I can still see and I enjoy watching the clouds on a level I can't even explain.
Autistic apricot 2 years ago
Yes, we should all look at the sky, just make sure you’re not looking at the sun
#20
Meeting my wife. That woman fills my heart in ways words can't describe. It just can't be too much sooner because then I wouldn't have my awesome step-sons.
#21
Learning how to do everything myself. Car issue? Look it up. Fix my fence? Look it up. Just do it all myself. Replace valves? Look it up.
If they don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Goal-setting can also be an important factor in taking care of our mental health. Riopel writes that, “Goal setting has been shown to help improve the outcome in treatment, amongst studies done in adults with depression.” Battling depression can take a huge toll on an individual, but by setting goals in treatment, like slowly implementing routines including taking a daily walk or cleaning their apartment, patients can feel proud of what they accomplish and more motivated to keep fighting. Their goals can be reminders that their lives can get better, slowly but surely. One study even found that patients who participated in goal-setting exercises were more willing to accept a mental health referral, which can be crucial to improving their health.
#23
working out and deleting most social media like twitter
#24
Not everyone can afford this but: moving closer to work.
My commute went from 45 miserable minutes in traffic glaring in hatred at the tail lights in front of me to a pleasant 15 minute bike ride. I got an hour of free time every day and better health.
Lee Macro 2 years ago
After my old job made me redundant as I didn't want to relocate to the big smoke, my new job took my commute down from 1-1.5 hour drive to a 10 minute walk. It was quite a drop in salary and although the commuting costs saved didn't quite make up for it, the amount of time I got back more than made up for it
Setting concrete goals can also yield more success than working towards vague aspirations. Dr. Gail Matthews, a clinical psychologist from Dominican University of California, found that individuals who write down their goals, share them with a friend and send weekly updates on their progress are on average 33% more successful than their peers whose goals are simply floating around their minds. Though it seems so simple, there is power to putting our goals on paper or speaking them out loud. Making a firm commitment to a task may seem scary, but it also makes us much more likely to be successful.
#26
Daily exercise. It doubled my energy for an hour out of my day.
#27
Trying to be more positive in general.
Jon Clingenpeel 2 years ago
Yes! It’s so easy to be the negative Nelly at work, I have to catch myself not to criticize unless it’s going to help or if I have an answer. I never have the answer btw
Has this list inspired you to take up a new hobby or adopt a new healthy habit? It has certainly reminded me to stop slacking off on some of my "routines" that used to be daily but are now falling into the "weekly occurrence" category... Whether you aim to learn a new language, cut toxic individuals out of your life or quit smoking cigarettes, write that goal down and say it out loud. Once you have developed the habit, you'll probably be wishing you had done it sooner. Remember to upvote all of your favorite responses, and then let us know in the comments what improved your life so much that you wish you had been doing it all along.
#29
Finding the right therapist. Been in since I was 9, and found the right one at 23. It’s only been maybe 6 months but I’ve already unpacked so much more trauma in that small time than I did all the other YEARS wasted in therapy.
#30
Exercise every day. Anxiety and depression are much easier to manage, and I got some confidence I haven't had in years
What do you think ?
Izzy Curer 2 years ago (edited)
For me, I started eating sugar. I'm not talking about nutritious complex carbs, I mean actual junkfood sugar. I'd been told it was evil for so long that I didn't understand that you actually sort of need it to survive. Or at least I do. I may have undiagnosed hypoglycemia, but after I stopped being afraid of it, I started having energy and was able to gain weight for the first time in my life. My mental capacity and mood have improved, as well. My whole life, I thought I was eating healthy by eating whole foods and vegetables and avoiding sugar, but I could never figure out why I felt so sick all the time. It was so frustrating. Doctors were no help. It still blows my mind that sugar can actually be healthy. It just flies in the face of everything I've ever been told.
Peter Smith 2 years ago
A month ago I stopped reading the news. I realised I had become so depressed from reading about all the endless crises. I stopped looking at any news website, and it has done my mental health the world of good.
Marcus Lynch 2 years ago
Agreed. Turned off all notifications from news apps and the doom and gloom feed has stopped. Huge change to overall daily attitude.
Load More Replies...
Laya Smith 2 years ago
I would add learning to delegate. I used to feel the need to do everything myself because I grew up poor and that is how it's done. I'm finally learning to pay people for services by respecting that my time is valuable. So I don't more my own lawn anymore or manage my businesses social media, and I am so happy.
Hannah Finley 2 years ago
Oh God yes! I pay someone to deep clean my house twice a month and it's soooo nice. Then I don't feel shitty about my house and can spend my free time doing things I want to do
Load More Replies...
Bethany Heller 2 years ago
Exercise was in a lot of these. Any have ideas for how to not hate it so much? I get that it's beneficial, but ugh.
Marilyn Russell 2 years ago
Find something that works for you. Try a new class. When I was younger I took kickboxing - loved it! I used to think I hated yoga but now I love Yin yoga. Lots of videos on YouTube I can do at home. I’m thinking about taking adult tap lessons in the fall. Or how about you just put on your favourite music and dance how your body feels like moving? Most days I also walk my dog down my country road which is also relaxing and takes about 40 minutes. I guarantee once you get going, your body will want more because I didn’t want to move my body before Covid hit and then I lost my job so I thought better use this time to feel better.
Load More Replies...
Vorknkx 2 years ago
Reducing time spent on Facebook by 90%. Nowadays I just pop up once every 2-3 weeks to take a quick look and/or answer some message, and that's it. So much better :)
Hannah Finley 2 years ago
I ditched FB, but I do the same limit with insta and tiktok. I delete the app and redoelwnload it about (I hope I can keep it up) 2 times a month. It helps SO FRICKIN MUCH with my self confidence and creativity
Load More Replies...
Evily 2 years ago
I’ve started to request all the medical tests that are done and try and understand them myself, and the letters doctors are writing to the GP. It’s mind blowing how poor the interpretations have been and the utter garble some doctors write without taking any responsibility for anything. I’m trying to break a cycle of life-threatening co-dependence this way.
Owen Aeva 2 years ago
I like to cook and also like to play on our Wii. So I've been finding cooking projects that allow for periods of simmering and periods of tinkering (which is my favorite way to cook) and I'll alternate between that and playing a Wii game that I can easily pause for a period of time. That way I'm not spending too much time on one thing and I'm moving around too. I noticed the improvement when I walked around a bunch with friends when the temps that were high and I didn't ever feel awful.
renee brack 2 years ago
Agreed. Some good advice for a better life in this BP collection - thank you all :)
Izzy Curer 2 years ago (edited)
For me, I started eating sugar. I'm not talking about nutritious complex carbs, I mean actual junkfood sugar. I'd been told it was evil for so long that I didn't understand that you actually sort of need it to survive. Or at least I do. I may have undiagnosed hypoglycemia, but after I stopped being afraid of it, I started having energy and was able to gain weight for the first time in my life. My mental capacity and mood have improved, as well. My whole life, I thought I was eating healthy by eating whole foods and vegetables and avoiding sugar, but I could never figure out why I felt so sick all the time. It was so frustrating. Doctors were no help. It still blows my mind that sugar can actually be healthy. It just flies in the face of everything I've ever been told.
Peter Smith 2 years ago
A month ago I stopped reading the news. I realised I had become so depressed from reading about all the endless crises. I stopped looking at any news website, and it has done my mental health the world of good.
Marcus Lynch 2 years ago
Agreed. Turned off all notifications from news apps and the doom and gloom feed has stopped. Huge change to overall daily attitude.
Load More Replies... Laya Smith 2 years ago
I would add learning to delegate. I used to feel the need to do everything myself because I grew up poor and that is how it's done. I'm finally learning to pay people for services by respecting that my time is valuable. So I don't more my own lawn anymore or manage my businesses social media, and I am so happy.
Hannah Finley 2 years ago
Oh God yes! I pay someone to deep clean my house twice a month and it's soooo nice. Then I don't feel shitty about my house and can spend my free time doing things I want to do
Load More Replies... Bethany Heller 2 years ago
Exercise was in a lot of these. Any have ideas for how to not hate it so much? I get that it's beneficial, but ugh.
Marilyn Russell 2 years ago
Find something that works for you. Try a new class. When I was younger I took kickboxing - loved it! I used to think I hated yoga but now I love Yin yoga. Lots of videos on YouTube I can do at home. I’m thinking about taking adult tap lessons in the fall. Or how about you just put on your favourite music and dance how your body feels like moving? Most days I also walk my dog down my country road which is also relaxing and takes about 40 minutes. I guarantee once you get going, your body will want more because I didn’t want to move my body before Covid hit and then I lost my job so I thought better use this time to feel better.
Load More Replies... Vorknkx 2 years ago
Reducing time spent on Facebook by 90%. Nowadays I just pop up once every 2-3 weeks to take a quick look and/or answer some message, and that's it. So much better :)
Hannah Finley 2 years ago
I ditched FB, but I do the same limit with insta and tiktok. I delete the app and redoelwnload it about (I hope I can keep it up) 2 times a month. It helps SO FRICKIN MUCH with my self confidence and creativity
Load More Replies... Evily 2 years ago
I’ve started to request all the medical tests that are done and try and understand them myself, and the letters doctors are writing to the GP. It’s mind blowing how poor the interpretations have been and the utter garble some doctors write without taking any responsibility for anything. I’m trying to break a cycle of life-threatening co-dependence this way.
Owen Aeva 2 years ago
I like to cook and also like to play on our Wii. So I've been finding cooking projects that allow for periods of simmering and periods of tinkering (which is my favorite way to cook) and I'll alternate between that and playing a Wii game that I can easily pause for a period of time. That way I'm not spending too much time on one thing and I'm moving around too. I noticed the improvement when I walked around a bunch with friends when the temps that were high and I didn't ever feel awful.
renee brack 2 years ago
Agreed. Some good advice for a better life in this BP collection - thank you all :)
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