Routines and habits are important aspects of our daily lives. Habits are those small changes that can add up to significant results over time, whether you want to meet a goal, be more productive, or live a more balanced life.

Atomic Habits by James Clear, one of my favourite books, discusses how developing habits doesn’t have to be complicated or foreign. You have the ability to choose which habits will help you progress. If you’re not sure which habits to incorporate into your daily routine, here are five key habits to begin that will change your life.

• Read everyday – Research suggests that, reading books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those benefits can last a lifetime. To develop a reading habit – set a goal, create a reading list, schedule a time for reading, eliminate distractions and keep a reading journal.
• Start your life handbook – Your handbook is intended to be your guide to living. It should include anything and everything that is important to living our best lives. To fill in your handbook here are a few suggestions – your life purpose/vision/mission, your values, your strengths, your improvement areas, your long term/short term life goals.
• Get out of your comfort zone – Hard work and sweat are required for true growth. Being too comfortable does not help you grow; rather; it causes you to stagnate. Face your fears, get out there, learn new skills, travel to new place and make changes to your daily routine.
• Physical exercise – We stay fit by moving. The body is an excellent source of information, and it constantly communicates what it requires. Taking care of the body in which we live is a beautiful way of taking care of yourselves and sustaining your development.
• Affirmations – Affirmations are a powerful tool for expressing our intentions and reminding ourselves of what we value. When you repeat them frequently and believe in them, you can begin to see positive results. Positive words of affirmation – I am in command of my life. Today will be a fantastic day. I focus on what I want. I create my own happiness.

What would you add to the list. Do you have any self care habits that you swear by?