Incredibly useful habits/skills you've developed?

[mystang52]

"Note: I absolutely stripped down most of the quotes I'm responding to here, just for the sake of expediency.


I know there was more to your post, Mystang52, but I pulled the yoga out because it's been something that I'd like to start. My biggest challenge is that I do best with live classes and a teacher (I don't really love yoga videos), but have not been able to find a restorative or family yoga class that works for our schedule. Any suggestions? "

My first suggestion would be to move to Bergen County, NJ . I had multiple Yoga schools to choose from, all with schedules to meet my needs. A quick Google search was all it took. I then went to the 2 top choices, and bought an intro package from each. I'm now happy with one of them (and it's pure coincidence that the fellow students are prettier!).

Like you, I wanted the discipline of formal class as opposed to a DVD. I go Monday mornings, to relieve the stress of the previous day's NY Giants game.

 

[redduck]

This is a nice thread! Full of great, motivating ideas.

My productive habits as of now:...

Spend a minimum of 60 minutes on something that makes me sweat.

I'm pretty sure I'm not up to doing this on any sort of regular basis. A minimum of 60 minutes? Guess that would have to be followed by a long nap. There goes what's left of the day. Perhaps it's a day well spent. I know I'd be well-spent. Sure wouldn't have the time or energy to wash the dishes.

 

[HFWR]

Always the list maker, I do occasionally jot down a list of "stuff" to remind myself of things I'd like to re-focus on.

 

[MikeD]

Eating healthier. I really, really, like pepperoni but haven't eaten any of that or similar for about a year. I pretty much stick to salads for the main meal of the day, even when we're out. But there's this real big pepperoni roll behind the glass at the deli in the grocery store... maybe when I'm on my deathbed and it won't matter....

I used to like Pepperoni, too. Then I read the ingredients. Now I only eat stuff like that from the German Deli on 4th of July. To celebrate.

Mike D.

ps -- The big sandwich sized Pepperoni tastes totally different from the little 10 inch long, 1 inch in diameter sticks...

 

[FI by 2024]

A few weeks ago I started a daily habit of using YouTube to learn something new every day. I've enjoyed this new habit so much that I usually watch several videos each day instead of just the one I originally planned. I'm focusing right now on science and history. I've learned about the Bronze Age, the Crusades, the history of Islam, work on cures for cancer, lots of biology, etc and so on. There are dozens of entertaining channels that focus on all kinds of topics.


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[mystang52]

A few weeks ago I started a daily habit of using YouTube to learn something new every day. I've enjoyed this new habit so much that I usually watch several videos each day instead of just the one I originally planned. I'm focusing right now on science and history. I've learned about the Bronze Age, the Crusades, the history of Islam, work on cures for cancer, lots of biology, etc and so on. There are dozens of entertaining channels that focus on all kinds of topics.


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Bingo! I just found an entertaining Youtube lecture series on astronomy. I'm going to follow your lead and look up other topics. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Car-Guy]

A few weeks ago I started a daily habit of using YouTube to learn something new every day.

I don't make it a daily thing but utube is usually the first place I go when I want/need to learn how to do something new or different. Lot's of good DIY videos.

 

[FI by 2024]

I don't make it a daily thing but utube is usually the first place I go when I want/need to learn how to do something new or different. Lot's of good DIY videos.

Yeah, it's also great for that. My daily education habit I do in the morning while getting ready, but I'll also pull it up any time of the day to figure out home and car repairs, tricks related to my hobbies, etc.


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[Urchina]

So, the great thing about this thread is that it has reminded me of the common habits that most people find supportive --

And... I realize (yet again) that everything I need to be happier and healthier I already have access to. I just need to actually do it.

However, I would also be very interested in anyone's housekeeping habits. I might start that as another thread. W2R and another poster touched on it -- but now that DH and I both work full-time and we're also engaged with our kids' schedules, I need to put some household stuff on autopilot.

As far as habits I've developed over the past three years or so (which is as long as I've been intentional about developing habits), I now:

1. Make my bed first thing in the morning.
2. Get completely dressed, including shoes, jewelry and makeup, when I "get dressed." This allows me to avoid multiple trips back to my bedroom/closet in the mornings, and really reduces my feeling of being scattered and forgetting things first thing in the morning.
3. Having a smooth morning routine. My consists of getting up, showering, getting dressed, taking care of the animals, unloading the dishwasher, making school lunches and my lunch, packing my work bags, and meditating.
4. Paying bills twice a month, on the 2nd and the 16th (based on paychecks). I used to pay every bill the day it came in. Now I batch them and it is so much more efficient.
5. Keeping the dining room table clear at all times.
6. Floss daily.
7. In bed at night, I count my blessings (instead of sheep), and try to really feel the pleasure I get from each one. I always fall asleep during this process, which means my last experience every night is a positive one.
8. Be done with work by 9 p.m. This is when I try to turn off the computer and put my grading / professional work away. DH and I have a cup of tea and read for an hour or an hour and a half or so, purely for pleasure. We do this instead of watching TV.

I am currently developing the following habits:
1. Daily meditation. I finally figured out how to fit it into my morning routine, and I add a single minute a week (I started with 5 minutes). Once I get up to 30 minutes a day I'll need to relocate when I do this habit, but I have a couple of months to get to that point.
2. Singletasking. I am trying to complete a task fully before moving on to another task. This will help decrease my switching-between-tasks-time, and also help me feel less scattered. For some things, like laundry, I don't worry about it -- but for other household and work tasks I try to complete an entire task before moving to another. This also means that I need to break projects down into tasks of about 45 minutes in length, which allows me to finish them one at a time.
3. Weekly menu planning. We do this often, but not always -- and I can tell when I don't.

 

[gretah]

Reading labels on food containers at store before deciding to put item in cart. ALWAYS

Lots of unhealthy food stays on the shelf this way.

 

[lem1955]

I have just rediscovered knitting and am thrilled that it takes me away from screens. I am also loving getting in 2 or more hours of walking, hiking or cross country skiing each day. I'm eating more sensibly and am on the way to losing the 10 - 15 pounds I've put on since 2013. Still serving on two volunteer boards and have just applied to be a Family Friend with the VT Refugee Resettlement Program. I am in love with retirement.

 

[photoguy]

I learned to cut my own hair from watching youtube videos. It's actually a big time saver vs going to the barbershop.

 

[ls99]

I am slowly working on getting rid of all my useful habits.

Taking up figure skating at age 62 was not necessarily useful. It did enhance my mediocre artistic movement skills, balance, and tons of fun. It was also an opportunity to hang out with a bunch of enthusisatic youngsters.

Sure beats the pain of hearing about the daily list of ailments, medications, who died and coughing/hacking of geezers, AKA daytime denizens, in the coffee shop.

Super EXTRA Bonus: no one at the rink gives a rat's a$$ about football, baseball or basketball, or the constant and endless recital/listing of player's, managers, owers shenaningans, statistics, who got traded..... gaaaack.

 

[Sunset]

I learned to cut my own hair from watching youtube videos. It's actually a big time saver vs going to the barbershop.

I got my DW to start cutting my hair, I've been doing hers for years.
We got one of this clipper things with the different sized prongs/teeth for my hair and it's as good as the barbershop did.
Its a lot more convenient especially during the winter.

 

[HFWR]

Do bad habits count?

 

[photoguy]

I got my DW to start cutting my hair, I've been doing hers for years.
We got one of this clipper things with the different sized prongs/teeth for my hair and it's as good as the barbershop did.
Its a lot more convenient especially during the winter.

I offered to cut DW hair but she turns me down.

I told her that her hair is ideal because it's long enough that if I mess up she can always get it fixed at a real hairdresser. At most she'd lose a couple inches. That didn't seem to reassure her.


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