We hear a lot about healthy habits, and sometimes they seem complicated. They’re too big or too vague: eat healthy meals, exercise for at least 30 minutes at least 5 days a week, get 8 hours of sleep a night, drink enough water. And we tune out.Habits don’t have to be hard. In fact, the best habits are simple. That’s how you make them habits. Once you’ve built a habit, you can build on it, if you want to.

Five Healthy Habits To Try

Here are 5 simple habits that I’ve used to change my life. They may not be what you think.
Rather watch? Check out my vlog about healthy habits.

1. Get up at a consistent time every day

Getting out of bed is really hard for me. I’m a chronic insomniac, but getting up at a consistent time has helped me get a better night’s sleep. Sleep makes a big difference in how we function during the day. Poor sleep often leads us to skip exercise and choose foods we really don’t want. If you struggle with getting enough sleep, try getting up at the same time. It’s easier to control than when you go to bed.

Drink water

I know, you’ve heard this one before, but I’m going to tell you how I do it. In the morning, while I make my coffee, I pour a 16 oz. glass of water. I drink about half before I have my coffee and make sure I drink the rest before I work out. Once it’s empty, I refill it and keep it where I do food prep so I remember to sip on it throughout the day. Sometimes, while I’m filling that first glass, I put a green tea bag in another glass and fill that with water. Green tea is good for you, and I find cold brew less bitter. By prepping it in the morning, I can sip on that as an alternative to plain water. Not sure drinking enough water makes a difference? See what happens when you don’t. (My story of poor hydration and working out).

Daily spiritual practice

For me this is usually meditation or some reading. I don’t have a set time for it — it varies based on what’s going on in my life — but I make sure it happens every day. The consistency is more important than how long you do it.

Do the dishes by hand

Didn’t see that one coming did you? It surprised me too. Our dishwasher stopped working well and it just became easier to wash by hand. This did two things, one, it means I move around for 15–20 minutes after dinner instead of just sitting. That movement helps food digest better. Two, the kitchen gets cleaned more thoroughly, which means I feel a lot better when I come downstairs the next morning. It definitely gets my day off to a better start!

Let go of results

Do the best you can do and let go of results. It’s not easy. We live in a results-oriented culture, and I get anxious about things not working out. The truth is we often aren’t in control of outcomes. All we can do is control our effort and keep taking actions that move us in the direction we want to go.

The great thing about these habits is that while they are small and doable, they set off change reactions that produce other benefits that we might not expect. Would you have thought washing the dishes at night would set me up for a better start to the day? But any one of these things can help you stop a downward spiral and even get your energy moving in the other direction.

What healthy habits make a difference for you?