Do you feel like you are constantly trying to start a million and one helpful habits but none of them stick?
Do you feel like your day runs away from you, while everyone else seems to get things done with ease always knowing what is next?
If so, this blog is for you. In it, you will learn:
- Why it’s essential to focus on establishing one keystone habit rather than changing many little things simultaneously.
- An understanding of what keystone habits are and how they can benefit you.
- The often-overlooked keystone habit that, while it might sound mundane, can boost your productivity and give you a head start on your day.
Stop trying to change everything at the same time
When people decide to improve their lives they often try to tackle multiple areas at once. They want to get up early. Go to the gym. Meditate. Journal. Try the pomodoro technique. Take vitamins. Call their family members regularly. The list goes on.
Seeing people identify what they want and then go to grab that new life by the horns is wonderful to see. The issue is, more often than not, we can only sustain this level of change for a short time.
Holding this to-do list in mind, making space for each of these activities in our calendar, and maintaining focus while resisting temptation for this many activities is EXHAUSTING. As we become fatigued we slip into autopilot and… BOOM… we find ourselves back in our old ways.
If you want a sustainable way to improve your life, start with one keystone habit.
What are Keystone Habits?
Keystone habits are actions you repeat that affect wide reaching areas of your life.
For example, if you want to improve your focus, energy levels, eating habits, sleep, and emotional wellbeing, choosing a keystone habit (such as exercise or meditation) that impacts each area at once is smarter and simpler than trying to tackle each area separately.
Exercise is a keystone habit because it doesn’t just improve your life while you are engaging in it but instead enhances physical and mental health, your focus, energy, and sleep. It also influences dietary choices and boosts self-esteem and resilience through its physiological effects and the sense of achievement it gives us.
Mindfulness meditation is another keystone habit because of its wide reaching effects, which include: heightened mental clarity, reduced anxiety, and improved emotional well-being. It also sharpens focus, reduces impulsivity, and fosters conscious decision-making. Those who meditate tend to recognize their patterns and proactively improve their habits.
There are many keystone habits and the one you choose will depend on what you are trying to achieve. The keystone habit we will focus on for this blog however is so deeply unsexy and is always the first thing we drop when life is busy and we need it the most…
The deeply unsexy keystone habit you need to incorporate into your day
If you feel like your day is often chaotic, busy, and you aren’t as productive as you would like to be, the best keystone habit for you is (try not to groan)… Daily planning and doing the hardest thing first.
This is not creating a to-do list. It involves taking a few minutes to sit down at the beginning of each day and consciously deciding exactly what you will do that day; What you will do and when you will do it. It then involves choosing to do the hardest thing (the thing you really don’t want to do) on your list first.
We do this because:
- the thing we want to put off is usually much easier than we imagine it to be, and the relief once it is done is palpable.
- in the morning our brain chemistry is set to help us overcome the challenges (after the first 8 hours of being awake our chemistry changes to be best for relaxation, and already habitualised activities).
If you are reading this thinking, this sounds so obvious and simple what’s the point… DON’T.
Daily planning ensures you never get derailed by a meeting or deadline you might forget. It declutters your mind, tells you where to focus your attention, increases intentionality, and will give you a sense of progress as you can tick your actions off your list each day.
Daily planning increases productivity and…
… Most importantly, it stops this all too familiar scenario that you may be familiar with. The scenario where we panic… “oh my god I’ve got so much to do”. Then when we finally sit down to do our work we suddenly think… “oh my god where do i start?”, which is then quickly followed by the feeling that your brain has ground to a halt and nothing gets done apart from more and more worrying.
Daily planning procedure:
- Set Aside Time Each Day: Dedicate a few minutes each morning or the night before to plan your day. Use a planner, digital tool, or a simple notebook — whatever works best for you.
- List Your Tasks: Write down everything you need to and would like to do that day. Be specific and realistic about what you can achieve within the available time. And be clear about what will be done when.
- Prioritize Wisely: Identify the most challenging task on your list — the one you might be tempted to postpone. Resolve to tackle it first.
- Break It Down: If the hardest task seems overwhelming, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. This makes it less daunting and easier to begin.
- Start Strong: Begin your day by addressing the toughest task. Remember, you are at your mental peak in the morning, making it the ideal time to handle challenging endeavors.
- Tick Off Accomplishments: As you complete each task, tick it off your list. This simple act of acknowledgment reinforces your progress and motivates you to continue.
- Be Flexible: While daily planning helps structure your day, be open to adjusting your schedule as needed. Unexpected events may arise, and being adaptable ensures you can handle them with grace.
That’s it!
Choosing the right keystone habit can help simplify your life and improve it at the same time. Daily planning is often quickly overlooked or forgotten when stress is high but should be a priority as it boosts productivity and creates calm during times of stress.
If you want to break free from the patterns in your life that are holding you back, do a deep dive with me and grab yourself a copy of my book ‘(Un)Stuck: 5 Steps to Break Bad Habits and Get Out of Your Own Way’ today!
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