XP TRACKERGood habits list: 42 habits to start
The best habit to start is the one that fixes something that bothers you this week, in a version small enough to do on a bad day. Below are 42 good habits in six areas of life, each with a first step that takes a few minutes, and a short method for picking one or two.
Short answer: Good habits to start include a regular bedtime, drinking water after waking, a 10-minute walk, three minutes of stretching, planning three tasks each morning, reading a few pages, cooking at home and messaging one friend a day. The best one for you is the one that fixes a problem you have now. Start it in a version that takes two to five minutes, tie it to something you already do daily, and add a second habit only once the first one feels normal.
How to pick from the list
- Name what bothers you this week.Tired, scattered, stiff, lonely, broke, behind at work. One word is enough.
- Find that area below and pick one habit.Choose the one you can picture doing tomorrow, not the most impressive one.
- Use the first step as written, or smaller.The first step is meant for a bad day. You can do more on good days, but the small version is the one you commit to.
- Attach it to a daily cue."After I pour my coffee, I will write my three tasks." Our guide to starting small habits covers this in detail.
Health and body
| Habit | First step |
|---|---|
| Drink more water | One glass right after waking |
| Move every day | 10-minute walk after lunch |
| Stretch | 3 minutes after closing the laptop |
| Strength training | 10 squats and 5 push-ups before your shower |
| Regular bedtime | Phone on the charger outside the bedroom at a set time |
| Eat more vegetables | One vegetable with dinner |
| Floss | One tooth, after brushing at night |
Mind and mood
| Habit | First step |
|---|---|
| Meditate | 3 minutes, sitting on the edge of your bed after waking |
| Journal | One line before sleep: what happened today |
| Gratitude | Name three things at dinner |
| Read | Two pages before bed, book on the pillow |
| Get morning light | 5 minutes outside before you look at your phone |
| Less scrolling | No social media until after breakfast |
| Breathing break | Five slow breaths before opening email |
Home
| Habit | First step |
|---|---|
| Make your bed | Pull the covers straight as soon as you're up |
| Clear the sink | Wash or load dishes before bed |
| Tidy daily | 5-minute timer before you sit down for the evening |
| Cook at home | One simple dish, two weeknights |
| Laundry rhythm | One load every Sunday morning |
| Declutter | One drawer a week |
| Look after plants or a pet | Check them at the same time as your morning coffee |
Work and learning
| Habit | First step |
|---|---|
| Plan your day | Write three tasks before opening email |
| Deep focus | One 25-minute block with the phone in another room |
| Do the hard task first | Start it for 10 minutes before anything else |
| End-of-day shutdown | Write tomorrow's first task, then close the laptop |
| Learn a language | 5 minutes on the bus or after dinner |
| Practise an instrument | Instrument out on a stand, play 5 minutes |
| Side project | 20 minutes, two evenings a week |
People
| Habit | First step |
|---|---|
| Keep in touch | Message one friend while the kettle boils |
| Call family | A 10-minute call every Sunday |
| Quality time | 15 minutes phone-free with your partner or kids after dinner |
| Kindness | One small favour or compliment a day |
| Listen better | Put your phone face down when someone talks to you |
| Make plans | Suggest one meet-up a month |
| Thank people | One thank-you message a week |
Money
| Habit | First step |
|---|---|
| Know your balance | Check your account every Sunday |
| Save automatically | Set up a transfer to savings on payday |
| Wait before buying | Leave non-essential items in the basket for 24 hours |
| Pack lunch | Two days a week, from last night's leftovers |
| Track spending | Note every purchase for one week |
| Review subscriptions | Once a month, cancel one you don't use |
| Plan big costs | List next month's known bills on the 25th |
Why small first steps work
A habit forms when you repeat an action after the same cue until it starts on its own. In the study by Lally and colleagues (2010), that took between 18 and 254 days, with a median of 66, and simple behaviours such as drinking water got there faster than harder ones such as exercise. A small first step gives you more repetitions in those first weeks, because you can do it on the days you're tired, busy or travelling.
BJ Fogg makes the same point in Tiny Habits (2019): start with a version so small it feels almost silly, and let it grow once the routine is in place. Two pages often turns into ten. A three-minute stretch often turns into ten. If it doesn't, two pages a day is still about 700 pages a year.
Common mistakes
- Picking ten from the list. It feels motivating on day one and heavy by day five. Pick one, maybe two.
- Picking the impressive habit over the useful one. A 5 a.m. run sounds great. A regular bedtime might help you more.
- Skipping the cue. "Read more" with no moment attached floats around the day and rarely lands.
- Giving up after a missed day. Missing one day did not materially affect habit formation in the Lally study. Come back the next day.
Three starter pairs
If you'd like two habits that work well together, try one of these pairs. In each, the first habit is the anchor and the second follows it.
- Better mornings. A glass of water after waking, then write three tasks for the day. Total: about 3 minutes.
- Better evenings. Phone on the charger outside the bedroom at 22:30, then two pages of a book in bed. Total: about 10 minutes.
- Less stiff, more awake. A 10-minute walk after lunch, then 3 minutes of stretching when you get back to your desk. Total: about 13 minutes.
Run a pair for two to four weeks before you add anything else. If one half keeps slipping, keep the half that works and shrink the other.
What to do today
Circle one habit from the list. Write its first step and its cue on a sticky note, put the note where the habit happens, and do the first step once today. Tomorrow, do it again. If you want a second habit, wait until the first has run for two weeks or so.
Many habits on this list exist as ready-made quests in XP Tracker, such as Stretch, Daily Reading, Plan Your Day and add-ons like Drink water, Do the dishes and Message a friend. Each one you finish earns XP and damages the boss you're fighting. The habit pages show how each habit works in the app, and the daily quest generator builds a set of quests for you to try on paper.
Questions people ask
What are the best habits to start?
The ones that solve a problem you have now. If you're tired, start with a regular bedtime. If your days feel chaotic, start with a two-minute morning plan. If you feel stiff, start with three minutes of stretching. A habit that answers a real problem has a reason to survive the first weeks.
What are 10 good habits for daily life?
Drink a glass of water after waking, make your bed, plan three tasks, walk 10 minutes, stretch for three minutes, read a few pages, eat one meal with vegetables, message a friend, tidy for five minutes before bed and go to bed at a set time.
How many good habits should I start at once?
One or two. Each new habit needs attention for the first weeks, and adding several at once spreads that attention thin. Add the next one when the first runs without a daily debate.
What are good habits for students?
A fixed study block at the same time each day, a 25-minute focus session with the phone in another room, a weekly plan on Sunday, a regular bedtime and some daily movement. See how to get motivated to study for more.
What is the easiest good habit to start?
Drinking a glass of water right after you wake up is one of the easiest: it takes seconds, needs no equipment and has a clear daily cue. In the best-known habit study, simple habits like drinking water became automatic faster than harder ones like exercise.
Related pages
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