Meet my habits
If I’m going to talk about my habits, you should probably meet them all first so you know what I’m talking about. [Habituation #1]
If I’m going to talk about my habits, you should probably meet them all first so you know what I’m talking about. Let’s dive right in.
Long-standing habits
Daily walks – started as an afternoon stroll to break up the weekday, added in morning walks in 2019 when I started commuting via car and realized I needed movement before work, coalesced into two 25-45 minute walks per day in 2020.
Drinking warm water first thing – started 2024? maybe? Only in cold months.
Red light mask – 3+ times per week since I bought it in 2023.
Breathwork – as needed, on average 1-2 times per week, almost exclusively before bed. Sometimes coupled with laying on my acupressure mat.
Seeing a movie in theatres once per month – this was my new years resolution last year and I enjoyed it so much I intend to keep it going/
Mobility – if you’ve spent more than an hour with me, you’ve seen me stretch. Longer, maybe I dropped into a deep squat or twisted my spine. I am always thinking about my body’s positioning and trying to keep my joints and muscles as happy as possible.
Habits I’m building
German – I went into 2026 knowing improving my German was a key goal. But, I didn’t know exactly how I was going to make that happen. I told myself I’d at least craft a study plan in Q1 and then get deeper into it in Q2 and beyond. Well, by the end of February, I’d barely thought about it but I felt no less strongly about how important it is. So, I took inspiration from a friend who’d just completed a 100-day goal and decided I’d do Daily Deutsch every day for 100 days. I set simple rules: 15 minute minimum either speaking, listening to a podcast, tutoring, or studying. Movies and workout classes are a bonus but don’t count on their own, as it’s more passive language intake.
Writing – Another core 2026 goal: rebuilding my writing habits. My writing floundered in 2025. I not only want to be producing more, but I know my brain needs it. I’m still figuring out what the concrete weekly/monthly goal is for this.
Yoga – at least once a month. I found a class I loved that I went to quite consistently in 2024/25, then work got in the way. I’ve realized it settles both my body and mind in a way that other movements don’t, so I want to bring it back.
A monthly do-nothing day – I am definitely guilty of productivity guilt. If I’m not spending the majority of the weekend doing errands, seeing friends, working on a project, or cleaning, I feel like I’m wasting my time. What I’ve realized is it’s actually vital I spend at least one weekend day per month with zero expectations. I can end up going out and doing whatever, but the day needs to have absolutely no structure.
Recipes – I cook every day but I don’t often follow recipes because it can be difficult to motivate to do it just for myself. But the reward is more than just a delicious meal, it’s also talent-honing and engages me more with what is often an automatic task. I didn’t buy two cookbooks last year for nothing! And my god how else will I make all the recipes I’ve saved on Instagram? Friends, invite yourselves over to help with this!
My Hobonichi Techo planner – I name the planner because it has so many different elements: a habit tracker, a yearly overview, a monthly calendar, and a full page per day. So I can track things in layers! I’ve been writing down my intentions/goals for the month and also scheduling a monthly check-in to see how the previous month played out. I’m still working on writing down daily to-dos.
Admin Night – the viral TikTok idea of going to the same bar/café every week to get admin work done. I’ve been going (most) Mondays to work on these essays and my website. I often drag my feet there but I’m always so happy once I’ve made it. Turns out leaving the house really does make your brain click into a different state!
Full album listens – I mentioned this previously. I’ve become quite reliant on Spotify playlists (also need to leave that platform at some point), but a) they’re insanely repetitive and b) that completely lacks any intentionality. I’ve found it really grounding to select an album to listen to while I work or, preferably, while I walk. Something about listening to an album from back to front (no shuffle!) honestly makes me feel like I’m fighting against a short attention span and the algorithmic economy.
Marketing – I have had a steady client roster more or less since I started freelancing. This is incredibly fortunate, but means I’m complete shit at marketing myself. This needs to change for a number of reasons. I have built no infrastructure for this yet.
Habits I’m breaking down
Website cycling – I have a horrible habit of cycling amongst Facebook, Reddit, and Instagram on my computer between work tasks, primarily as a way to avoid moving onto the next thing. It’s usually only a few minutes, but I can feel how much I use it as an avoidance tactic.
Eating before I sit down – I started taking a bite of my food before bringing it to my desk (I don’t wanna hear it, I work from home, I’m gonna eat at my desk, ok?!) to check the taste and I recently realized I now eat while in motion...a lot. The issue with this is that I don’t really connect with these bites. It doesn’t feel like my meal starts until I sit down. So I have all these bites going in without really savoring them and I don’t like how disconnected it feels. I stand by the tasting bite, but otherwise, I’m striving to sit down before putting anything in my mouth.
General avoidance of tasks – god I looooove putting tasks off! I’ve gotten very good at recognizing this avoidance in myself and I’ve made strides in reinforcing how much better it feels to do the thing instead of avoid it. But my lazy Taurus brain still kicks in sometimes, and it’s still hard to discern when I do need to force myself to do something versus when I would genuinely benefit from extra rest.
Some things that feel so obvious to me but might behoove those who don’t know me well: I work out 5-6 days a week. I don’t consider this a habit because it’s just how I live. I am indivisible from my fitness habits, which primarily consist of strength training and bouldering with occasional biking, yoga, pilates, and whatever else might sound fun (within my physical limitations, which I won’t get into). I’ve already talked about my cleaning habits. I sing and dance when I feel like my body needs it. I bike almost everywhere and infrequently take public transit; I don’t have a car. I call loved ones weekly. I see friends every week. I read every night and get through 30+ books per year. I journal when I feel like it. I have therapy once a week, three times a month. I am always hydrated and generally have healthy food habits.
I am, broadly speaking, very good at taking care of myself. I’m not a person who needs to schedule rest. I am deeply in tune with my body’s needs and honor them as fully as I can. I think I’m pretty dang good at the whole balance thing. I am very clear about who I am and what I want – but I’m also a creature of habit. This can make it extremely easy to adopt new habits, because if I know I want it, I’m going to go after it. But if there’s any hesitation, I am going to drag my feet hard.
So, there you have it – a grand ‘ole introduction to the ins and outs of my habits. Next up: inertia and momentum.