This List of 10 Odd Habits Might Just Fix Your Life
It's starting to fix mine
Brought to you by the Dark Vision OS Icon Pack for iOS
Most "life-changing habits" sound good in theory but end up making you feel guilty when you inevitably fail to maintain them.
Does this sound like you?
Here’s what I know I won’t do:
Meditating at 5 AM? Not happening.
Reading a book a week? Maybe if it's a picture book.
Drinking 10 glasses of water a day? Only if coffee counts.
Maybe you can see yourself in this. Don’t worry. Next, I have a much more interesting list of things, you could try to get out of some old, unhealthy habits and create some new, healthy ones.
1. Cut Distractions with a "Focus Outfit"
Ever noticed how putting on gym clothes makes you feel like maybe—just maybe—you’ll actually work out?
Not every time. But it does help sometimes. For me, anyway.
The same principle applies to productivity. Pick an outfit (or even just a hat) that you wear only when you need to focus. Your brain will start associating that outfit with getting things done.
Our brains are weird structures.
2. "5-Minute Curiosity Breaks"
Instead of scrolling Instagram for the 47th time today, set a five-minute timer and go deep on something random that intrigues you.
This is a particularly cool thing, I think, because you will inevitably learn something AND find some inspiration to do something, work on something, write about something, etc.
Want to make your phone unique?
Try the Dark Vision OS icon pack for iPhone*. It looks fantastic!
3. Silence Mornings
I wish I could do this one. But I have a handful of kids. Mornings are never quiet. So, I practice this, when my kids are off to kindergarten and school.
For the 15 minutes of your day, embrace the void—no talking, no music, no notifications.
Let your brain wake up at its own pace instead of immediately being ambushed by memes, emails, and your neighbor’s dog barking at absolutely nothing.
It will have a great effect first thing in the morning, but it’s still a cool thing to practice any time of day.
4. Reverse To-Do List
I have a love-and-hate relationship with to-do lists.
On the one hand, I definitely need them, because I wouldn’t remember anything important to do.
On the other hand, it always feels more like a chore when it’s on a to-do list, especially when paired with a deadline.
So, instead of (or in company with) writing a to-do list in the morning and feeling like a failure when you only complete half of it, try writing down what you *actually* did at the end of the day.
Even if it's just "ate three meals and didn’t drink that beer," you’ll feel accomplished.
Momentum builds from there.
5. "No-Repeat" Days
To be honest, I struggle with this one a lot. Because I love my known structure.
But every day, I try to do *one* thing I’ve never done before—big or small.
Like walking a new route, trying something I’ve never eaten, or reading up on something I thought I knew but really never truly researched anything about.
6. 5-Minute Rule for Tough Tasks
If something feels overwhelming, tell yourself you'll just do it for 5 minutes.
Need to work out? Just do squats for 5 minutes (with breaks).
Want to finish the next chapter of your book? Write for 5 minutes.
Nine times out of ten, you’ll end up doing way more than 5 minutes. The hardest part is always starting.
7. Dumb Phone Sundays
Every Sunday, turn your smartphone into a dump phone by cutting off all distractions (notifications, apps), or better yet, turn it off completely.
Suddenly, you’ll have hours of free time, and your thumb won’t ache from excessive scrolling.
8. Talk to Your Future Self
Write a short note to yourself six months from now.
It can be something motivational, a reminder of a goal, or just "Hey, hope we finally figured out how to cook a nice tofu dish".
Future-you will get a laugh (or a much-needed pep talk) exactly when you need it.
9. The "No-Thank-You" Bite
Try one bite of something you think you hate. Just one.
Your taste buds change over time, and you might surprise yourself. Who knows? Maybe olives and black coffee were never the enemy—you just weren’t ready for their greatness.
10. Background Noise Rotation
Instead of the same playlist, switch up your background noise.
Try jazz, rain sounds, or even medieval tavern music.
The novelty keeps your brain engaged and prevents your workday from feeling like a never-ending loop of the same lo-fi beats.
The Bottom Line
The best habits are the ones you actually enjoy—because if it’s not fun, you won’t stick with it.
Life should be fun.