Hello and welcome Understanding habits Habit patterns Framework Triggers Reward My habits Well-being Relationships Career Finance Personal Growth Productivity Focus Monthly reflection Habit Tracker
Hello and welcome Hello and thank you for purchasing the Happy Habits journal! I m so excited that you ve taken this step to invest in yourself and make a positive change in your life, whether that be to break a bad habit or to create a happy habit. Throughout this journal you are going to understand how habits work, recognise which habits you ve developed and decide which habits you need to adopt or change to live your dream life. The purpose of this journal This journal is designed to help you understand how habits work. It will help you identify which habits are stopping you from living your dream life and discover habits which will guide you towards your happier, healthier and more meaningful life. Good habits are the key to all success Some habits you will recognise such as biting your nails or eating fruit every day. Other habits you may not even realise you ve developed such as making yourself a delicious and healthy breakfast or quickly eating a piece of toast as you hurry to catch your train to work. Your habits can be both positive or negative and can either hold you back or guide you towards a happy and fulfilling life. Take control The choices you make every day have the power to make a huge impact on your life. Take control of your habits and change your life for the better.
Before we get started, I just want to tell you a little bit more about why I created Happy Habits and my journey so far in breaking bad habits and creating better ones. Since I started blogging over a year ago I've had to swap some bad habits for some healthy ones. The main habit being, to wake up earlier, 2 hours earlier that is! As I'm working full time, trying to keep a social life, wanting to spend time with my boyfriend, keen to get fit for the summer, renovating my home and I m very passionate to grow my blog, I had to find more hours in the day, and the best time to do that was to wake up earlier and finally stop snoozing! However, snoozing and waking up late were both very bad habits of mine. I could sometimes snooze for a full hour, to the point where I was rushing out the door with no time spare to do anything for myself. It was stressful, I was tired and I felt unhappy because I didn t have any time to focus on my blog. It took time and hard work to get used to my new habit but after using the right tactics I've managed to become an early bird and wake up at 5 AM on workdays to make time for the things I love (blogging) before heading to work. With this one new habit, I ve managed to make time in the evenings to exercise and to spend time with my boyfriend. I have time at the weekends to see my friends and family. By creating one focus habit, its had a positive knock-on effect in my life and created even more Happy Habits. Such as going to bed earlier, creating a morning routine and being more organised! So I decided to create the Happy Habits workbook, to share my ideas and help you understand how habits work. I want to help you identify which habits are stopping you from living your dream life and discover habits which will guide you towards your happier, healthier and more meaningful life. Are you ready to create Happy Habits? Good! Let s get to it!
Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions. Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits. Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character. Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.
We re going to start your journey in creating Happy Habits by first understanding what habits are and why they matter. What are habits? Habits are rituals and behaviours that we carry out without using too much brain power. They re performed automatically allowing us to do simple tasks such as brushing our teeth and taking a shower, by following the same routine every time. By creating habits, we free up space in our brain to perform more complex tasks such as solving problems at work or deciding what to cook for dinner. We all have habits and some of them you won t even know you ve developed as they ve been part of your life for as long as you can remember, such as the way you eat dinner, the way you walk and the way you hold your posture at your desk. However, habits are so much more than they the way we perform simple tasks. They re also the way we think and the self-beliefs that influence what we do and what we hold ourselves back from. Why do habits matter? Your habits play an essential role in your future success, they are the key to who you are and the change you want to make. What do you want to achieve? What do you want to change? What does your dream life look like? Whatever your answers are, achieving the results are a direct result of your habits.
Every habit you have whether it be good or bad, follows the same three step pattern. Step 1: Trigger This is the prompt that initiates the behaviour. Example: When an advert comes on the TV. Step 2: Routine This is the actual behaviour you perform after the trigger. Example: When an advert comes on the TV you have a sugary snack. Step 3: Reward This is the reward you gain from completing the habit. Example: When an advert comes on the TV you have a sugary snack because It makes you feel happy? You are hungry? To pass the time?
You now know the three steps which make a habit, but what are the steps you need to take to change a bad habit into a healthy habit? Below is the framework for a step-by-step process to change your habits. Step 1: Identify your routine To change your habits, you first need to understand the reasons behind your behaviour by identifying your habit patterns. Step 2: Understand the triggers Figure out the reason for your habit and keep note of the time, where you are, who you re with and how you re feeling, to see if there are any patterns. Step 3: Change the reward Once you have identified your habit pattern you can then experiment with different rewards. Step 4: Create a plan Once you have identified your habit patterns, you can look for ways to replace any bad habit by knowing where and when the trigger will cue the habit, and then plan for different/healthier routines and rewards.
Think about the habits which you would like to change or remove from your life. What are the triggers which prompts these habits? Every time you have the urge to repeat your bad habit, ask yourself questions such as: Where am I? What time is it How am I feeling? Who am I with? What did I just do / what am I doing? By consistently doing this you will soon discover the trigger behind your habit.
Day Habit where am I? What time is it? How am I feeling Who am I with? What am I doing? Day Habit where am I? What time is it? How am I feeling Who am I with? What am I doing? Day Habit where am I? What time is it? How am I feeling Who am I with? What am I doing?
Habit Trigger
Once you ve identified which habits you would like to add or change in your life, think about what the driving force is behind these habits. What do you gain from these habits? For example, if your new habit is to eat more fruit and vegetables, the driving force behind this habit could be to have more energy, to have clearer skin or to lose weight. Habit Reward
Below are some questions which will help you to identify your habits and understand which routines you would like to create to live your ideal life. Let s start by looking at your morning routine. Think about how you feel when you wake up, do you feel happy, stressed, tired, relaxed? Do you make time for yourself or are you rushing to get ready for the day? Describe your typical morning Describe your ideal morning
We are now going to do this exercise again but this time focusing on your evening routine. This is because your morning habits are largely affected by your evening habits. Think about what you do in the evening to prepare for the day ahead. Do you make you lunch? Choose your outfit? Prepare your bag? Check your diary? Describe your typical evening Describe your ideal evening
Your well-being is your overall health and happiness. How often do you exercise? Have you developed healthy eating habits? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you happy? Below are some well-being habit ideas to spark inspiration. Read everyday Get 7-9 hours sleep every night Journal daily Exercise regularly Wake up earlier Go to bed earlier Meditate Repeat positive affirmations every morning Drink more water Stretch every morning Switch off electronics one hour before bed Dedicate time each week for self-care Stop snoozing your alarm Create a morning routine Cook a healthy breakfast every morning Take deep breaths or count to ten before responding when stressed
Well-being habits I would like to create: Well-being habits I would like to change: Well-being habits which I m proud of:
Are you happy with your relationship? How often do you see your friends and family? Do you spend enough quality time with your partner? Do you get on well with your colleagues? Are there any areas in your relationships which you would like to improve on? Below are some examples of positive relationship habits. Turn off electronics in the evening and spend time with your family Ring someone you love at least once a week Say I love you more Make plans to see your friends once a month Compliment others Ring more and text less Put your phone away during conversations Snuggle with your partner in the mornings and evenings Smile more Spend family dinner time at the table and not in front of the TV
Relationship habits I would like to create: Relationship habits I would like to change: Relationship habits which I m proud of:
The work you do plays a huge part in your life and makes up a large part of your everyday life. Think about the habits which you ve developed in your career or in your study Below are some examples of healthy career and educational habits. Check tomorrow s diary every evening Arrive at work earlier Ask more questions Ask for feedback Learn to negotiate Listen or read educational or helpful topics during your commute Prioritise more Set SMART goals Use your initiative more Take notes during meetings / classes Write a to-do list In difficult situations, speak in person instead of email
Career / study habits I would like to create: Career / study habits I would like to change: Career / study habits which I m proud of:
Think about your spending habits. Do you budget? Do you regularly stick to your budget? Do you search for discounts and use coupons? Could you change your finance habits for the better? Below are some examples of smart finance habits. Use coupons and discounts codes Track your spending habits Create a budget Export bank statements onto a spreadsheet Reduce possessions and spending habits Save for your pension Save at least 10% of your salary Put your change in a piggy bank Change your bills to monthly direct debits, for the same date Check monthly statements Create a separate account for bills Consolidate credit cards into one interest free offer
Finance habits I would like to create: Finance habits I would like to change: Finance habits which I m proud of:
How much time and money do you spend on your own self-development? Do you make time to learn new skills? Do you seek feedback and learn from constructive criticism? Below are some examples of personal growth habits. Start saying no more Everyday find five beautiful things Learn a new meal every week Start a gratitude journal Avoid negative influences Wake up earlier Practice gratitude Show kindness to others Stop procrastinating Listen more Do something out of your comfort zone every day or every week Read everyday Avoid negative influences Ask for feedback Listen and analyse your own reactions (body language and words)
Personal growth habits I would like to create: Personal growth habits I would like to change: Personal growth habits which I m proud of:
Do you think your home and or work life would be easier if you were more productive? Think about challenges which you come up against, are there any habits which you could develop which would make you more productive and feel more organised? Below are some examples of habits which could make a big and small difference to your productivity. Remove email notifications Schedule time to complete tasks Plan your week every Sunday Review your diary every evening Limit technological distractions Create a morning routine Stop multi-tasking Make a to-do list and priorities your tasks Limit the number of times you check your social accounts Put your phone out of sight to remove distractions Take breaks
Productivity habits I would like to create: Productivity habits I would like to change: Productivity habits which I m proud of:
By making one healthy change in your life you will soon start to adopt other positive habits. Let s take exercise for example. Once you are in a healthy routine of exercising regularly you will soon start to eat healthier which will lead to better sleep, which means you will no longer snooze your alarm in the morning. Resulting in earlier mornings, higher productivity and an overall happier you! You see, by focusing your energy on just one habit you can create your dream lifestyle and be a happier, healthier and a more productive version of you. Think about which habit would create the biggest impact on your life. My focus habit:
Below are examples of healthy habits which have a positive knock-on effect in other areas of your life. Exercise reguarly Eat healthier Sleep better Stop snoozing Go to bed earlier Wake up earlier Make a healthy breakfast Use the blank boxes below to write down your happy habits and the unique knock-on effect they will have in your life. Write your focus habit in the first box. Followed by the habits which will develop as a knock-on effect.
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
The habit I m going to focus on Why I want to adopt this habit The positive knock-on effect this habit will have on my life This habit will make me feel
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Day Habit 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31