“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.“
Will Durant
Starting your journey to success in midlife can seem overwhelming, but with the help of proper plans and a list of good habits to have, it doesn’t have to be.
This blog post is about the 10 top good habits to have for success in life and help you build habits that will improve your mindset and productivity.
P.S.- Success in your 40s and beyond attains a different definition. You realize that you are successful when you attain inner peace and have a grip on your life amidst all the chaos around you!!
With practical guidance on everything ranging from professional life and personal relationships to physical fitness and mental health practices, learn how you can use all aspects of life as you age to your advantage while empowering you to live an abundant life that reaches beyond ordinary standards.
Start the new adventure today and get ready to shape the second chapter of your life!
Table of Contents
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on them, we may earn some commissions.
How Can Habits Help You Change Your Life In Your 40s and Beyond?
As you live through life and reach midlife, you encounter lots of challenges daily. These challenges can be related to your personal life or your work life. Many of these challenges take you unaware.
In such situations, the habits that you inculcate in your life come to your rescue. They determine the correct course of action to take. Your habits, in a way, shape your reactions during tricky situations.
The quote by Will Durant at the beginning of the post speaks volumes about the importance of habits in life. Good habits, or your daily habits, protect you and keep you organized and focused. They make sure that you do not miss out on or overlook the important aspects of your life.
So let us look at some examples of good habits that will enhance your overall health and help you achieve your life goals. These habits will help you to take control of your life so that you can get something positive out of every single day of your life.
Developing these healthy habits can benefit you in several ways help you in improving your physical health and give you a sense of purpose in life.
Journaling is a great way to introspect and work on the habits that you feel you need to develop in your life. Download The Daily Journal we have designed for you for this purpose using templates available on Creative Fabrica.
Good Habits To Have For Personal Growth In Midlife
As you reach that golden age of 40 years, you tend to start questioning a lot about various aspects of your life. You question the choices that you have made in your lives up to this point. While some of the decisions may have worked out to your advantage some may not have.
Whatever your situation in life, one thing remains constant, and that constant is that every morning is a new beginning. Every day allows you to alter the situation in your life if the need be.
And the first step in this direction can be to make a list of good habits to have which slowly can become your habits of life.
It is important to understand that you are as good as the habits that you choose to adopt in your life and the sooner you make a conscious decision to adopt healthy habits daily the easier will be your journey ahead,
So without much ado let us look at some of the good habits to have for a more fulfilled and cherished life.
If you are scared of changes in your life post your 40s read our blog post on How To Reinvent Yourself By Eliminating Your Fears (For The 40+)
Top 10 Power Habits For Now And Beyond
Are you hoping to make some big changes in your 40s and beyond? If so, look no further than these ten good habits. Consider adopting these as you enter the new phase of your life to make it your best one yet!
Make An Effort To Reach Out And Catch Up With Loved Ones You Don’t Get To See All The Time
Get into the habit of routinely checking in with your loved ones, especially the people you don’t get to see regularly.
Even taking the time to shoot them a quick text message or an email is a great way to reach out and catch up with your distant friends and family.
Keeping these relationships alive is an important part of your life; don’t wait for people to contact you. Get into the habit of contacting them.
Especially as you age it gets all the more important to develop a chore group you can rely on in times of need or just to chill around.
Plan out some moments of quality time with your loved ones. Not only does it show that you care for them, but it also improves your emotional health as it makes you feel more positive toward life.
Create A Strong Morning Ritual To Get Every Day Started Right
Having a good morning ritual is a great habit to have. Following along with your morning ritual every day helps you get your day started on the right note.
Think of your morning ritual as a routine that helps you prepare for the day. You should try to design your mornings in a way that is predictable and relaxing.
Perhaps your morning routine involves drinking a cup of coffee, journaling, taking a shower, and having a nutritious breakfast. By following this pattern every morning, you prepare yourself for a successful day and life.
Stay Away From Screens Before Bedtime.
Enjoying too much screen time can activate the parts of your brain that make you feel alert and awake. Try to adopt the habit of staying away from screens before bedtime.
Put away your smartphone, tuck away the tablet, and turn off the television set when you are ready to wind down and get ready for a relaxing night of sleep.
Giving your eyes and your brain a break from screen time before going to bed is a great way to mentally prepare yourself for the best sleep possible.
You can choose to spend time before going to bed reading a book on self-development or even fiction books to lighten your mind. You can also try some meditation exercises to unwind and reduce stress.
Add A Serving Of Vegetables To Each Of Your Meals
Getting plenty of delicious and nutritious vegetables is an excellent habit to adopt. Make the habit of having a healthy breakfast a part of your daily routine for long-lasting health benefits.
Make an effort to squeeze a serving of vegetables into each of your meals. Find a way to eat more vegetables and some tasty dishes for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Not only will the extra serving of vegetables provide you with lots of great nutrients, but it will also help you feel full and satisfied for a longer time. You can also try shifting to a smoothie diet to kick-start your day.
If meal planning is something you dread read my fellow blogger Krystal’ ‘s blog post on it, Meal Planning Themes to Make Your Week Easier.
Find Ways To Naturally Add Extra Movement To Your Day
Get into the habit of getting plenty of movement and exercise each day. If the idea of committing a lot of time to the gym or jogging around your neighborhood doesn’t sound appealing, you can always find ways to naturally add extra movement into your day where it makes sense to do so.
For example, you can park farther away from the front door of your workplace – this will force you to walk farther to get to and from your car. You can also take short walks on your lunch breaks, use the stairs instead of the elevator, and opt into playtime with your kids before dinner. You can also take your dog for walks after dinner.
Simple swaps like these are great ways to add more movement and exercise into your day without having to really change your schedule and also help you if you are keen on some weight loss.
Trade Your Snack Breaks For Exercise Breaks
When you are bored at work, do you tend to get up and take a walk to the break room for a snack? If so, you may be using food as a way to channel your feelings of boredom.
If this sounds familiar, consider spending time taking a short exercise break instead of a snack break. Not only will this help you squeeze in extra exercise during the day, but it will prevent you from overconsuming food and then depending on those snacks to manage your boredom.
Make An Effort To Stash Away Some Extra Cash On A Routine Basis
Getting into the habit of saving extra money is always a wonderful idea. Help yourself feel safer and secure by starting an emergency savings fund.
Determine how much money you can afford to put inside your savings fund regularly. This habit is especially important as you enter your midlife as your liabilities in life are at their peak in these years.
Perhaps you can only spare 5 or 10 extra dollars per pay period. Even if you can only afford to put a little bit away at a time, it will add up faster than you think.
Knowing that you have this extra funding in the event of an emergency can give you a great sense of relief and improve things in your financial life.
Disconnect From Your Smartphone Or Social Media Regularly
An excellent habit to have involves setting some boundaries with your smartphone usage or social media usage.
For example, you may decide to mute your smartphone after 6 pm every evening. Once you mute your phone, you focus on yourself. You don’t answer phone calls, text messages, or emails after 6 pm.
You make your evening time all about taking care of yourself focusing on your needs and enjoying the present moment.
Getting into the habit of disconnecting regularly from your smartphone helps you reconnect with yourself. This is a great habit to boost your mental health.
Making self-care a priority sets you up for success in life. read our blog post on Simple Self-Care Practices For Impactful Positive Change In Life (For The 40 +).
Set A Short List Of Top Priorities To Get Completed Each Day
Sometimes, you may feel like you have so much to do that you can’t possibly begin to even get it all done. If this sounds familiar, try getting into the habit of choosing a short list of priorities to get completed each day.
Your list of priorities may only contain two or three specific tasks. This is okay – by focusing only on your top priorities list for the day, you can narrow your focus and pay close attention to getting these important priorities handled.
This will lead to better time management and over a while you will realize you have got more work done than earlier.
If you are overwhelmed by your daily tasks read our blog post on Answer Questions On Productivity To Manage Time Better (For The 40+), to prioritize your time effectively.
Pay Close Attention To How You Speak To Yourself
Get into the habit of speaking kindly to yourself. Many people by the time they reach their 40s and beyond get into the habit of negative self-talk, using harsh or critical language to scold themselves.
If you are in the habit of speaking to yourself negatively, pay close attention to your word choice. Stop yourself in the middle of a negative thought and trade it out for something more positive. At first, this may feel a little awkward, but over time, you will develop better speaking habits toward yourself.
Good Habits To Have in Your 40s and Beyond- Key Takeaways
With the different vagaries that life throws at you from time to time, it is essential to mark out some good habits to develop that will ensure that you lead a happy and healthy life.
You will realize over time, that from developing positive relationships to having a growth mindset, the list of habits that you have built over the years allows you to live a fulfilled life and achieve your goals in life.
Yet you must understand that forming new habits takes time, dedication, and patience. Most importantly, it requires the willingness on your part to accept that you need to make changes to your life for a better future, whatever your age.
Interested in developing a habit of developing a growth mindset read our blog post 15 Real Examples of Growth Mindset To Energize Your Life.
IF YOU ENJOYED READING THIS POST, PLEASE PIN ONE OF THESE IMAGES BELOW!
I will be grateful for your kind gesture. Thank you!
