30 Micro Habits (Easy, Quick) to Improve Your Health & Your Day

Last Updated on June 9, 2024 by melissanreynolds

Micro habits are where its at for people with chronic illness. We want to achieve goals but we want to do it in an accessible way.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen the 5am nuts who do their high intensity exercise, crank out important projects and still get their children to school on time – all before 9am. And you know that is not appropriate for you, but you do like the idea of being a little productive. Let’s make it accessible and sustainable then!

We also want to manage our symptoms as well as possible without always labeling it as our illness. For example we might do breathwork, meditation and yoga because it soothes our nervous system and helps us feel rested. But we don’t need to write it down as symptom relief that day. It’s just another healthy habit for us as people with our own context.

Below I include examples of micro habits and how you could track them, the list of 30 micro health habits and goal ideas with associated micro habits that could suit.

How to decide what micro habits to try?

• What do you wish you did more of?
• Figure out your broader goals
• Break them down
• Look at what you can achieve

For example I cannot get up much earlier than my children, but I can get up 15 minutes before. My broader goal is to be healthier in all senses – physically, spiritually and emotionally. So I can make in roads towards these goals at this time.

I allow myself to wake up slowly with a heat pack and a cuppa. This soothes my body, as does a few minutes of mindful breathing. I check the bible verse of the day. And read whatever I’d like to read (usually non fiction at this time). In complete silence. Its bliss.

Examples of micro habits in practice

You can purchase this exact downloadable healthy log and habits tracker in my Etsy store here. Read more here about why I recommend tracking your symptoms in this blog post.

30 Ideas for Healthy Micro Habits

• One or two stretches
• One round of sun salutations
• A short exercise class (like 5 or 10 minutes!)
• Breathing break
• Meditation (brief or full stop)
• Walk
• Read
• Gratitude journal
• Sit outside
• Learning (online, on demand)
• Strength training (lunges, squats, bridge etc. – you can literally start with one or five!)
• Journal
• Go to bed by a certain time
• Get up by a certain time
• Plan your day/to do list
• Prayer/spiritual activity
• Cleaning blitz (i.e. 15 minutes kitchen tidy)
• Snuggle/read/activity with each child
• Hug significant other
• Call/message someone to connect
• High protein breakfast
• Fill in your symptom tracking log
• Use the peanut ball/trigger point massager for 5 minutes
• Use your foam roller
• Take your supplements
• Time in solitude
• Shower or bath
• Self massage
• A number of servings of vegetables and protein
• A hobby you enjoy that can be easily started and stopped in a brief period of time

Goal Ideas and Micro Habits Examples

Tell us – what are your favourite micro habits?