Periodic Table of Habits
Drink a full glass of water before coffee or anything else. Kickstart your body and brain.
Identify your 3 Most Important Tasks before starting work. Focus on what truly matters.
Outline your next day's schedule & MITs to wake up with clarity. Intentionality breeds productivity.
Complete this first small task to build momentum. A tidy space supports a tidy mind.
Spend 5 minutes clearing your desk each evening. Start tomorrow fresh, not flustered.
Focus exclusively on one Most Important Task at a time. Multitasking kills deep work.
Set a timer (e.g., Pomodoro) for focused work sessions. Create urgency and structure.
Lay out your clothes before bed. Eliminate one small decision in the morning.
Get your work/gym bag ready before sleep. Grab and go with zero morning stress.
Set a reminder to stand and stretch briefly each hour. Combat sedentary work effects.
Turn off non-essential alerts while focusing. Protect your attention fiercely.
At day's end, note one thing you accomplished. Acknowledge progress, big or small.
Spend 5 minutes writing down all open loops and thoughts. Clear your mental RAM.
Commit to starting your workday at the exact same time daily. Build consistency.
Commit to ending your workday at a fixed time. Protect personal time and prevent burnout.
Physically step away from your workspace during lunch. Give your brain a real break.
Check your schedule immediately upon starting work. Orient yourself for the day ahead.
Center yourself with slow breaths before joining calls or meetings. Enter calmly and focused.
Keep your phone out of sight and reach while eating. Practice presence and mindful eating.
Read just one page from a non-fiction book related to your goals. Small steps, big knowledge.
Decline one request or commitment that doesn't align with your priorities. Protect your focus.
Track tasks delegated or waiting on others. Keep loops open but off your mind.
Write down insights or tasks the moment they occur. Trust your system, not memory.
Set up your coffee maker or tea kettle before bed. Streamline your morning ritual.
Offer a genuine smile to the first person you interact with daily. Start with positivity.
Choose podcasts or audiobooks that inspire or teach during transit. Use commute time wisely.
Briefly recall 1-3 positive achievements from the day. End on a high note.
Batch email processing into specific time slots. Avoid constant reactive checking.
If a task takes <2 mins, do it immediately. Prevent small tasks piling up.
State 'I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION]'. Increase follow-through.
Have pre-portioned healthy snacks ready. Avoid energy dips and poor choices.
Begin each to-do list item with an action verb. Clarify the very next action.
Dress in a way that signals 'work mode', even if remote. Cue your brain for productivity.
Take one slow breath before reacting in conversations. Respond thoughtfully, not reactively.
At day's end, reflect and note one key takeaway or lesson. Solidify learning.
Curate instrumental or ambient music specifically for deep work. Train your focus cue.
Note when you naturally have the most focus/energy. Schedule MITs accordingly.
Reduce your phone's visual appeal to lessen distraction. Make it a tool, not a toy.
Handle emails, papers, or tasks the first time you touch them. Decide, delegate, do, or delete.
When distracted, jot down the distracting thought/task on a list for later. Refocus quickly.
