10 Life-Changing Habits You Can Form in 66 Days

Trust me — even you have time for a daily walk

Research shows that it takes, on average, 66 days to form a new habit. In my experience, though, the number isn’t the most important part — you can try to do something for 66 days or 6,000, but you’ll never make a change if you don’t have a good reason. What drives change? Pain. At some point, you simply can’t stand your current behavior or situation, and you need to do something about it.

Over the years, I’ve found myself in this position multiple times. The habits I adopted as a result may seem like small improvements, with insignificant daily returns. But because I understand the pain I’d be in without them, these habits have changed my life. They might just change yours, too.

1. Set three or four daily priorities

This is one of the best productivity strategies there is. Focus is what leads to results. It’s the thing that will bring you closer to achieving your short- and long-term goals. But how do you focus when your days are filled with endless distractions? By limiting your options. Each morning, be clear with yourself about what you want to achieve. Then commit to completing three or four small, but essential, tasks — anything beyond is a bonus.