There was a recent question posted on Quora where the person wanted to know some "mini habits" that can be practiced everyday for about five minutes. Now that was definitely a good question because it focuses on building in small steps to be more efficient. The response that's posted on the site lists seven habits. The shared list of things to do, in addition to being well thought out, has explanations that go into good details.
Some habits that are listed are what I would also recommend. There are a few that I can see adding to the list.
Make certain you plan and prepare your wardrobe the night before. Do this so that you're certain of which items you're going to wear. You know where they are when you're ready to put them on. You've already checked for wrinkles, tears, stains and dealt with those issues so that last minute details don't become a higher priority than getting to where you're supposed to be. This also gives you time to make certain colors and patterns go well with one another or whether you need to opt for an alternative.
Schedule your tasks as you would with appointments. Each month there are certain bills that need to be paid. Get an appointment book. Get a sheet of notepaper. In the ruled column insert the date on which the bill is due in date order. In the open space, place the name of the vendor. Staple (or affix) the notepaper to the inside front of the appointment book. Check that schedule each day to make certain you're paying your bills (at the latest) either the night before or sometime during the day (if not a few days ahead of time). Make a note on that day inside the appointment book as to the day and approximate time that you paid that bill. No forgotten payments; no late charges. You've got back-up confirmation of when you attended to that responsibility.
Read the newspaper. It's wise to stay abreast of the news. Reading a newspaper is different from listening to the news on the radio or watching it on television. Why? Because air time has a price and is therefore very limited. There are details that need to be omitted for the sake of not only the cost of the air time but also because there are many stories that need to be built around each broadcast. In order to have a meaningful conversation about the issues in the story, and in order to have a better comprehension of the details, read a newspaper. Better to discuss the facts than to have a shouting match about superficial information.
Learn the meaning of at least one word. There are many words in our vocabulary but few are used. Many of them are simply words we've heard and assumed the definition of them through context. Sometimes we're uncertain of how the word is spelled. Where the word originated (it's etymology) is sometimes very important because it provides a sense of why that particular word is used instead of another (the intent of the word). Doing the crossword puzzle of the day is another way of building one's vocabulary.
Get some exercise. Not everyone has the budget or the time to go to the fitness center each day for a 45-minute workout (plus shower and change of clothing). But even those with physical impairments need exercise in order to keep muscle tone. It's been found that exercise is also beneficial for mental acuity. It doesn't have to be a rigorous workout. Isometrics done throughout the day are also beneficial. Make certain you're exercising your fingers and wrists (can we say carpal tunnel syndrome?). Did you flex your shoulders today? Avoid dowager's hump; work that stress out of there! And then there's just walking a few blocks. Just get some exercise every day.
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