Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it…

📈 11 Keystone Habits to Change Your Life

Think about the domino effect that would occur if you went from eating fast food every day to eating whole, natural foods instead.

What other areas of your life would be impacted aside from your waistline?

First of all, you would lose weight, which might inspire you to start exercising. After a little bit of time, you would notice that you have a lot more energy and you feel less bloated or full all the time, which would help you become more productive at work.

And as you’re eating whole foods at home, you will start to see your weekly expenditures go down, so you might save money.

You will become generally happier, as your body is getting the nutrients that it needs to become balanced–both mentally and physically, which could lead you to make some social changes in your life.

And so on…

This is just one example of how a single habit change can cause a positive chain reaction in multiple areas of your life. In this case, eating healthy food instead of junk food is something called a “keystone habit.”

So in today’s email, I will provide a brief definition of a keystone habit and then give you 11 examples of keystone habits that can change your life for the better.

Let’s get to it…

What is a Keystone Habit?

In his book, “The Power of Habit,” Charles Duhigg described keystone habits as:

Small changes or habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives.

In architecture, a “keystone” is a stone that is a fundamental part of the whole structure. Likewise, a keystone habit is a fundamental part of any habit routine.

So, essentially, keystone habits lead to the development of other good habits.

They start a chain effect in your life that produces a number of positive outcomes. If you add a keystone habit into your daily routine, it will make it easier to succeed in other areas of your life as well.

Charles Duhigg explains that a keystone habit is particularly powerful because it can change your self-image. Once you develop a positive habit, you may be more likely to notice something else in your life that could be improved and start working on making additional positive changes.

So now let’s talk about 11 examples of keystone habits you can add to a daily routine.

#1. Dress Better

I’m sure you’ve heard of dressing for the position you want, not the position you have. Dressing better is an example of a simple keystone habit that can make a big positive change in your life.

If you’re used to being seen as the person who rolls out of bed and heads to work, wearing a suit to work might feel completely weird. But what if you did it for a week anyway? Do you think it could have an impact on your life?

Suddenly, you look better. People see you in a new, more professional light. You notice that they are treating you differently– the person in front of you at the coffee shop holds the door open for you and the person behind the counter addresses you as sir or ma’am.

When you walk out, you notice you’re carrying yourself in a new way –- with more confidence and self-assurance.

What happened here? You made a change that seemed small that ended up having a big impact on other parts of your life. You dressed better, which resulted in an increased sense of confidence and people treating you with more respect.

#2. Make Your Bed

Making your bed every morning can spark a variety of productive behaviors.

In a commencement speech given at the University of Texas, Admiral William H. McRaven said that making your bed every morning allows you to accomplish that first task every day, which will give you a sense of pride and encourage you to do more tasks.

As Admiral McRaven points out, making your bed sets you up for success throughout the day. At the end of the day, you will realize that completing that one thing led to the completion of many more.

#3. Exercise in the Morning

Waking up early and exercising before work is an excellent keystone habit. In fact, it can often prevent you from succumbing to bad habits. Like if you’re going to make the effort to work out in the morning, you’re not going to turn around and hit the drive-through for a deluxe breakfast.

Furthermore, when you exercise in the morning, you’re likely to notice an improvement in your mood. You will feel good after working out–like you already accomplished something. Then you will feel better about facing anything else that comes your way after that.

#4. Focus on What’s Important

What you do with your time has a direct impact on your overall success. Do you use your time efficiently? Or do you watch as it passes you by?

The keystone habit that we recommend is to spend the bulk of your time on what’s actually important for your long-term success. 

And to help you do this, we recommend using the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to rate the importance of each task that’s scheduled each day:

1. (important and urgent)

2. (important, but not urgent)

3. (not important, but urgent)

4. (not important, not urgent).

To take action on this idea, be sure to check out our printable Eisenhower Matrix.

#5. Practice Gratitude

A lot of times, it is much easier to see what you don’t have than what you do have.

People are so busy thinking about the things that they don’t have that they forget to see everything that is around them.

Practicing gratitude is essential if you want to have a peaceful mind and live in high spirits.

So we recommend taking time each morning, for just 5 minutes, to write down the things you’re grateful for that day.

Once you turn this keystone habit into permanent behavior, you will discover that its effects spill over to all the other areas of your life. You will be happier, more mindful, and become quicker to notice the blessings in your life.

If you get stuck with “what” to be thankful for, then challenge yourself to think of one statement for the next 30 days.

#6. Learn a New Skill

You won’t become successful if you ignore self-education. You have to continue to discover and learn new things to help you reach your goals.

It is so easy to get out of the habit of learning new things. And it’s easy to become complacent and just accept mediocrity.

There are so many resources you can use to learn a new skill, such as YouTube, podcasts, and TED talks. But we also recommend four great platforms for self-education (and we’ve also linked to them in the description of this video.)

● Masterclass

● Skillshare

● Udemy

● Coursera 

#7. Get a Full Night’s Sleep

When you get high-quality sleep for 7 or 8 hours a night, your mind and body will be ready to tackle the next day.

Sleep is also a keystone habit that leads to many other benefits such as eating healthier, making more sound decisions, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing stress.

So if you’re struggling with sleep, then be sure to check out our video on 12 ways to fall asleep faster each night.

#8. Write Down What You Eat

Studies have found that keeping a food journal can help you lose twice as much weight as you would lose without a food journal.

This is because people who keep a record of what they eat are able to go back and find routines and triggers in their eating habits.

With this information, you can plan for the day because you will know what times you will be hungry and what healthy foods can be packed for these potential “moments of weakness.”

Food journaling is also the perfect habit when it’s combined with the keystone habit we’ll talk about next.

#9. Planning Your Meals

If you start a habit of planning out your meals and cooking your own food, you will gain control over what you eat, which prevents you from settling for unhealthy food that is quick and easy.

When you build a habit of cooking for yourself, you control what goes into your body, which can lead to a huge variety of positive impacts on your health.

If you’d like to learn more about this habit, then here is a 8-step process on how to plan delicious, healthy meals.

#10. Practice Meditation

Meditating in the morning can help you stay calm for the remainder of the day. Also, meditation has been linked to improved memory and awareness, a reduction in stress levels, and a higher sense of motivation to set goals.

Because of these connections, meditating can be a keystone habit that may lead to reduced anxiety, more motivation to get your work done well, and a greater sense of urgency to set goals.

#11. Sticking to a Routine

This might mean going to sleep at the same time every night or doing the exact same thing every morning to get ready for your day. Either way, having consistency creates a huge amount of positive effects.

According to Duhigg, the way that you organize your routines has a big impact on your health, productivity, happiness, and financial security.

For example, if you wake up and run out of the door every day to get 45 minutes of cardio in, you will set yourself up to be more productive during the day. And with this increased productivity, you might set you up for more financial security as your boss notices how efficiently you’re working and gives you a promotion.

To take action on this idea, here is a simple download that can help you plan out your day.

So there you have it -- 11 keystone habits examples.

Now, we covered a lot of ideas in this video. So it would be impossible to try them all.

Instead, we recommend picking just one or two ideas from this video, then make the commitment to focus on them for the next 30 days.

You’ll find that focusing on just a couple of keystone habits will help improve many other areas of your life.

⚙️1% Habit Idea

Today’s idea is another keystone habit that can help you save lots of time. The best part? It doesn’t take very long to add to your daily routine.

“A place for everything and everything in its place.”

This quote best describes the goal of any organization system—to have a specific location for every item in your home.

This is important because knowing where all items belong removes the guesswork when cleaning and organizing items in your home.

How to Get Started

Here is a small list of ideas for where to place the common items in your home:

● Car and house keys on a hook next to your front door

● Purses, backpacks, and briefcases in a section near the front of your home

● Shoes in your garage, “mud room,” or a location where it doesn’t matter that you track in water, dirt, or grass

● Personal items (e.g., wallets, watches, and wearable devices) on a nightstand

● Cell phones and tablets “docked” in charging stations

● Children’s toys in bins, shelves, and buckets

● Detergents, fabric softeners, and other dangerous chemicals in an elevated spot away from children

● Mops, brooms, and other cleaning items on designated hooks

● Tools (e.g., hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, drills, and tape measure) in a toolbox or shed

● Out-of-season items in your attic or basement

Sure, I’ll admit some of these locations might seem like common sense, but a surprising number of people store their items in a haphazard manner and then wonder why they can’t find anything.

By designating a “home base” for each item, you’ll make it much easier to clean and organize your home.

🗂️ The Resource Roundup

🚫 Stop cold showers, do this instead – Are you taking cold showers to help improve your productivity? Skip them! This article suggests focusing on strategies that aim to maximize your morning’s effectiveness by starting the night before, such as getting better sleep, creating a 1-2-3 plan for the next day, and charging your phone out of reach to avoid distractions.

😀 What People Get Wrong About Happiness - Are you chasing happiness but feel like it's always out of reach? This thought-provoking article challenges common myths about happiness, backed by science, and offers practical insights into how your moment-to-moment experiences, money, and mindset truly impact your well-being.

5️⃣ The Five Pillars of Creative Flow - Have you ever craved the focus and freedom where creativity just flows? This insightful article unpacks the science of creative flow, offering actionable steps to help you tap into this powerful state and find deeper joy and purpose in your work.

📜 The Wisdom of Boredom – Boredom often gets a bad rap, but it can be a powerful catalyst for creativity and self-discovery. This article explores how embracing moments of boredom can lead to deeper insights, enhance your focus, and ultimately enrich your life.

🧭 Do It Your Way - Are you chasing someone else’s version of success? This insightful article explores why aligning your goals and strategies with your unique personality and values is the ultimate key to living a fulfilling life—no comparisons needed.

That’s it for today.

I hope you’re having a great start to your week!

Talk soon.

Cheers,

Steve Scott 

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