12 Easy Wellness Habits to Try Today
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links — at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the content I create here on the blog! You can read my full Disclosure Policy for more details.
For years, “wellness” felt like something other people did better than me.
They woke up early to journal. They meal-prepped elaborate lunches. They somehow meditated for 20 minutes without thinking about their to-do lists or laundry. Meanwhile, I was just trying to remember to drink water before 3 p.m.
I wanted to be healthy, but every time I tried to overhaul my routine, I burned out in about a week. It felt like wellness required more time, money, and discipline than I actually had.
Then one day, I realized: maybe it wasn’t about doing more. Maybe it was about doing less, but doing it better.
What changed everything for me was focusing on small habits that make me feel good — ones I could actually keep doing long-term.
Here are the wellness habits that finally stuck — the ones that make me feel calmer, more balanced, and healthier without feeling like I’m constantly “working” on myself.
1. Start the Day with Something That Helps, Not Hurts
For years, I woke up and went straight for coffee. It was my comfort ritual — strong, fast, immediate. But it also made me anxious, dehydrated, and weirdly exhausted by midmorning.
At some point, I realized: maybe I don’t need to start my day in fight-or-flight mode.
That’s when I tried mushroom coffee — coffee blended with adaptogenic mushrooms like reishi and lion’s mane. I’d seen it everywhere online and assumed it was a gimmick. Spoiler: it’s not.
I use Everyday Dose Premium Adaptogenic Mushroom Coffee. It has just enough caffeine to wake me up, plus amino acids and collagen for focus and digestion. Normally, I switch between this and my favorite matcha adaptogenic blend.
Adaptogens (natural plant compounds that help regulate stress) work by supporting your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the part of your body that manages your stress response. Translation: you feel steady instead of spiking and crashing.
It doesn’t feel like a big change, but it sets a calmer tone for my entire day.
And honestly? I still get to have my cozy morning drink — it just doesn’t wreck my nervous system.
2. Drink More Water — But Stop Making It Complicated
I used to track my water intake like a full-time job. Apps, timers, expensive bottles that “remind” you to sip — I tried it all. None of it stuck.
Now, I just make it easy. I keep water where I’ll actually drink it — by my bed, by my laptop, in the car. I fill them up at the same time every day (right after I brush my teeth and right before lunch).
Behavioral science calls this habit stacking — linking a new habit to something you already do automatically. You don’t have to think about it; it just happens.
And if I forget? I let it go. The point is to make wellness supportive, not stressful.
3. Make Food Work for You, Not Against You
There was a point when “healthy eating” meant restriction. I’d meal plan, cut carbs, and spend hours cooking food I didn’t even enjoy.
Now, I approach food with one rule: does this make me feel good later?
That’s my wellness filter — not calories, macros, or trends.
To make it easier, I batch small things on Sunday: chopped veggies, cooked grains, and other easy prepped ingredients. I’m not a full-on meal prep person, but having even a few basics ready helps me eat better without thinking about it.
For storing everything, I use Stasher silicone bags — they’re eco-friendly, endlessly reusable, and don’t make me feel guilty about plastic.
I love the Stasher Premium Silicone Reusable Bags. They’re leakproof, dishwasher-safe, and somehow make my fridge look more organized (which is a small but real form of joy).
It’s one of those sustainability swaps that’s both good for the planet and good for your sanity.
The more effortless a habit feels, the more likely you are to keep it.
4. Get Sunlight Before Screens
One of the best things you can do for your health takes less than five minutes: step outside in the morning.
Morning sunlight exposure helps regulate your circadian rhythm — your body’s internal clock that controls sleep, focus, and even hormone balance. It signals your brain to stop producing melatonin (the sleep hormone) and start increasing serotonin (the mood and focus hormone).
For me, that means I feel more awake naturally — without another cup of caffeine.
Sometimes I just stand by my window with my coffee and breathe for a minute. Sometimes I walk around the block. It’s not aesthetic; it’s just real.
If I’m running late, I open the blinds while I’m getting ready. It all counts.
5. Move for Energy, Not Obligation
I used to have an all-or-nothing approach to exercise. If it wasn’t an hour-long HIIT class, it “didn’t count.” That mindset kept me stuck — exhausted, inconsistent, and secretly dreading movement.
Now, I treat movement as a way to add energy, not burn it off.
If I’m tired, I stretch. If I’m anxious, I go for a walk. If I’m in a good mood, I dance while I clean. It doesn’t have to be structured to be valuable.
Science agrees: even short bursts of light activity increase blood flow to the brain, release endorphins, and reduce cortisol (your main stress hormone). That’s why even a 10-minute walk can feel like a mental reset.
These days, I aim for consistency over intensity — and I’ve never felt better.
6. Build Tiny Rituals That Ground You
One thing I’ve learned: the best wellness habits don’t require motivation. They’re small rituals that anchor your day — quiet moments that feel grounding instead of performative.
For me, that’s my morning matcha or mushroom coffee, lighting a candle when I start work, and washing my face slowly at night instead of rushing through it.
These things take maybe five minutes each, but they signal transitions: morning → work, work → rest.
You can pick anything — a certain playlist while cooking, journaling one sentence, a quick stretch between tasks. The key is repetition. Rituals give your brain predictability, which reduces stress and creates a sense of rhythm in your day.
7. Reframe “Self-Care”
At one point, I thought self-care meant spa days, elaborate routines, and products I couldn’t afford. Now, I think of it as maintenance — the stuff that keeps me functioning.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s real. It’s scheduling doctor appointments, cleaning my sheets, paying attention to how I feel after meals, and taking breaks before I hit burnout.
Self-care is the adult version of “put on your oxygen mask first.” You can’t pour from an empty cup — or function from an empty battery.
Some days, that looks like saying no to plans. Some days, it’s saying yes to a nap. Either way, it counts.
8. Simplify Your Environment
When my space is cluttered, my brain feels cluttered. It’s not just aesthetic — there’s actual research on this. Studies from UCLA found that people who described their homes as “cluttered” had higher levels of cortisol throughout the day.
Now, I do five-minute resets instead of big cleanups. I set a timer and tidy whatever I can see.
I also keep fewer items on my counters and desk. It’s not about minimalism; it’s about visual breathing room.
A calm space makes it easier to make calm choices.
9. Feed Your Mind Like You Feed Your Body
For a long time, I didn’t realize that mental wellness is just as influenced by what you consume as physical health is.
When I constantly scrolled through stress-inducing news or comparison-filled feeds, I felt worse. When I replaced that time with podcasts, nature sounds, or even silence, I felt noticeably calmer.
Now I treat my media diet the same way I treat food: everything in moderation, and I stop when I feel full.
Some nights I still doomscroll (we all do), but being intentional with what I take in during the first and last hour of my day has made a huge difference.
10. Respect Rest as Part of the Process
I used to treat rest as something I had to earn. If I wasn’t being productive, I felt guilty.
But burnout isn’t a badge of honor — it’s a warning sign.
Rest isn’t wasted time; it’s where your body repairs, your brain processes, and your creativity refills. Studies even show that taking short breaks improves memory, problem-solving, and long-term productivity.
Now, I give myself permission to rest before I hit empty. Some days that’s a nap. Some days it’s zoning out with a show. Some days it’s doing absolutely nothing — which, ironically, is one of the hardest things to do.
11. Protect Your Energy
Not every invitation, notification, or expectation deserves your response. Learning that changed my life.
Your energy is finite. You can’t give it to everything and still feel whole.
Now, I’m careful about what I say yes to. I mute group chats after 9 p.m., I check email twice a day instead of constantly, and I don’t force social plans when I need solitude.
It’s not antisocial — it’s boundaries.
And in the long run, boundaries are wellness.
12. Let It Be Imperfect
Here’s the truth: there’s no “perfect” routine.
Some days you’ll nail it — drink the water, move your body, sleep eight hours. Other days, you’ll eat chips for dinner and skip every intention you had.
That doesn’t make you bad at wellness. It makes you human.
The goal is consistency, not perfection. Progress, not pressure. As James Clear (author of Atomic Habits) says, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
So build systems that support you — flexible ones that hold you even when you fall out of rhythm.
What’s Changed
I don’t feel like I’m constantly fixing myself. I just feel more myself. I have more energy, fewer crashes, and way less guilt about doing what feels good.
The difference? My habits work with me, not against me.
If you want to start small, start here:
- Choose one ritual that supports your energy.
Try swapping your coffee for Everyday Dose Mushroom Coffee — it’s a small switch that actually makes a noticeable difference in focus and calm. - Choose one environment habit that makes life easier.
Use Stasher Reusable Bags for meal prep or storage — a simple upgrade that keeps you organized and eco-friendly.
That’s it. You just need to start with one gentle shift — something easy enough to do every day.