10 Life Hacks You Wish You Knew Sooner for a More Fulfilling Life
People in 2024 are living a fast-paced life. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. We are constantly juggling between multiple tasks, responsibilities, and obligations, which leaves us with little to no time for the simple things that bring us joy and fulfillment. Whether we are working long hours, raising families, or managing households, our lives can become overwhelming and stressful. It is common to feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done, and that even the smallest tasks may feel undoable. But it is in these moments we need to remember to slow down, take a step back, and prioritize our own well-being. By incorporating small, simple changes into our daily routines, like the life hacks that we are going to discuss in this post, we can start to reclaim control over our lives and find more balance, peace, and happiness amidst the noise.
Practice Mindful Morning Routines
Mark, a busy financial analyst, wakes up to the soft glow of the morning sun. He immediately reaches for his phone to dive straight into emails and notifications the second his eyes open. His routine feels like a race he was always running but never winning. He is drained by mid-morning, barely able to keep up with his demanding schedule.
Own your morning. Elevate your life.
Starting your day intentionally can set a positive tone for every activity that follows. Instead of rushing straight into work, try adding a few mindful moments to your morning. It doesn’t need to be hour-long activities. It can be simple as: five minutes of meditation, journaling habit of writing the things you are thankful for, and 20 minutes of workout. These few intentional moments can make you feel more grounded and focused, helping you handle challenges throughout the day.
Declutter Regularly for a Clear Mind
Our surroundings can play an important role on our mental well-being and the energy needed to get started. Cluttered spaces trigger feelings of chaos or overwhelmingness, maintaining a tidy home or workspace can boost our sense of organization. A helpful strategy is the “one in, one out” rule: you add something new to your space, get rid of something old. By reducing clutter, you can create a calm and inviting environment that promotes clearer thinking and a greater sense of peace.
It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.
I don’t think maintaining a clutter-free environment is not that difficult; All you need to do is dedicate a few minutes each day to tidying up. This simple habit prevents mess from piling up and becoming overwhelming. Think about making your bed every morning, sorting paperwork weekly, or regularly clearing/cleaning your workspace. These small actions create a sense of purpose and positivity in your living space.
Break Down Big Goals into Small Steps
Who in here has eaten an entire pizza in a single bite? I am sure no one can, but even if someone is capable of finishing off an entire pizza in a single bite, he wouldn’t be enjoying it though. Achieving big goals can be overwhelming and cause us to procrastinate. Instead, let’s break them down into smaller achievable goals. For example, if you want to write a book, start with an outline, then a chapter. These small steps make progress feel more attainable and less scary.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Breaking down big goals into smaller steps not only makes them more manageable but indirectly builds confidence as we check off each task along the way. When we set small, achievable milestones, we give ourselves the chance to celebrate the progress regularly, which keeps the motivation alive. Each completed step reinforces our belief that the end goal is within reach.
Practice Micro-Learning Every Day
I remember a saying from a long time ago. It goes like this — “The day you stop learning is the day you stop growing”. I would like to know who made this exact quote but unfortunately I couldn’t narrow down to the source.
Life is a never-ending learning adventure, and not all learning has to be a big, time-consuming class. “Micro-Learning” could be a simple life hack that could be adopted by spending five to ten minutes a day to learn something new. It could be reading a few pages of a book, watching a short educational video, or listening to an educational podcast while you are on the go. Over time, these little sessions will expand your knowledge without feeling like you are overcommitting.
Small daily improvements over time lead to stunning results.
Micro-learning is all about making the most of those little pockets of time we waste scrolling through an infinite hell of social media. Whether you are waiting for your coffee to brew, on the way to work, or taking a quick break, you can squeeze in little time to learning. And guess what? With consistent practice, you will start to build up your knowledge like crazy and have an engaging conversations with your colleagues or friends. Before you know it, you will be learning something new every single day! The key is to stay curious and open to the idea of learning.
Use the Two-Minute Rule for Quick Tasks
Sometimes, those little tasks like replying to an email or organizing files can pile up and feel like a big weight on our shoulders. But there’s this cool idea called the “Two-Minute Rule”. If you think a task would take less than two minutes, you should do it immediately instead of putting it off. This way, those small tasks don’t get a chance to pile up and mess with our minds. Moreover, it frees up our focus for the bigger, more important things that matter the most.
Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
The beauty of following this rule is that you will quickly notice a sense of relief and accomplishment, which boosts your productivity. The trick is not to underestimate how much energy and mental space those little things can take up when left unattended. This rule creates a habit of efficiency and begins to train your brain to take action immediately rather than procrastinating.
Set Boundaries with Technology
Technology is a blessing and a curse. It keeps us connected, but it can affect our well-being. As humans, we naturally create boundaries. We keep the negative people out and the positive ones close because that’s what keeps us happy and balanced.
Setting boundaries with technology—like limiting screen time, disabling non-essential notifications, or practicing “Digital Detox” days—helps reduce stress and improve focus. When you set these boundaries, you will find it easier to be present, engage in meaningful interactions, and prioritize real-life experiences over endless screen time.
The more you eliminate the unnecessary from your life, the easier it becomes to connect with the things that matter.
Setting boundaries is important, The same way being mindful of how we use technology. Creating tech-free zones in our homes—like the dining table or bedroom can help foster a healthier relationship with our devices. This can encourage deeper conversations and a more restful environment, free from the constant pull of screens. Remember, technology isn’t all bad. It’s all about how we use it. If we take charge and set healthy limits, we can enjoy the benefits of tech without losing touch with ourselves and our families.
Focus on Building Positive Habits, Not Only Breaking Bad Ones
Breaking bad habits is good, but cultivating a new positive one in its place is even better. When you start a new, good habit, it helps to get rid of an old, unwanted one on its own. For instance, if you want to stop snacking mindlessly, replace it with drinking water or going for a quick walk. By focusing on positive actions, you are taking a constructive approach to personal growth.
The best way to stop a bad habit is to replace it with a good one.
You should cultivate the process of habit-building as a gradual replacement rather than a complete change overnight. Studies have shown that it’s easier to create lasting change by adding new, positive habits rather than focusing solely on eliminating old ones. Additionally, celebrating small wins along the way can reinforce the new habit and make it feel rewarding.
Embrace Minimalism in Your Schedule
Instead of trying to do everything at once, let’s focus on a few important things. Imagine Sarah, a busy professional and mom who always has a busy schedule. From morning meetings to after-work chores and late-night emails, her schedule is jam packed and she barely has time for her family or herself. She’s always feeling drained and cannot enjoy the simple things that matter.
Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.
To embrace minimalism in our schedule, We need to start figuring out what matters the most: spending time with her family, taking care of herself, and focusing on critical projects at work. Realizing that little things, like constantly checking emails or saying “yes” to every social invitation, will take up a lot of time without any added values. Setting specific times for emails, politely declining less important social events can greatly improve the quality of your lifestyle. This minimalistic approach lets us do fewer things with more focus, therefore we can end each day feeling accomplished instead of exhausted.
Prioritize Sleep as a Non-Negotiable
Among all the life hacks that you learnt today, giving priority to your sleep everyday is the most important thing for a healthy life. It helps you think clear, feel good about yourself, and a lot of energy to spend for the rest of the day. But sadly, many people don’t get enough sleep. To make sure you are getting enough sleep each night, try to stick to a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time every night, avoid screens before bed, and make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.
The way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting enough sleep.
Adding a few additional practices can further support the quality of your sleep. Reading a book, listening to calm music, or practicing a few minutes of deep breathing exercises can signal to your brain that it’s time to rest. Studies show that performing a bedtime ritual as stated above can help ease your body into sleep mode by reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
Cultivate Gratitude to Enhance Contentment
Gratitude is a powerful tool that can change your life for the better. Studies show that people who practice gratitude regularly feel happier and more satisfied. Therefore, take a few minutes each day to think about the things you are grateful for. As I mentioned earlier in this post, it could be part of your morning routine or even during your bedtime. By focusing on the good things that happened to you, you will shift your mindset away from what you don’t have and start living a more content and fulfilling life.
If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.
Finally, remember that gratitude can be practiced even during challenging times. In moments of hardship, finding something to be thankful for, no matter how small, can help you stay resilient and maintain hopeful perspective. This approach of “Finding Silver Lining” helps many people cope with stress and face difficulties with a more positive outlook.
Footnotes
[American Psychological Association] “Incorporating mindfulness into daily routines has been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being.”
[Journal of Environmental Psychology] “A cluttered environment can negatively impact mental clarity and productivity, while organized spaces promote calm and focus.”
[Harvard Business Review] “Setting smaller, actionable steps toward a goal helps reduce feelings of overwhelm and increases the likelihood of goal achievement.”
[Journal of Educational Technology Research and Development] “Micro-learning is an efficient way to absorb new information, which can improve knowledge retention and adaptability.”
[David Allen] “The Two-Minute Rule encourages quick task completion, reducing mental load and improving task management.”
[Journal of Health Psychology] “Establishing screen-time boundaries can improve mental health, reduce stress, and improve focus.”
[James Clear] “Focusing on positive habit formation, rather than solely eliminating negative behaviors, can lead to greater success in personal development.”
[Psychology Today] “A minimalist schedule focused on high-value activities can improve well-being and reduce burnout.”
[National Sleep Foundation] “Quality sleep is crucial for cognitive function, emotional health, and physical well-being.”
[Greater Good Science Center, University of California, Berkeley] “Practicing gratitude has been linked to increased happiness, improved mental health, and greater life satisfaction.”
