7 Habits That Made Me a Better Man

During the pandemic, I moved back in with my parents. In the stillness, I built habits that changed how I operate. Seven of them stuck.

1. Exercise

Exercise made me a happier person. On days I don't want to go, I go anyway — sometimes running 10 kilometers just to shift my emotional state. The ROI is consistent. Stress down, mood up, every time.

2. Eating with Family

I used to eat while scrolling. Breaking that habit and eating with my parents at the table — no phone — opened up conversations that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Simple change, surprisingly large impact on connection.

3. Meditation

10 minutes daily with Headspace. It develops awareness of my mental state before I'm already deep into a bad mood. I miss days — but the goal is consistency over perfection.

4. Waking Up Early

6 AM every day, consistent sleep time every night. The benefit isn't the extra hours alone — it's the awareness and sense of control that comes from owning the first part of the day before the world makes demands.

5. Reading

Books expanded how I think. 12 Rules for Life, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Influence — nonfiction that gave me practical frameworks and made me understand my own patterns better.

6. Morning Pages

300+ words immediately after waking. I write whatever's in my head — concerns, ideas, anxieties — before the day starts. It clears the mental clutter and surfaces what actually needs attention. It also improved my writing.

7. Therapy

Weekly sessions with a therapist who has no stake in making me feel good. A neutral professional providing accountability and perspective. I became a better version of myself faster than I could have alone.

None of these are new ideas. The difference was doing them consistently in a period of forced stillness. The pandemic gave me the conditions. The habits gave me the results.