The Personal OS — The Habit Repository

(This is part of the Personal OS series that can be found here)

I’ve collected and prepared a list of habits and anchors so it will inspire and help you build your own habits.
Thank you BJ Fogg for inspiring me with many of the habits.

The habit formula is relatively easy to understand (and more importantly to implement) when we have many samples and templates.
So here is the formula together with a bank of triggers and actions that can help ignite your new habits.

For more on building habits and how to use the habits/Anchors see my previous post here.

The Recipe for creating habits
Habit = Trigger + Action

1. Choose the area in your life you want to improve.
2. Choose a small habit — the smallest action that you can start with.
3. Find an anchor — to what existing habit, existing anchor will you attach the new habit? This will remind you to do your thing.

List of Anchors/Triggers by type to:

1. Time
   - After I wake up
   - Before/After breakfast
   - Before/After lunch
   - Before/After dinner
   - Before going to bed
2. Location
   - Before/After getting into the car
   - Before/After arriving home
   - Before/After arriving work
   - Before/After going to the bathroom
   - Before/After taking a bath
   - When commuting
   - When walking
   - When waiting in line
3. Preceding Event
   - Before/After eating
   - Before/After drinking a coffee
   - Before/After brushing my teeth
   - After getting email/text
   - Before sending email/text
   - After checking email
   - After checking my phone for notifications
   - After checking my Facebook etc.
   - Before/After Buckling my seatbelt when you get into a car
   - Before watching TV
4. Emotional State
   - When I feel bored
   - When I feel sad
   - When I feel lonely
   - When I feel tired
   - When I feel hungry
   - When I feel mad
   - When I feel happy
5. Other People
   - When I Meet my friend X When
   - When I meet my peer X
   - When I Meet my boss
   - When I Meet my parents
   - When I Meet my kids
   - When I Meet my spouse

List of Actions/Habits by area:

1. Health routines
   After I [your anchor], I will Floss one tooth
   After I [your anchor], I will take my vitamins
   After I [your anchor], I will Put on one drop of sunscreen
   After I [your anchor], I will Set out my vitamins
   After I [your anchor], I will Put on my fitness tracker
   After I [your anchor], I will Turn off my Internet router at night
   After I [your anchor], I will brush my teeth
2. Physical activity
   After I [your anchor], I will stand for 5 minutes
   After I [your anchor], I will Do two pushups
   After I [your anchor], I will Put on my walking shoes
   After I [your anchor], I will Do 3 crunches
   After I [your anchor], I will walk for 5 minutes
   After I [your anchor], I will climb the stairs
   After I [your anchor], I will go outside
   After I [your anchor], I will do 5 minute Yoga
   After I [your anchor], I will stand instead of sit
   Before I [reach my destination], I will get off the bus 1 stop earlier
   Before I [reach my destination], I will park a car on the other side of the parking lot
   Before I [reach my destination], I will take the long way when walking
3. Nutrition
   After I [your anchor], I will Drink a sip of water
   After I [your anchor], I will Take a bite of a carrot
   After I [your anchor], I will Fill a glass of water
   After I [your anchor], I will Throw out one bad food item in my house
   After I [your anchor], I will Write down *one* thing I ate
   After I [your anchor], I will Put an apple in my bag
   After I [your anchor], I will Put a water bottle at my desk
   After I [your anchor], I will Write down one veggie I like to eat
   After I [your anchor], I will not finish my plate
   After I [your anchor], I will use a smaller plate
   After I [your anchor], I will avoid bread/gluten for 1 meal
   After I [your anchor], I will avoid pasta for 1 meal
   After I [your anchor], I will avoid red meat for 1 meal
4. Calming / de-stressing
   After I [your anchor], I will Turn off the ringer on my phone
   After I [your anchor], I will Turn off all notification in my phone
   After I [your anchor], I will Turn off my phone for 1 hour
   After I [your anchor], I will Go outside / to the nature
   After I [your anchor], I will celebrate a small win
   After I [your anchor], I will Stretch one part of my body briefly
   After I [your anchor], I will Exhale and relax for 2 seconds
   After I [your anchor], I will Do a quick sketch
   After I [your anchor], I will Yawn to relax my jaw
   After I [your anchor], I will Stretch my back
   After I [your anchor], I will Take a 15 minute nap
   Before [day ends], I will go to sleep 30 minutes earlier
5. Learning & hobbies
   After I [your anchor], I will Play 3 chords on the guitar
   After I [your anchor], I will Read one sentence in a book
   After I [your anchor], I will listen 10 minute of audiobook
   After I [your anchor], I will learn 1 new word in a foreign language
   After I [your anchor], I will start a free online course
   After I [your anchor], I will listen to hand-free self-development podcast/audiobook
   After I [your anchor], I will learn something new from a book / blog
   After I [your anchor], I will train my brain with 1 exercise
   After I [your anchor], I will train my memory with 1 exercise
   After I [your anchor], I will sing a scale
   After I [your anchor], I will Recite one line of poetry
   After I [your anchor], I will Open my workbook
   After I [your anchor], I will start seeing a documentary
   After I [your anchor], I will reflect on my day/week
6. Relationships
   After I [your anchor], I will Kiss my spouse
   After I [your anchor], I will Think of one special person to call/text today
   After I [your anchor], I will Text/call my mom
   After I [your anchor], I will Get out my set of “thank you” notes
   After I [your anchor], I will Give my spouse a hug
   After I [your anchor], I will Send a thank you email
   After I [your anchor], I will just Listen
   After I [your anchor], I will do an act of service
   After I [your anchor], I will buy flowers to my spouse
   After I [your anchor], I will fix something at home
   After I [your anchor], I will say I love you to one of my family members
   After I [your anchor], I will say thank you to my colleague
   After I [your anchor], I will schedule a coffee with a friend
   After I [your anchor], I will schedule a date night my spouse
   After I [your anchor], I will schedule dedicated 1 hour date with my kid
   After I [your anchor], I will schedule family dinner
7. Productivity & Organizing
   After I [your anchor], I will Set out my workout clothes
   After I [your anchor], I will dedicate time to email and other deferred notifications
   After I [your anchor], I will Take 5 minutes break from my work
   After I [your anchor], I will Think of one top priority for my day
   After I [your anchor], I will Plan my week
   After I [your anchor], I will Start doing my top priority of my day
   After I [your anchor], I will Look at my to-do list
   After I [your anchor], I will Plug mobile phone into charger
   After I [your anchor], I will Turn on the ringer on my phone
   After I [your anchor], I will put a side 50$
   After I [your anchor], I will avoid Facebook / Twitter etc for 1 day
   After I [your anchor], I will Give/donate an item that I don’t need anymore
8. Cleaning & tidying
   After I [your anchor], I will Hang up my coat
   After I [your anchor], I will Wipe out sink
   After I [your anchor], I will Tidy one thing in the house
   After I [your anchor], I will Put dirty laundry in basket
   After I [your anchor], I will Put dirty dishes in the Dish
   After I [your anchor], I will Put my receipts in the basket
   After I [your anchor], I will Wipe my bathroom mirror
   After I [your anchor], I will Turn off lights in study
   After I [your anchor], I will Clean one dish
   After I [your anchor], I will Clear one item off my desk
   After I [your anchor], I will Pull cover up on bed
9. Writing
   After I [your anchor], I will Write three words in my journal
   After I [your anchor], I will open my text editor
   After I [your anchor], I will Write one idea for a blog
   After I [your anchor], I will Write one sentence
10. Mindfulness & Gratitude
    After I [your anchor], I will stop and admire nature
    After I [your anchor], I will take a selfie of what I’m doing / with friend
    After I [your anchor], I will Look up at the stars
    After I [your anchor], I will Smile immediately
    After I [your anchor], I will Think of one thing I’m grateful for
    After I [your anchor], I will Say one thing I’m thankful for
    After I [your anchor], I will Do one visualization
    After I [your anchor], I will Read one verse of scripture
    After I [your anchor], I will Meditate for 3 breaths
    After I [your anchor], I will Do one sun salutation
    After I [your anchor], I will Write down one positive word
    After I [your anchor], I will mindful of a food I’m eating
    After I [your anchor], I will mindful of one breath
    After I [your anchor], I will mindful of my posture
    After I [your anchor], I will mindful of my feets
    After I [your anchor], I will mindful of the sounds/smells around me
    After I [your anchor], I will investigate what I feel at the moment

The Recipe for creating habits
Habit = Trigger + Action

1. Choose the area in your life you want to improve.
2. Choose a small habit — the smallest action that you can start with.
3. Find an anchor — to what existing habit, existing anchor will you attach the new habit? This will remind you to do your thing.

Please share your habits and anchors!

More from the Personal OS:

• Build your own personal operating system with these small tiny habits that will compound over time and improve your life — The personal OS (Operation System) — booting
• When you take the compound effect into your daily habits, tiny gains can result with huge life improvement over time — The Personal OS — The Power of 1%
• A formula for building new habits. Understanding how habits works and how can we build new ones by attaching them to existing triggers in our life - The personal OS — Building habits