Warning: You have to be consistent; otherwise, it will just waste time and energy.
Here are the 29 challenges I have done so far — each took 30+ days. I wrote a detailed article on each challenge. You can choose your favorite one to incorporate into your life to boost energy, productivity, and overall health.
First, let’s debunk the 21 days vs. 66 days habit-building formula.
The 21 days to build healthy and productive habits is purely based on observation.
It is not wrong to say that for the sake of oversimplification, these 21 days habit-building formula has been misinterpreted for a long time.
66 Days
Most recent research suggests that building healthy habits depends on individuals.
This study, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, found that, on average, it takes more than two months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days, to be exact.
The researchers also noted that it might take to form habits anywhere from 18 to 254 days. As you can see, there is no hard and fast rule to build a new habit or get rid of an old one.
In my 30+ days of challenges, I observed that it could take less than a month to several months.
For example, I build the following five healthy and productive habits in less than three weeks. I am happy to say that I have successfully incorporated all the below-mentioned challenges into my daily life.
Squats: I did 20 Squats daily for 35 days
3+ liters of Water: I drank 3.78 liters of Water daily for 30 days
Plank exercise: I did 2-Minute Plank every day for 35 days
Push-ups: I did 20 Push-ups daily for 42 days
Olive Oil: I drank a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil daily for 32 days
However, I also failed multiple times to do the following challenges. I am willing to try again, but doing the next challenge did not make me happy like the others.
Sugar: No sugar for 30 days
Sit-ups: I did 20 Sit-ups daily for 35 days
Matcha: I drank Matcha every day for 32 days
After reading a lot about how to build sustainable healthy, and productive habits, here are the two types of people.
- The people who can build habits in less than 21 days
- The people who can build habits in 66 days or beyond
If you want to read more on the 21 days concept, please read this book, Psycho-Cybernetics, by Maxwell Maltz.
Here is a table for the 1960s (observational) vs. 2009 (structured research) research.
Here is also an updated research paper published in the British Journal of Health Psychology in 2021.
According to the research paper, building a sustainable habit would take, on average, 59 to 70 days.
The top 6 habits I believe you can build in merely three weeks to a max of 66 weeks.
As I said earlier, it’s possible you might take more than 66 days; it also depends on individual behaviors, especially if they are enjoying the challenge or facing it as another chore. Let’s dive in.
#6 Reading
After doing my experiment, it’s possible to build a sustainable reading habit. I wrote a detailed experiential finding in this article.
#5 Walking 21.9 minutes each day (national recommendation)
I would strongly advise you to begin developing healthy habits by walking. Walking is everything to me; I go for a walk when I am unhappy, and I go for a walk when I am happy. When I need more ideas, I go for a walk.
In social circles, I always say, “Build this tiny habit, and it will serve as a strong foundation for building more healthy habits.”
Here is my personal story about how I began to develop a walking habit. This article will also explain why you should walk for at least 22 minutes daily.
#4 Writing
You can make anything by writing. — C.S. Lewis
The quote by Lewis sums it up; I fall in love with writing for one simple reason — it gives me more clarity about anything in life.
If you have difficulty making a decision, write down your thoughts. It will blow your mind.
Writing makes me a clear and better thinker in the long run.
Here are a couple of my suggestions for incorporating writing into your life.
- Just write random thoughts; it will help to clear your mind.
- Start small. Merely 10–15 minutes every day is enough.
- Embrace the free writing technique — don’t worry about grammar, style, or punctuation. Just write whatever comes to your mind.
- Don’t worry if you miss a day or two; bounce back and start writing.
- If you want immense clarity about anything in life, jot down your thoughts, it will help you to make better decisions.
#3 Quality of sleep
I love the quality of sleep and long walks. They both complement each other.
You can quickly build a sustainable habit of building quality sleep within 21–70 days. Here are a few quick recalls on building quality sleep habits.
Stick to a consistent sleeping schedule.
Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet.
Say no to screens at least 60–90 minutes before bedtime.
Read a book before bedtime (a proven way to relax) — A physical book or even a Kindle will do the job.
No caffeine 3–4 hours before bedtime
Walk regularly
Consume magnesium Glycinate to promote sleep.
No napping after 6 pm.
Monitor your sleep patterns. Make sure you are getting quality of sleep for 7–8 hours.
#2 Investing and saving at the same time
I used to be really bad at saving any income. I was making a decent income, but I never got the idea of saving regularly.
After many trials and error methods, I save more than 30% of my income. Literally, I used to have ONE source of income (9–5 jobs), but now I have four sources of income. I am going to add three more at the end of the year.
After many trials and errors, I now save more than 30% of my income. I literally used to have ONE source of income (9–5 jobs), but now I have five. At the end of the year, I plan to add three more.
If I can do it as an immigrant in a new country, I believe you can as well. Here are a few examples of my sources of income.
1- Job 9–5 pm
2- Writing (Medium+Ghost Clients)
3- Affiliate Marketing
4- Dividends
5- Consulting
Soon I am adding the following income streams
6- Rental income
7- Digital Courses, eBooks,
8- Niche-based websites (Ads+affiliate)
Investing and saving is a long-term game.
I have been trying to build multiple sources of income since 2017. Nothing happened overnight. Stay patient and trust the system.
First, you must learn to take calculated risks, increase your income (switch jobs to get that 15–20% boost), start a side hustle, etc.
Let me recall a couple of steps on how to start your journey.
Always start with a goal in mind (For me, I want to achieve financial freedom asap, to have more control over my time instead of focusing on making more money)
Create a budget and track it on a weekly or daily basis in the beginning.
Educate yourself. For example, I have a budget of $100 per month just for buying books. I also take courses and seminars and keep learning from the people who are ahead of me and willing to spend their time teaching me.
In the beginning, starting with ETFs (maybe S&p 500) is a good option. Keep learning to expand your portfolio.
Consistency is paramount to reach your goals.
Nothing is going to happen overnight. Stay patient and keep working. Wait for the compound factor.
Focus on tiny things. In the end, it all adds up.
Create a Google sheet to track absolutely everything (inputs (income sources) and outputs (spending, investing, fixed payments vs. variables, etc.).
#1 The power of NOW
A head full of fears has no space for dreams. — Unknown
I am a huge fan of Eckhart’s book, The Power of Now, which emphasizes enjoying the present moment.
According to the book, most unhappiness arises from thinking about the past or future rather than enjoying the current moment.
I highly suggest going on a long walk, preferably in nature, do not take any phone, AirPods, or any modern connectivity stuff, just you and nature.
Enjoy the present moment.
You will develop more awareness of the present moment. Just sit somewhere in the middle of the walk, maybe next to a pond or trees, and listen to the natural sounds of wind and birds.
It will bring you much more joy than constantly thinking about what is not there.
The bottom line
You can build many healthy and productive habits in less than 66 days. These are the habits I developed over time.
Before letting you go, let me recall the key points.
Start simple, taking baby steps whenever you want to build a new habit.
I recommend starting a walking habit before any habit. It will give you a strong foundation.
Then build all the habits on your walking habit.
Long walks will help you to boost your sleep.
Make sure to sleep 7–8 hours. Try to go to bed at the same time each night.
Enjoy the present moments.
Start investing early — learn the basics.
Develop a reading habit. It will help you to boost your writing habit.
Don’t forget to share your healthy habits in the comments. Looking forward to reading more about what you are working on and how this article can help to achieve your goals.
Book recommendation:Principles by Ray Dalio (10/10)
One of the best books to create the right direction in your life. I highly recommend reading this book at least once in your life.
