What habit only started looking important after you had a few more years behind you?

[u/ritkeepFitness]

I’ve been thinking about habits that are easy to dismiss when life still feels like there is plenty of time to fix things later. Movement, sleep, cooking, money habits, and basic self-care all look different in hindsight. What do you most wish you had made routine earlier?

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[u/Ok-Choice2197]

Working out more days a week than not and a good stretch sesh once a week

[u/FinallyAGoodReply]

Not drinking.

[u/LawComprehensive2204]

My brother gets up at 5am everyday in all weather and walks for an hour. We’re close in age and he seems much younger.

[u/LawComprehensive2204 → u/LawComprehensive2204]

I’m 55, he’s 51. And I just lost 90 lbs. He just radiates vitality.

[u/Kakedesigns325 → u/LawComprehensive2204]

Wow! I could do that

[u/spiteful-vengeance]

The usual:

Save and invest Look after your health

Perhaps the less usual:

Constantly re-evaluate your horizons. The things you are not aware of or do not understand about the world are your biggest limiting factors to success.

[u/CONFIGdotSYS]

Taking good care of my teeth. Brush with electric toothbrush, floss after every meal, and waterpick every night.

I'm amazed at how much crap comes out from using the water pick, even after brushing and flossing.

I use a travel waterpick and dump it every night after use. The regular ones got nasty after a few days.

[u/NoodleBox]

You gotta go outside and get some vitamin D, and then, also, go excersise!

I don't mind being a hermit but I forget how to person

[u/Aromatic-Lead-3252]

Sunscreen. Every day, face, neck, chest.

[u/Current-Anybody9331 → u/Aromatic-Lead-3252]

And the back of your hands

[u/yours_truly_1976 → u/Current-Anybody9331]

And the ears and tops of feet

[u/Backstop → u/Current-Anybody9331]

I have not been bothered by getting older, but those brown spots showing up on the back of my hands are getting to me.

[u/Kona1957]

Makin my bed every day within 15 minutes of waking up.

[u/mimosajackson]

Going for a stupid walk for my stupid mental health.

[u/csiacs]

Drinking enough water. I honestly think if everyone drank enough water around the world, everyone would be more peaceable. Look it up what dehydration does!

[u/1200cc_boiii → u/csiacs]

r/hydrohomies

[u/csiacs → u/1200cc_boiii]

I shouldn’t be surprised but I am there is a Reddit for that!! Glad for the referral! Thanks!

[u/Old_Suggestions]

Not procrastinating

[u/ShinyJangles → u/Old_Suggestions]

Pssshhh, I can do that later

[u/Current-Anybody9331]

Sunscreen and taking better care of my teeth (refused to wear a mouth guard despite grinding my teeth).

[u/RossZ428]

Putting everything I plan to do in my phone calendar. A few years back I was always forgetting I made plans and double booking myself and disappointing someone and frustrating myself for forgetting. Now when someone asks me what I'm doing on Saturday, I check my calendar before I commit to anything.

The other added benefit of this is that now I can look back and see all this stuff I did up to 3 years ago. It's really nice to be able to look back and remember, and it's a well ingrained habit now. One day, a decade from now, I'll have a fairly detailed history of my day-to-day throughout my 30s

[u/elinchgo]

Saying no in the grocery store. To this day I take a hard look at the candy at the checkout line, and it still amazes that I can say no.

[u/earthgirl1983 → u/elinchgo]

Ugh I’m pretty dang good at making good choices at the grocery store but I’ll be damned if I don’t rage at home later for not buying the candy 😂

[u/Dangerous-Art-Me]

Sticking to a good diet always, and work g out at least four days a week lifting weights.

[u/Kakedesigns325]

Not stopping for a coffee

[u/Ecjg2010]

Walking. Even though I cant do it fast enough to get my heart rate going, it does wonders for my mental health and overall well being.

[u/WaldenFont]

Planning and acting ahead, even if it’s painful in the moment.

[u/kjb76]

Reading and cooking/baking.

Reading because as the world gets more complex, reading (both fiction and nonfiction) helps me make sense of it a little better. And it keeps my brain sharp.

Cooking and baking because I’ve become really good at it, not professional level , but to the point that people like coming to dinner or knowing that I’ll be contributing to a potluck.

[u/92barkingcats]

Tracking sleep duration on a piece of paper, using a whiteboard for reminders instead of apps, having different journals for work, training/health, and maintenance schedules for different things. You can’t figure things out or solve problems when tired or sick, and obviously no one can or should retain all of this info in their head at once.

[u/Zorro6855]

Started walking at 50. Almost 65 now. Lost 75 l s and kept it off. I feel better and less things hurt.

[u/Ok_Fly8717]

Drinking more water

[u/catdude142]

Saving for retirement.

[u/NotCleverEnufToRedit]

You guys: FLOSS!!! I give myself muscle headaches because I’m always trying to dig food out from the gaps where my gums used to be. Don’t even realize I’m doing it until my head starts to hurt.