Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:00]:
Welcome back to the Happy Healthy Hustle. I'm your host, Dr. Christiane Schroeter, business and wellness coach, professor, and creator of the Petite Practice™ Method. So if you're new here, welcome. The show is all about helping you build success that actually feels sustainable. So no burnout, no constant pressure, and no pretending you are certain type of productivity robot. I know that today we're diving into something that we actually all say we want more of.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:40]:
Building better habit. And no, it's not the kind of habit that you download from some trendy app and give up in three days. I'm actually talking about small, practical, daily habits that actually fit into your life. So whether you're running a business, raising family, working full time job, you're a student, or just trying to stay on top of everything, these small habits are actually built to last, not to impress. And I'm giving away some really cool secrets with these habits. So stay tuned. This episode is definitely jam packed with some really cool insights. So let's get started with habit number one.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:25]:
Yes, we're starting with the simplest habit. We're celebrating with three small wins at the end of each day. Yeah, we are all pretty good in just going to bed and thinking about what we didn't do right, what we missed on that day and what we forgot and what could have mean, maybe better on that day. I totally get it. But here's the truth. When you actually train your brain to look for what worked, you build confidence and resilience over time. So kind of looking back at the day and thinking what worked really well today? What are three things that I really enjoyed? So before you lay down, your head hits the pillow, ask yourself, what are three things I did today that moved me forward? And maybe you didn't snooze your alarm, maybe you got outside for a walk and maybe you finally sent that one email that was super important. And on your big to do list, all those things are small and they're progress and your brain needs to see that, especially when you're building momentum.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:02:38]:
So habit number one, write down three things at the end of the day that worked really well for you. Let's get to habit number two. We're starting our morning by picking up three clear priorities. And again, I want the number three. But three is like a good manageable number. So listen me out here, we are not picking more than three. We're not picking 15 priorities, not everything you've ever procrastinated on, we're picking just three. And this number actually works because it Forces clarity.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:14]:
Usually we can remember three things at the same time. It also helps you cut through the noise and say what actually matters today. And then you go and do that. Because use the magic. When you give yourself a small win early in the day, you don't spend the rest of the day playing catch up because you move with purpose and not with panic. So habit number two is write down three things that you're trying to accomplish on that day. Let's get to our third habit, and I call that habit productivity without the hype. Yeah, let's talk about productivity minus the hustle.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:56]:
If your day always feels super busy, but nothing actually moves forward, here's one shift that you can adopt. Start with a task that has the highest return, not the highest urgency. Most of us wake up and we tackle the very loudest thing. But the most important task is usually the one that's actually quiet, focused and easy to delay. So how about this? Let's pick one meaningful task and block off 25 minutes for it. No multitasking during those 25 minutes. No inbox checking, just 25 minutes of focused work. You'll actually get more done with less decision fatigue.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:43]:
So that habit number three was. Let's get started with one important task from your list. Habit number four, mindfulness for real life. Mindfulness does actually not have to be like this 30 minute guided meditation on a beach. So I know even when I say the word meditation, people are rolling their eyes and like, oh no, no, no, leave me alone. Here is what I actually coach instead. How about taking a 30 second pause before you start your workday? That's it. You sit, you take a breath, you check in.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:22]:
You don't need to clear your mind. Put on candles, take a bubble bath, put on this music, dark room and all this. No, absolutely not. You just need to notice what you're bringing into the day. So that small little shift helps you already respond instead of react. And that's what creates real calm. So a habit number four, take a 30 second break, just take a deep breath and then get started. Habit number five, digital boundaries that actually work.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:58]:
And I know this is a really hot topic, but digital wellness is not about deleting abs and living out in the woods. That's not what digital wellness is all about. Digital wellness is just creating one boundary. One, maybe not using phones during meals. That's it. Right? You don't need to go like completely crazy and feel like you are changing your whole life. You're just changing one small part of a day. You'll be Amazed.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:26]:
What changes when your brain actually gets a break from constant input. And so will your digestion, your mood and your relationship will when you put the phones away during mealtime. And this one habit opens the door to a bigger shift like tech free mornings or setting app timers. But you don't have to start there, you can start small. So let's build and let's start with that. Digital wellness during no phone meal times. So that was just habit number five, no phone meal times. Digital wellness.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:59]:
Habit number six, relationship habit. Anyone can do this one. Yeah. You want to improve your relationships in less than one minute per day. Ask yourself this, what was the best part of your day? And then think about it. You can ask your partner, your kids, your team, or even yourself what was the best part of your day? It builds connection without needing like this big sit down, post pow wow, heart to heart conversation because it shifts the focus from what's hard to what's meaningful and it makes space for these really simple positive reflections. And that's how we connect, right? We don't need to perform just asking a very simple question. What was the best part of your day? And the more you do this, the more you train that muscle and the more you will actually create connection.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:07:51]:
So habit number six, what was the best part of your day? Habit number seven, habit building that lasts. So let's come to this thing and say, how long does it really take to build a habit? And I know that's a question I get all the time, how long does it take to build a habit? The research actually says it takes around 66 days on average. But here's what I found. After 20 years of habit coaching, it's not about how fast, it's about how realistic your habit really is, right? The best habit is the one you will actually repeat. And it's not because you're forcing it, but because it fits your life. We are all really different. And depending on what habit you want to start implementing and how your life works, you need to make it stick, right? So you need to stack it on top of something you already do. For instance, you plan it on top of a habit while your coffee is brewing, right? So your top three, you're planning them out while your coffee is brewing, you're stretching while you brush your teeth.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:08:59]:
You put a post it note on your laptop to pause before diving into work. And these were all habits I just mentioned earlier. You need to make it really obvious, but the most important thing is you need to make it so simple that there is no friction to build this habit and to implement it into your existing life. So those are the kind of habits I teach inside of my petite practice method. It's not about doing more, it's about what doing what matters. And I really focus on making it very clear, make it very consistent. And we are not going to burn ourselves out because we want to start building momentum from a very small place and then really looking back and see, oh my gosh, I accomplished so much. If this episode helped you, I would love for you to share with someone who's feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin.

Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:09:51]:
And if you are ready to get started with your own petite practice, grab my free worksheet. Go to drchristiane.com and take my Discover your superpower quiz. It's a great way to reset your week and discover what is your clarity, what is your superpower. Thank you so much for tuning in here today for listening and as always, I would love your review for my podcast and I'll see you back soon here on the Happy Healthy Hustle.