As an adult-aged toddler, I realized I had two choices: chaos or systems.
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Here are 10 simple, science-backed habit hacks from a recovered garbage person.
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1. The Reset Ritual – Messed up? No shame, just data. Instead of waiting for Monday, reset at the next meal, next hour, or next morning. Tiny restarts keep the momentum alive. (Example: Ate something off-plan for lunch? No big deal—create a little reset ritual like a quick walk to the mailbox, recite a pre-decided “script” like “thanks for reminding me I don’t like how that feels.” Then make your immediate next meal a good one instead of spiraling into 'I'll start Monday.')
2. The Laundry Zero Strategy – Decide your laundry personality type: one-a-day-er. Or batcher. Either do one load a day or batch it on a dedicated laundry day—just pick a system and stick to it. (Example: If you’re a daily person, start the washer before coffee. If you batch, make ‘Laundry Sunday’ a thing and pair with a good bingeble podcast.)
3. The Two-Minute Rule – If it takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. This stops small tasks from snowballing into stress. (Example: Hanging up a coat or wiping down a counter—tiny tasks add up fast.)
4. The Sweet Spot Home Rule – Keep your space "one hour from hosting"—not perfect, just ready enough. (Example: your house doesn’t need to be a museum. There will be daily “expected mess”, but if you could pull it together to host in one hour, you’re in the sweet spot.)
5. Brain Dump for Spirals – When your thoughts feel like a chaotic Google Chrome tab explosion, write everything down. Clarity is one list away. (Example: If you're spiraling about work, write down everything on your mind. Then sort by 'urgent' and 'not urgent.')
6. Decide in Advance to Go Off-Plan (on Purpose) – Have a solid daily plan, but when special occasions come up, decide beforehand what’s worth it. Stay in control while still enjoying life. (Example: Enjoy your grandma’s famous lasagna, but skip the stale office donuts that aren’t even that good.)
7. The Ten-Minute Limit – If you wish you were up before the kids, but it feels daunting, try just ten minutes before. (Example: I have a go-to “uniform”, minimalist makeup routine, and a sleek ponytail “look” that makes me feel ready for the day with low effort.)
8. The Dish-Zero Rule – Decide once and forever that you will set the dishwasher every night before bed, then empty it every morning as the coffee brews. This way you never have to overthink dishes again. They are always under control.
9. The One-Touch Rule – Don’t put it down, put it away. This applies to mail, laundry, and the 37 coffee cups on your desk. (Example: Walk in with a jacket? Put it in the closet, not over the chair, then moved to the counter, then moved to the closet. That’s three touches. Just touch once. Don't put down, put away.)
10. Make Space Default – Instead of deciding what to get rid of, pretend EVERYTHING goes and decide what to keep. (Example: Cleaning your bathroom drawer? Dump it all out and only put back what you actually use.)
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You don’t need to do all 10 today—just pick one and see what happens. (Spoiler: Good things.)

Which habit are you trying first? Hit reply and let me know—I love hearing what sticks!

xoxo, Katie Day

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P.S. Want more practical, science-backed habits that actually make life easier? Check out my Love your Habits Masterclass—where I detail everything I’ve ever learned about making habits stick! It’s inside the Habit Lab! See you in there!
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Up Next:​ ​ March: We started our March Challenge inside the Habit Lab: MARGIN: A Distracted Girls' Guide to Time Management​ ​ Tuesday, Mar 11: Group Coaching with Katie! Inside the Habit Lab! Join the lab then join us on zoom!​ ​​ ​Friday, Mar 28: Live Improv Comedy Show at Mother's Brewery Barrel Room. I'll be there making up a musical on the spot! Come and hang out after! ​ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ​ ​Work with me!​ ​ ​1:1 Coaching: I'd love to be your transformation ally! (You also get access to my signature Love Your Habits mastercourse!) Hit reply and we'll get started! ​ ​Group Coaching Community: I offer group coaching at an affordable rate through The Habit Lab. Included are my signature Love Your Habits Masterclass, daily posts and check-in's, and I lead live zoom calls twice a month. Join us. You're right on time.

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"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."

— James Clear

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