Resources to instil positive daily habits

These days staying positive with good habits is more important than ever before. Happily, resources to help everyone keep up with the new normal are everywhere on the internet. From apps that help you focus to books that inspire, to podcasts that make you think. There is a gadget or a blog to suit every situation and personality. Here are a few of the best resources for making good habits stick:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

An early influencer in the productivity game, the late author Stephen Covey identified the traits shared by accomplished high achievers. For instance, being proactive and "begin with the end in mind" – in his classic 1989 book. He theorizes that we mortals can adopt many of the same habits in order to court success. It has a natural companion piece in Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit from 2011, a more recent offering that explores how habits are made and broken. Still, you can't beat the original for common sense advice and inspirational case studies. Seven Habits remains a bestseller to this day because it avoids trends in favor of solid solutions.

RescueTime app

We're all slaves to our devices, our smartphones, and our computers. It would likely astonish most people to learn just how much time they spend surfing, liking, and hunting down just he perfect emoji when they should really be working. That's where the RescueTime app comes in. By tracking the time you spend in various digital sectors, the app teaches you how to focus on what really matters, and then reinforces it with goal setting and alerts. Designed for mobile and desktop, the app was crowned by PC Magazine as one of the best productivity apps they have ever tested.

Mediband

Wearable technology is the very real next wave in healthcare and well being tracking, keeping vital statistics that are pertinent to the wearer's health and happiness literally at their fingertips.  Mediband, a company based in NSW, aims to go a different direction and make wearable medical IDs fashionable and fun. Their silicone-based personal alert jewelry identifies whether the wearer has an allergy, or epilepsy, or any of a number of other conditions. Because they are designed to be bold and colorful pieces of personal fashion, younger patients are more apt to wear them than traditional alert tags or bracelets. And that makes the wearers more likely to take their medication regularly and seek help if they need it.

Serene app

For a little assistance with getting your focus back, the macOS app Serene is designed to help define daily goals, block distractions such as social media cruising, and mobile phones, and generally get stuff done. Especially helpful for remote workers and freelancers, everyone can benefit from Serene's smart interface. Even those working in teams.

One of the biggest problems facing workers is procrastination. Serene teaches you how to set goals, but also how to break them down into manageable bites. And this increases the likelihood that you'll make progress and actually achieve what you've set out to do. And you can analyze that progress and set longer-term goals with a weekly report. It's like having your own personal motivational coach. Free to try out, Serene requires a very modest monthly subscription fee with only one tier for all the features.

The Tim Ferriss Show

The author of the best-selling 4-Hour Work Week and self-proclaimed 'human guinea pig', Ferriss blogs weekly about his adventures in all things self-improvement and productivity. From interviews with some the greats, including Steve Jobs and Tony Robbins, to test driving the latest productivity gadgets and tools, this collection of 300-odd podcasts combines the mundane with the inspired. Ferriss is enthusiastic and energetic, and a great storyteller to boot, all in the effort to get listeners to break old habits, try new ways of reaching their goals, and have a bit of fun along the way. It's Apple's number 1 business blog, but Ferriss offers so much more than corporate wisdom.

Lumo Lift

If you miss your mother telling you to sit up straight, look into this tiny posture coach. It may be all you need to get into the habit of sitting and standing tall. Lumo Lift is a sensor that attaches to your skin just below the collar bone. It vibrates when you slouch. That's it. Well, it does network with your smartphone to track and analyze your daily activity and posture successes. But we love its simplicity.

Handpicked

Just a single offering from the one woman inspirational empire that is Naomi Simson, Handpicked is a subscription-based newsletter for which the Shark Tank judge curates a monthly selection of blogs, reports, videos, and podcasts. The author of the best-selling books Live What You Love and Ready to Soar, Simson also blogs and runs an information clearinghouse for entrepreneurs called Red Balloon for Business, as well as heading up the marketing firm Big Red Group. You could do worse than get all your aspirational and productivity tips from this powerhouse of business wisdom and lifestyle ingenuity.

Pip Stress Management Device

Because the times are stressful, we all need to be mindful of how it can impact our health and happiness. One gadget that can help, now and when things fully return to a fast-paced normal, is this small biofeedback monitor. Pip works with the wonderfully expressive skin of your fingertips to track stress levels and then networks with your smart device to offer calming tips and relaxation exercises. HIPPA compliant and discreet, this tool can be valuable for teaching the stressed out (i.e. all of us) to chill out for better productivity every day.

We all have habits. Good ones, bad ones – they are part of the human condition. Because developing good habits that enhance productivity and well being – and breaking bad ones that have negative side effects – is so important in our unsettled times, you can probably use all the help you can get. There may be some trial and error involved in finding the best strategies for your personality and circumstances, but the potential for improving the quality of your life makes it worth the effort.