List your habits for living and leading well everyday

November 10th, 2025
by Jim LaDoux

Living well and leading well doesn’t happen by accident—they’re built on rhythms, habits, and intentional choices repeated over time. The most fulfilled people and the most effective leaders I meet aren’t relying on willpower or inspiration alone. They’ve created small routines that shape their energy, their relationships, and their impact.

Below is a collection of 75 daily, weekly, or monthly habits that help me live and lead well. They’re organized into categories so you can pick the ones that best fit your life, ministry, coaching practice, or leadership setting. Think of these as “everyday experiments”—simple actions that create meaningful shifts.

EVERYDAY LIVING WELL HABITS

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL Wealth Habits

Recite my 5 core values daily; write a one-sentence daily intention.
Journal twice a day - learnings, ideas, delights, best moments, what’s on my mind.
Read 2 chapters in a book, listen to book/podcast while walking.
Set a “learning goal” for the week and track what you notice.
Identify and protect a daily “quiet hour” of no interruptions.
Limit news and social media to defined windows each day.
Name and address a loose end/project that needs my attention.
End the day with no emails in my inbox.

SOCIAL/ RELATIONAL Wealth Habits

Send one encouraging text or note every morning.
Do a 10-minute “presence check” before key conversations.
Schedule one meaningful conversation each week.
Have a weekly family or household check-in.
Express appreciation to someone daily.
Initiate one invitation each week (coffee, walk, check-in).
Eat at least one meal each week with people you love.
Practice active listening in one conversation every day.

PHYSICAL/SPIRITUAL Wealth Habits

Walk or move your body for at least 20 minutes daily.
Track your sleep for awareness.
Practice a short morning or evening centering ritual.
Spend 10 minutes outdoors every day.
Drink a glass of water upon waking.
Stretch or walk for 3–5 minutes every hour.
Check weight daily; track food consumption.
Schedule quarterly Dexascan reports.

FINANCIAL/HOME Wealth Habits

Review progress on my top 3 financial priorities once a month.
Update financial records/balances once a month.
Review all credit card transactions once a month.
Transfer a $25 a week to Spring Break savings account.
Set a monthly “deep dive” session to explore living outside of USA.
Meet with financial planner once a year.

TIME Wealth Habits

Plan your top 3 priorities for the day every morning.
Schedule 1 hour/day to update records/organize items.
Do a daily 10-minute declutter of a room, digital file, or inbox.
Batch similar tasks to save time (emails, Canva, webwork)
Set aside two hours a day for deep work.
Review week: list what to add or delete from my plans/schedule.
Set a weekly “vision hour” to think, plan, and dream.
Review week: What worked? What didn’t? What matters next?

EVERYDAY LEADING WELL HABITS

LEADERSHIP IDENTITY & PRESENCE HABITS

Ask yourself: How do I want to show up today?
Practice being the non-anxious presence in one key meeting.
Reflect nightly on moments you showed up as your best self.
Identify one leadership habit to practice each week.
Do a brief “presence reset” before important conversations.
Commit to one learning activity each day (article, podcast, book).
Track your influence by noting who you encouraged this week.

COMMUNICATION & CLARITY HABITS

Start each meeting with a clear purpose.
End every meeting with next steps, owners, and timelines.
Send a concise weekly update to your team or board.
Practice one powerful question every day.
Give honest feedback at least once each week.
Communicate expectations before a project begins.
Speak last in difficult conversations.
Clarify priorities daily with your team or direct reports.

RELATIONSHIPS & TRUST HABITS

Have at least one weekly check-in with a team member.
Celebrate one team win every day.
Address small conflicts within 72 hours.
Ask someone weekly how you can support them better.
Walk around and connect informally with staff or volunteers.
Practice active listening in every 1:1.
Write a personal note of thanks/encouragement weekly to one staff member.
Invite people to challenge your ideas safely once per week.

DECISION-MAKING & FOCUS HABITS

Choose and communicate the top 3 priorities for the week.
Review decisions weekly: What worked? What didn’t?
Use values as filters whenever making decisions.
Schedule a daily focus block with no distractions.
Evaluate new tasks with the question, “Is this essential?”
Conduct a weekly reflection on time spent vs. mission aligned.
Ask weekly: What should I stop doing?

TEAM HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT HABITS

Delegate one meaningful responsibility each week.
Meet weekly with a leader you are developing.
Invite team members to lead parts of meetings.
Share leadership wins publicly, not privately.
Conduct mini-retros weekly (“What helped? What hindered?”).
Review team goals and progress every Monday.
Affirm team members’ strengths weekly.

CLOSING THOUGHT
Living well and leading well are not grand achievements—they’re patterns. Our habits shape our identity, our relationships, and the impact we leave on others. When we repeat small, meaningful actions, we create the kind of life and leadership that feel aligned, grounded, and deeply intentional.

Start with one or two habits. Practice them as weekly experiments. Let the results guide your next steps. Over time, these small rhythms become the foundation of a life you love and leadership that truly makes a difference.

QUESTIONS | APPLICATIONS

Which habits resonate most with your current season of life or leadership?
What’s one habit you could start this week that would make the biggest difference?
What habits might you need to stop—or renegotiate—to make room for what matters most?
Who could support you or hold you accountable as you build new rhythms?
How might practicing these habits shift the culture of your home, team, or congregation?

Posted in 1 | Live Well, 2 | Lead Well, Everyday Reinvention