Over the years, I have asked my coaching clients about the habits they practice daily to ensure any given day is successful.

It’s important to practice habits like this consistently to gain the cumulative effect of them in your life because you become invested in these non-negotiables, and they become the foundation for everything else you do in the day.

Outside of work

• Exercising regularly: This habit was mentioned most often by my clients. Some choose to exercise in the morning, others at lunchtime to rejuvenate their afternoons, and others right after work. The time of day varies depending on your work schedule, family activities and whether you’re a morning person.   
• Journaling: Writing down feelings, learnings and the chronology of your life often helps clients vent, process their emotions or serves as a way to see how far they or a situation has come. 
• Drinking more water: Keep a water bottle or Hydro Flask always within arm’s reach.
• Eating healthier: I learned most of my clients make small changes, from cutting out sugar to eating breakfast daily to intermittent fasting. Small changes tend to have a higher success rate, too. 
• Going to sleep earlier; getting up earlier: In other words, folks aren’t finding they get more accomplished by tagging on extra hours at night. Instead they’d rather “get after it” first thing in the morning to guarantee optimal productivity. 
• Doing spiritual practices: Some found Bible-reading, meditation or prayer set the tone for a great day by setting positive intentions and a peaceful mindset. 
• Prioritizing me time: Solitude without obligations to family or anyone else is great for personal recharging. It does need to be scheduled otherwise other “priorities” nose their way in and steal the time slot. 

At work

• Refreshing the to-do list, then setting priorities and reminders: I learned that some kind of daily review or preview was a key for success. Clients wanted to stay current with what tasks were most important to pursue and avoid letting them fall off their radar screens. A daily review of the day’s tasks accomplishes this.
• Checking in/engaging with someone: Especially when teleworking, it takes effort to connect with a colleague, supervisor or direct report. Doing so ensures you’re still on the same page, heading toward the same objectives.
• Allotting uninterrupted blocks of time for productivity; getting action items crossed off the list; getting a project to a milestone: This is one of my favorite and most helpful habits. Clients agreed blocking time for specific tasks is a time management superpower. Honoring these appointments with yourself takes discipline, but the results are completed tasks – a great reward!
• Allotting uninterrupted blocks of time for strategic thinking: Most leaders know they need this time, but it’s tough to protect the time for thinking through ideas or next steps or a better vision for the future of the organization or team. 
• Following up: This habit builds trust when you do what you say you will do. It’s also important for closing loops, and for assuring delegated tasks are moving toward completion. It builds accountability with the team and shows the employee’s role is important and they are not forgotten. 
• Responding to communications promptly: Clients understand when they don’t respond in a reasonable time to staff email, they become the bottleneck to someone getting their task or project completed so answer those emails and text messages.
• Staying organized: Letting paperwork or email get out of control only doubles your stress. Make systems for everything – and work your systems daily – to stay on top of everything
• Developing a team member, matching their strengths to tasks: Great leaders spend a little time each day helping a team member move forward on their goals or career plan. They help overcome obstacles or make connections for a team member. They also point them to resources for growth.
• Bringing energy, enthusiasm inspiration to someone else: Teams become shadows of their leaders so by projecting enthusiasm onto others, it can become contagious – and who wants to follow an uninspired leader?

As you read through this list of personal and professional habits, how many of them do you practice regularly? 

As you begin 2026, what new routines do you want to incorporate? 

It’s equally important to consider the behaviors you have right now. Take a moment to reflect on which habits are truly serving you – and which ones may be holding you back. Small, consistent shifts will create meaningful momentum over time. The habits you choose to strengthen now will shape not only your results this year, but the leader and person you are becoming.

Paul D. Casey lives in the Tri-Cities and is the owner of Growing Forward Services, which aims to equip and coach leaders and teams to spark breakthrough success.