Master Chi has been busy with content lately, but came across an article today that compiles life advice from various authoritative institutions around the world — both domestic and international.
With 40 tips in all, we can’t possibly follow every one. But a quick scan is always worthwhile as a reference.
- Exercise 30 minutes daily (The Lancet)
- Get 7–9 hours of sleep (The Sleep Revolution)
- Read one book per week (Yale University)
- Learn one new skill per year (Max Planck Institute)
- Meditate for 20 minutes each morning (Massachusetts General Hospital)
- Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables (New England Journal of Medicine)
- See 3 friends per week (Harvard University)
- Write a gratitude journal before bed (University of California)
- Save 20% of your income (Berkshire Hathaway)
- Post your goals on the refrigerator (Dominican University)
- Take a walk in the park on weekends (University of Exeter)
- Count to 10 silently before speaking when angry (Carnegie Foundation)
- Switch your phone to grayscale mode (Stanford Attention Lab)
- Volunteer once a month (University of Michigan)
- Try unfamiliar routes (psychologists)
- Write a weekly review (Wharton School)
- Smile before answering the phone (University of California)
- Keep only one credit card (credit reports)
- Write stream-of-consciousness when under stress (trauma treatment experts)
- Leave your phone in the living room at night (Penn Behavioral Lab)
- Drink enough water daily — 2–3 liters (British Journal of Nutrition)
- Practice deep breathing exercises regularly (Harvard Medical School)
- Get 15 minutes of sunlight daily to improve vitamin D levels (Nature journal)
- Share dinner with family 3 times per week (Columbia University)
- Learn a musical instrument (Frontiers in Neuroscience)
- Tidy your room for 10 minutes daily (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology)
- Practice mindful eating (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
- Do a weekly “digital detox” — reduce screen time (Annals of Behavioral Medicine)
- Compliment someone every day (Journal of Positive Psychology)
- Regularly review your career plan (McKinsey research)
- Cultivate a hobby that costs nothing (Journal of Happiness Studies)
- Give yourself 2 hours of alone time per week (Psychological Science)
- Decline meaningless social obligations (Journal of Social Psychology)
- Learn basic financial literacy (Federal Reserve economic research)
- Do one thing each day your future self will thank you for — like planning ahead (Journal of Behavioral Decision Making)
- Practice the “5-Second Rule” to overcome procrastination (Mel Robbins research)
- Get regular health checkups (The Lancet Public Health)
- Spend more time with positive people — emotional contagion theory (Nature Human Behaviour)
- Learn one phrase in a foreign language daily — builds cognitive reserve (Brain and Language)
- Avoid serious discussions in the hour before bed — improves sleep quality (Sleep Medicine Reviews)