75 Adults Share Their Best ‘Cheat Codes’ That Make Grownup Life More Bearable

In our experience, your priority should be to get the basics right. The simplest things can have the biggest impact on your well-being, energy levels, and general day-to-day quality of life—things like getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, eating nutritious food, getting lots of movement, and staying social.

However, ‘simple’ doesn’t mean ‘easy.’ It is ferociously hard to force yourself to exercise, meet up with friends, or cook dinner when you’re already exhausted.

So, you need to develop new, healthier habits. You will need a few things for this. First of all, focus on developing one new healthy habit at a time, step by step, so you’re not overwhelmed and demotivated.

Next, you need some self-compassion because you will stumble and fall along the way. One missed gym session or a fast-food meal won’t wreck all of your progress… so long as you learn from your mistake, don’t beat yourself over it, and do a bit better next time.

And third, try to see the bigger picture you’re working toward. The healthiest habits in the world won’t mean much if you don’t see any purpose in them and you’re miserable all the friggin’ time.

Regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, and an active social life mean that you’ll be happier, healthier, and live a longer, higher-quality life. And that’s a worthy goal for anyone.

How long it takes for you to form a new habit depends a ton on a range of factors. For one, the habit itself matters, as simpler behaviors are easier to turn into unconscious behavior patterns. Not only that, but it also makes a difference how you approach the habit-forming process, how adaptable you are as a person, how well you’re able to focus, etc.

As Scientific American stresses, no matter how long it takes for you, as an individual, to build a habit, the key at the core of the process remains the same: repetition. Constant, daily repetition is the biggest factor that influences whether a behavior becomes a part of your automatic daily routine.

However, consistency is tough to maintain after your initial excitement and motivation wear off. So, it helps if you have a specific plan for doing the activity and have some sort of accountability. The more specific you are, the better. You might vow to go to the gym 3 times each week or study a new language for 30 minutes every day. Meanwhile, if you have a person or an app that monitors your progress, you’re more likely to continue doing that activity. It’s also a major motivational boost if you’re actually interested in the activity itself, instead of just thinking that it’s something you ‘should’ be doing.

For example, exercise is great for your physical, mental, and emotional health. But jogging or tennis, no matter how trendy they are among your friends, might not be enjoyable for you. Maybe you prefer mountain hiking, biking, swimming, or yoga. Do what you like, so long as it gets you moving.

Which of these life hacks piqued your interest the most? Which ones are you going to try out today?

What are the biggest challenges that you face as an adult? Are they related to work, parenting, health, relationships, hobbies, or something else entirely?

Meanwhile, what is the best adult ‘cheat code’ you use every day that has seriously raised the quality of your life that you wish everyone else knew about, too?

We’ll be waiting in the comments below to read your words of wisdom.