5 habits to include in your routine in 2026

According to Gisele Hedler, a new routine can help control anxiety and generate more energy in the new year

The search for a new beginning, the desire to reinvent oneself and the search for new things in daily life are just some of the main goals that many Brazilians seek to achieve as a new year approaches. However, what many encounter on the journey to a new life are unforeseen events and difficulty creating habits. Unsurprisingly, new research from the University of South Australia and published in the scientific journal Healthcare highlights that new habits take at least two months to take root and, some of them, can take up to a year to integrate into daily life.

For Gisele Hedler, human behavior specialist, the ideal way to avoid getting overwhelmed by your new routine is to establish small habits that will help you evolve personally and, therefore, succeed in other areas of your life. “Understanding and harnessing the power of habit allows us to create positive changes in our lives, providing a powerful tool for achieving our long-term goals,” he says.

The main habits

The professional shares the 5 main strategies to start with small steps and change your routine in 2026:

1. Start the day positively:

“The daily practice of gratitude, recognizing the good things in life, helps us maintain a positive outlook, according to the expert. As soon as you wake up, take 5 deep breaths and be grateful for another day of life. Then, before even getting out of bed, mentally ‘walk’ through your day and visualize the results you expect from each thing,” advises Gisèle.

2. Don’t use electronic devices when you wake up:

In an age where the cell phone screen shines in front of the sun on most Brazilians’ faces as soon as they wake up, exposing yourself to natural light and stretching is becoming a positive practice. In fact, according to the human behavior professional, the brightness of the sun helps the body regulate its biological program and stretching, in turn, helps by stimulating the brain to produce certain hormones responsible for well-being.

“If you don’t have access to the outdoors, open the window and look at the sky. This habit will help you have more energy. Because the routine in contact with light will discharge the cortisol you need to start the day,” he says.

3. Spend more time away from screens:

Gisèle explains that setting aside times of the day to disconnect digitally, whether by turning off your cell phone, turning off notifications, or even putting it on airplane mode, can promote a healthy balance between the online and offline worlds.

“We are bombarded with information through social networks, we often see demotivating news, many people also compare themselves to the reality of influencers or even close friends. This can cause emotional exhaustion, because this content only focuses on the best moments of the routine, it does not reflect the whole reality,” he affirms.

4. Insert reading into the routine:

The professional encourages the habit of reading daily, whether books, articles or relevant news, even if just for five minutes. What promotes knowledge and new perspectives can also be exercise for the brain.

5. Do some soul searching:

“Ultimately, take the time to reflect on your actions, goals, and values. List everything you think wasn’t so good, how you could improve, and the coolest thing that ever happened to you. This helps you stay aligned with your goals and life goals,” Hedler concludes.