We are all looking for ways to improve our lives, at work and at home. We are looking for things we can do to make our lives better and happier.

We all know that changing habits is one way to change our life. But what habit should you work on first? If you are having trouble deciding, psychologists have discovered something in the area of habits that might help you.

Psychologists have found that there are certain habits that carry a lot more punch in changing our lives than others. They call these habits keystone habits. Initiating these habits can lead to changes in many other areas as well, a kind of chain reaction in life-improving benefits.

Here are two keystone habits.

Exercise.

Yes, it’s been right in front of your nose all the time. If you don’t exercise now, you have no excuse whatsoever to put it off. Research has shown so many health benefits of exercising that it would take a small book to list them all. Here are a few of the more salient ones:

1. Lowering blood pressure, preventing diabetes, improving heart health, strengthening bones
2. Helping you live longer
3. Raising your spirits and lowering stress
4. Keeping your brain sharp
5. Strengthening your immune system

Not only that, exercise has the power to lead you into other good habits as well. When people start exercising, even as little as once a week, they begin changing other areas of their lives as well. They start eating healthier, they become more productive at work, they smoke less, they become more patient.

Gratitude.

This is the second keystone habit. It is a keystone because fostering this attitude helps you to knock out a host of negative thinking habits, along with the stress, depression and anxiety these lead to.

Practicing gratitude also leads to other good things, like

6. Exercising more regularly
7. Having fewer health issues
8. Having more self control
9. Reducing stress
10. Strengthening relationships

There are different ways to practice gratitude. One way is to keep a gratitude journal and write down the things you are grateful for. Another way is each night to either write down or mentally note three good things that happened that day.

If you are looking for work, send your resume to a recruiter at Winston Resources, one of the top staffing agencies in the city. We can help you get connected with some of New York City’s best employers. Contact us today.