A science-backed 21-day program to be happier, healthier, and more successful

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So you want to be happier, healthier, and more successful?

You don't necessarily need to resolve to change your life at the New Year — you can do it any time. But faced with unlimited advice and little time to spare, it's hard to know where to start.

The following 21-day self-improvement program is designed for busy people. It features a few habits that will make a big difference if you can get started with them, along with a bunch of tasks that most of us have probably been putting off for too long.

You can start on any Monday and should complete the actions on their specified day when possible. We recommend embarking on this challenge with at least one other person, so you'll have more fun and keep each other in check.

The following slides go through the days and the science behind them in detail.

This is an updated version of a post. Drake Baer contributed to a previous version.

MONDAY, DAY 1: Floss your teeth. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

Believe it or not, as many as 60% of Americans don't floss every day. Yet this core dental hygiene technique will clean your teeth and gums of plaque, protecting your teeth as you age and saving you on dental bills. Some studies have even found that flossing is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.

If you are one of the people who don't floss, make today the day you start doing it consistently.

How can you get in the habit?

Stanford psychologist B.J. Fogg is one of the foremost researchers on habit formation. The takeaway from all his work: Floss one tooth.

If you're trying to form a habit, it can be helpful to start as small as possible, with a minimum viable habit. The point, Fogg emphasizes, is to insert the structure of the activity in your day, rather than doing it perfectly every time. This way of thinking works for all habits, and it works for flossing, too — though if you floss the whole mouth, you'll be doing even better.

TUESDAY, DAY 2: Break a sweat. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

Exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle drug. It can improve heart health, memory, sleep, and sexual performance — among other things.

Even just a little bit of exercise has huge benefits. Research shows that running just five to 10 minutes a day can add years to your life, and if you establish that habit now, you can build on it.

A seven-minute workout using interval training could make a huge difference, too, and longer workouts are obviously great as well.

The key is finding a workout you can stick to. But there's no shame in starting small.

WEDNESDAY, DAY 3: Write in a journal. Do it every day for the rest of this program.

Psychologists have been studying "expressive writing," or journaling about difficult moments in your life, for a few decades. They've found that a few minutes journaling improves everything from your mood to immune system to sporting performance. Psychology researchers have repeatedly found that keeping a "gratitude journal" can improve well-being.

It works for work, too: A Harvard Business School study found that people who wrote about their jobs improved their performance by 23%.

"When people have the opportunity to reflect, they experience a boost in self-efficacy," said HBS professor Francesca Gino. "They feel more confident that they can achieve things. As a result, they put more effort into what they're doing and what they learn."

So as a part of this life-improvement adventure, try reflecting on your day. You can also take the opportunity to look at the tasks that lie ahead and start making plans for the ones that require preparation.

If you find journaling to be useful, keep it up.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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