Ways to use this list
- Habit of the week: spin on Sunday evening, put the habit on a sticky note by the kettle or the mirror, and tick each day you manage it.
- Writers building a character: spin one quirk and one bad habit, then write a short scene where both show up without being named.
- Drama and improv games: each actor secretly spins a quirk and plays it in a scene, while the audience tries to guess what it is.
- Classroom routines: spin a good habit for the class to practise for a week, like packing bags the night before or putting things back where they live.
- Family check-in: everyone spins one habit, and at dinner each night people share how theirs is going.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (32 entries)
- Make your bed each morning
- Read ten pages a day
- Tidy for five minutes before bed
- Write a to-do list each morning
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom
- Lay out tomorrow's clothes
- Learn one new word a day
- Say thank you to someone each day
- Take a short walk after lunch
- Write one line in a journal
- Pack your bag the night before
- Practise an instrument for ten minutes
- Spend ten minutes outside
- Message one friend each week
- Wash up straight after dinner
- Put things back where they live
- Do the hardest task first
- Plan the week every Sunday
- Read instead of scrolling before bed
- Keep a notebook for ideas
- Unsubscribe from one email list a day
- Say good morning to everyone at home
- Note three good things before sleep
- Learn one fact a day
- Doodle for five minutes
- Water the plants on the same day each week
- Hang up your coat when you come in
- Clear the table after meals
- Stand up and stretch every hour
- Keep your keys in the same spot
- Look back on your day for two minutes
- Turn off notifications while you work
Questions people ask
How long does it take to form a habit?
Longer than the popular "21 days". A well-known study at University College London found new daily habits took 66 days on average to feel automatic, with a huge range from 18 to 254 days. Missing a single day made little difference.
How do I make a new habit stick?
Attach it to something you already do every day, such as "after I put the kettle on, I write one line in my journal". Start smaller than feels useful, and keep whatever you need for it in plain sight.
Can it give me habits for a story character?
Yes. Press Character quirks for harmless oddities, such as humming while thinking, or Character bad habits for flaws that cause trouble, like always running late. A habit shows who someone is without the narrator having to say it.
Why would anyone want a random bad habit?
Mostly for stories, drama and role-play games: a hero who interrupts or a villain who drums on the table is easier to picture and remember. For more ways to build a character, try the random character flaw generator.