James Clear’s best-selling book, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, has captured the attention of millions around the world, with over 9 million copies sold. Its appeal lies in its straightforward approach to habit formation, emphasizing that small, incremental changes to our daily routines can lead to significant improvements over time.

In his book, Clear writes, “It is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis. It is only when looking back 2 or 5 or 10 years later that the value of good habits and the cost of bad ones becomes strikingly apparent.” His message is clear: achieving success doesn’t require drastic changes, just a commitment to getting 1% better every day.

But making those changes can be daunting. Many of us struggle with breaking old habits or adopting new ones. However, there are a number of simple, everyday practices that can have a lasting impact. A Reddit thread recently sparked an engaging discussion on life hacks that have become daily routines, with over 5,300 responses. The most popular suggestions were surprisingly easy to implement and offered tangible benefits for common challenges like maintaining a clean home, fostering good sleep habits, and managing technology use.

Here are 17 of the best life hacks shared by Reddit users that anyone can try:

• “I flip my pill bottles after taking them to remember if I’ve taken them or not—especially useful if I take the same pill in the morning and at night.” — [deleted]
• “Sleeping with a pillow between my knees stopped my lower back pain.” — fiddyk50
• “Don’t put it down, put it away.” — arcady
• “Washing dishes while cooking has become second nature, and now I just do it to keep my kitchen clean.” — devatrox
• “I bought 24 pairs of the same socks to avoid mismatched pairs, and now it’s so easy to get dressed!” — familiarfate01
• “Before sleep, I review my day and reflect on the positives. It helps me feel accomplished and fall asleep faster.” — anderoogigwhore
• “Instead of apologizing for venting, I say ‘thank you’ for listening. It has improved my relationships.” — thegracefuldork
• “I keep my alarm clock across the room so I have to get out of bed to turn it off.” — soik90
• “Brushing my teeth as part of my daughter’s bedtime routine has helped me avoid late-night snacking.” — petethepianist
• “During break time from work, I do simple chores like dusting or vacuuming to give my mind a rest.” — drakeallthethings
• “Preparing everything the night before—like laying out clothes, packing lunch, and organizing my backpack—makes mornings much less stressful.” — KomodoJoe3
• “Drinking more water has made a huge difference in how I feel and sleep. It’s a simple habit that really works.” — 2020isanightmare
• “If a task takes less than a minute, I just do it.” — evelynmtz821
• “When I put something down, I say out loud where I’ve placed it, which helps me remember later.” — -eDgaAR-
• “I’ve learned to ignore people I don’t want to interact with, saving energy and mental space.” — ClubZen
• “I’ve learned to pause and reflect before reacting in anger. It’s helped me manage my temper and reduce unnecessary conflict.” — IraPirate
• “Waking up two hours earlier has made me way more productive and has changed my whole day.” — TysonGoesOutside

These life hacks are reminders that it’s not always the big moments that shape our lives, but the small, consistent habits that gradually lead to improvement. By adopting just a few of these simple changes, anyone can enhance their productivity, well-being, and overall quality of life—one small step at a time.