Be A Better Leader: 18 Game-Changing Daily Habits

Great leadership is all about building trust, inspiring teams and driving results. While the strategies and tools used to achieve this continue to evolve, one thing remains the same: the importance of good habits, practiced daily.

Whether related to business, career development, productivity or people management, every leader should focus on building habits that help both themselves and people in every sphere they inhabit thrive. Below, 18 members of Forbes Coaches Council share simple yet impactful daily habits that can help leaders continually up their game, always growing personally and professionally.

1. Review Daily Accomplishments

Every leader should adopt the habit of reviewing their daily accomplishments against the objectives they set for themselves and their team. Success is determined by your daily agenda, so it is very important for leaders to monitor their progress. This will help them have a firm handle on key outcomes and better manage priorities. – Erica McKenzie, Creative Brands & Concepts

2. Take A Minute To Be Grateful

Take 60 seconds every day to feel gratitude. Connect the feeling of gratitude to the values and actions displayed by people around you and find a way to acknowledge them. Being the recipient of gratitude generates a positive response, increases humanness and opens the door to seeking connectivity and deeper relationships. Building the habit cultivates trust and a culture of “you can count on me.” – Valerio Pascotto, IGEOS

3. Set Aside Time To Move

Everyone should take 20 minutes out of their day to exercise, even if it’s just simple movement. Exercise improves your memory, prevents cognitive decline, helps you sleep better and has many more benefits that will enable you to be much more productive every single day. – Cha Tekeli, Chalamode, Inc.

4. Do One Thing On Your To-Do List

Select the one thing on your to-do list that will make today feel like a win. Everyone has an overflowing task list, and time scarcity seems unrelenting. These small daily wins start to add up to big accomplishments. This feeling of progress not only gives us a felt sense of the profound impact we can have at work, but it can also serve as a strategy to prevent burnout. – Carrie Skowronski, Leadology

5. Invest Time In Continuous Learning

A habit every leader should adopt is to invest time daily in continuous learning. Enter every environment and conversation as a lifelong learner. Lifelong learning sharpens wisdom, fuels innovation and positions you to solve problems effectively, increasing your value as a leader. – Sariki Abungwo, Blesatech Consultancy Services

6. Ask What Step You Took Today Toward Your Future

A daily habit every leader should adopt is asking, “What have I done today to move toward my desired future?” It’s easy to get lost in urgent tasks, but making time for meaningful activities with longer-term impact is essential. For example, building and maintaining relationships may not seem urgent, but it is vital for lasting success personally and professionally. – Ula Ojiaku, Mezahab Group

7. Express Appreciation For Your Team

Every leader should make it a daily habit to acknowledge and appreciate their team. A simple “thank you” or recognition for effort boosts morale, fosters loyalty and creates a positive work environment. When people feel valued, they’re more engaged, productive and motivated to contribute to the team’s success. Small gestures of gratitude can have a profound impact. – Dr. Marita Kinney, BCC, Msc.D, Pure Thoughts Publishing and Wellness

8. Reflect On Successes, Challenges And Opportunities

Every leader should adopt the habit of daily reflection. Taking time to assess successes, challenges and opportunities fosters clarity, self-awareness and better decision-making. This practice helps leaders stay aligned with their goals, adapt to change and build stronger relationships, driving personal growth and team effectiveness. – Maryam Daryabegi, Innovation Bazar

9. Carve Out Time Blocks For Priority And Unexpected Tasks

One simple daily habit that really helped me get more done and feel better about my work was setting aside time each day for one priority task. Set aside a chunk of time and stick to it. To make sure I stick to my time blocks, I always leave some free space for unexpected tasks. With this space for flexibility and a time block dedicated to one specific task, I was able to accomplish much more. – Daria Rudnik, Daria Rudnik Coaching & Consulting

10. Spend Ten Minutes In Self-Reflection

One daily habit every leader should adopt is self-reflection. Spend ten minutes each day examining your thoughts, behaviors and decisions. This practice enhances self-awareness, helping you recognize strengths, address blind spots and understand how your actions impact others. Consistent self-reflection fosters empathy, continuous personal growth and ultimately, more effective leadership. – Mo Khan, MentorMeet.com

11. Perform Self-Care

Take time for self-care in whatever form works best. If leaders cannot take care of themselves and their needs, they will never be able to fully invest in others. – Ed Brzychcy, Lead from the Front

12. Remember Why You Are Leading

Starting every day by asking, “Why am I leading?” helps us to enter into a leadership mindset. It reminds us of our purpose and the qualities needed to lead effectively, keeping us focused on our mission and helping us model the way of a great leader. – Sarat Chakravarthi, LeadYouth Education

13. Pause And Look Back

Pause once a day and look backward. What progress has been made so far? We often focus on looking ahead, but as I recently heard in a training session—the horizon moves with us and never seems to get closer. So look back, and then use that reflection in any aspect of your business to remind your team of the progress they have made and obstacles they have overcome. It is an energy boost! – Brianna Jackson, Sonas

14. Prioritize Rest

Every leader should prioritize daily rest, as it’s the foundation of sustained excellence. Rest restores energy, sharpens focus and fosters resilience, ensuring you lead with clarity and creativity. At rest, leaders find the strength to inspire and perform at their best. – Krystyna Larrave

15. Listen To Others’ Voices

A daily habit every leader should adopt is curiosity through active listening. Always aim to speak less than the person you’re talking to and ask questions more than you make statements. This fosters trust, uncovers insights and promotes empathy and inclusion. Leaders create environments where innovation, collaboration and trust thrive by prioritizing others’ voices. – Alex Draper, DX Learning Solutions

16. Write Down What You Accomplish

Give yourself time to reflect at the end of every workday. Even if it’s just ten minutes of journaling at the end of each workday, take time to reflect and, ideally, write down what you accomplished. Especially when you’re working overly hard and feel like you’re just putting out fires, it is important to reflect on what you are accomplishing. – Carol Geffner, Geffner Group, LLC

17. Align Your Purpose With The Task At Hand

Take a moment each day to consciously align your purpose with the task or activity you’re focused on. Remind yourself of the bigger picture: why you’re doing what you’re doing and how it connects to your broader goals. This simple act of alignment ensures that even the smallest tasks feel meaningful and intentional and helps you maintain motivation and clarity throughout the day. – Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC

18. Dedicate Time To Strategic Thought

Dedicate focused time for strategic thinking. Amid the daily rush of tasks and decisions, leaders often get caught in reactive modes, leaving little room for proactive, big-picture planning. Setting aside 15 to 30 minutes each day for uninterrupted strategic thought helps leaders achieve better results. – Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu, Motiva International