The One Productivity Boosting Habit That Will Improve Your Day, By Enneagram Type

It can be hard to change your day-to-day schedule with a hectic lifestyle, but sometimes all you need is a little push to make your day better. To start improving your day in a simple, effective way, you can incorporate one new habit and see a big difference. To find an easy habit you can start practicing right away, why not look at your personality type? 

Here, we’re using Enneagram types to figure out your perfect productivity-boosting habit. They are guaranteed to improve your mood and your day! 

Enneagram Type 1: Prioritize

If you’re an Enneagram Type 1, your core motivation is to be a good person and live your life well with purpose. You fear being anything but perfect, and deep down, you’re also afraid of being seen as a “bad” person by others around you. Since Type 1s are all about doing things the right way, your structured perfectionism and diligence are major strengths. 

Type 1s can improve their day by spending a few minutes prioritizing their daily tasks. For example, they might use a symbol or letter to label each item on their list, such as ‘A’ for top priority, ‘B’ for secondary importance, ‘C’ for third, and ‘D’ for tasks that are not necessary to complete that day. By removing the pressure to do everything on their list each day, a Type One will be productive but won’t overdo it.  

Enneagram Type 2: Personalize

Type 2 is "The Giver," a personality type most concerned with helping others and feeling like they belong due to their desire to be loved and appreciated. By doing things for loved ones, the Enneagram Type 2 feels fulfilled, but they’re terrified of being "unlovable" and alone. If you’re a Type 2, you’re a caring, helpful person who’s the focal point of other peoples’ lives, thanks to your giving attitude, but you also need to remember to do things for yourself sometimes. 

A helpful habit for a Type 2? Start the morning with a routine just for you. Try to incorporate your favorite activities or positive affirmations to remind yourself that you’re important. You don’t need others to be a whole person, and this gentle act of self-care can help remind you of your value. 

Enneagram Type 3: Unplug

If you’re an Enneagram Type 3, you’re called "The Achiever" for a reason. Your motivation is to become successful, and you’re an ambitious go-getter who will stop at nothing to make that happen. Your deepest fears are that you’ll be unsuccessful or an outright "failure," so you spend your time looking for achievements that make you feel valuable. 

Type 3s should try to incorporate a stress-busting routine in their day to feel more zen because their schedule is packed! Find something that works for you to relieve a bit of stress. Try unplugging from social media and technology for an hour, reading a book, or exercising to boost your mood. 

Enneagram Type 4: Check in with yourself

"The Individualist" personality type is all about being unique from others. If you’re a Type 4, you strive to make a mark on the world, proving that you aren’t like everyone else. Because of your sense of individuality, you’re creative to boot and often a highly sensitive person. You hope your perfect art form will get you recognized, and your emotions tend to rule you. At the core, a Type 4 fears they’re inherently flawed, unable to experience happiness as others do.  

To improve their day, a Type 4 should devote some time to channeling their emotions in a healthy way. For example, they may want to journal each day to check in with how they’re feeling or engage in a creative hobby to relieve some pent-up stress.

Enneagram Type 5: Implement

Type 5s are dedicated to being self-sufficient and seeking as much knowledge as possible. Their love for raw facts and data earns them the nickname "The Investigator." Their greatest wish is to continue expanding their intellect and understanding of the world. They keep people at a distance because they fear being too drained by their needs and the needs of others.

If you’re a Type 5, try to commit some time to implement the knowledge you’ve acquired. Break out of your comfort zone and expand your work beyond the research. For instance, if you learned something about the natural habitat near your home, explore it on a hike. See what you can find and how much you recognize in nature.

Enneagram Type 6: Be mindful

The Enneagram Type 6 desires safety and they’re excellent at spotting problems before they occur. If you’re a Type 6, you’re loyal to those you trust and seek out allyships with institutions that provide security to your community. Your ultimate fear is that you’ll be unprepared for danger, which spurs on your need for vigilance and problem-solving. 

Type 6s can find peace by practicing a mindfulness technique during the day. Since these types are always aware of their surroundings to the point of anxiety, developing a habit of mindfulness, yoga, simple deep breathing, or meditation may help them reduce stress and relieve tension. 

Enneagram Type 7: Plan ahead

The Enneagram Type 7 wants to glean all the good stuff out of life. "The Enthusiast" fears boredom, sadness, and missing out on what life has to offer, so they’re often flitting from one new experience to the next, seeking out thrills, sights, and adventures. 

If you’re a Type 7, spend some time envisioning your latest goals on paper. You tend to live in the moment, but you don’t always plan far enough ahead to make things happen. Keep a journal to write down bucket list items that you want to check off of your list so you can start scratching things off! 

Enneagram Type 8: Create a roadmap

"The Challenger" is the activist of the Enneagram, so they spend an ample amount of time fighting for the causes in which they believe in an attempt to control their environment. The independent Type 8 prefers to stay in control at all times and question authority because they fear being powerless. If this sounds like you, your strength is remaining strong and standing up for underdogs and oppressed members of society.

A habit Type 8s can start implementing into their routine? Keep a vision board with step-by-step goals mapped out so you can hone in on your path. Then, look at it every day. By reminding yourself of what’s important to you and seeing a clear cause and effect, you’ll feel a renewed motivation.

Enneagram Type 9: Create me time

If you’re a Type 9, you tend to be passive and prioritize other peoples’ desires. "The Peacemaker" finds motivation in a peaceful and harmonious environment and dislikes conflict. Because of your desire for peace, your worst fear is pushing people away because you’re too needy, so you are always agreeable to those around you. 

Type 9s need to remember that their needs matter, too. The best habit these gentle types can utilize to make their day better is to spend time on their own goals, hobbies, and desires. They need to forget everyone else for a while and block out some time that is all about them. Their scheduled time may be as simple as incorporating a self-care ritual or as action-oriented as focusing on a personal project for an hour. How they choose to spend their time can vary.

Summing it up

Each Enneagram type can learn to incorporate a quick and easy habit into their day that makes it better. Whether you’re a Type 1, a Type 9, or some type in between, you don’t need to overhaul your routine to find something to do that improves your life and adds some happiness to your weeks. By incorporating a small, actionable habit curtailed to your personality type, you’ll soon feel the difference in your morale.