1. Start to save money.

If you’re making money, you should be saving it. Invest in a PPF or something similar so you have a decent chunk saved up for any emergencies later in life. Medical bills don’t come cheap!

2. Regulate your sleeping habits.

This truly pays off in the long run – healthy sleep makes your mind sharper and is better for your immune system, plus you generally won’t feel like a potato in the morning because you were watching random YouTube videos till 3 AM. 

3. Learn to do your taxes.

This is going to haunt you for the rest of your life, so the earlier you learn it, the better. You’re guaranteed to mess up a few times, but that’s normal. Yes, you could pay a CA to do it, but just in case you’re ever in  position to not be able to pay someone for it, at least you’ll be self sufficient.

4. Learn to cook and practise it regularly.

One of the most important life skills that many of unfortunately develop a little too late. Cooking regularly will help you figure out what best suits your body, what you like to eat, and best of all, you can impress people with your culinary abilities later in life.

5. Make exercise a daily part of your day.

It’s easy to fall into a cycle of slothful ennui in your 20s, especially if you work a desk job. Making sure to keep your body active through regular workouts, jogs, and weights will help both your mind and your body. Plus, everyone loves a six-pack.

6. Eat your greens.

Make it a habit to start eating fresh produce regularly – salads to smoothies to everything in between, they go a long way in keeping you healthy, especially later in life.

7. Write down your goals for the future.

Start jotting down what you want out of life – it doesn’t have to be large scale ambitions like becoming a millionaire by 35, but it can be more situation-specific. Noting down what you want as your next step in life will ensure you don’t float through it pointlessly.

8. Start maintaining a monthly budget.

Yeah, it sounds boring as hell, and it is, but this habit will hold you in good stead. Having a grasp over what you spend will allow you to plan for the bug purchases in life, and you’ll also be able to plan out your spending better.

9. Make and keep an annual checkup with a doctor.

The point isn’t to only go to the doctor when you’re ill, it’s to have a proper understanding of where your body stands. A general checkup once or twice a year can help prevent illnesses and keep you functioning in top form, plus if some problem does come up, that doctor will already know your clinical history.

10. Make time for self care and stress relief.

Life is unpredictable, and you never know what might just happen. Making time for ways in which to relax your mind, such as mindfulness meditation, therapy, or a break from social media can help you deal with problems better. 

11. Focus on developing a hobby.

When the going gets tough, you should always have something to fall back on. It may not make you money, but it will keep you sane. Anything from learning an instrument to dabbling in art can help.

12. Start reading regularly.

Nowadays, there’s everything from free audiobooks on YouTube to thousands of books on Kindle, so you don’t have an excuse. Reading is the best way to expand your mind and its horizons.

13. Limit your drinking and smoking.

A person in their 20s is very likely to dabble in a bit of recreational relaxation, and while that’s fine, going overboard can lead to several consequences. Learn to limit your poison.

14. Keep drinking water.

I can’t stress this enough, your body needs to get rid of the toxins and other nasty shit floating around in it. Drinking water, even though if you’re not thirsty at that very moment, will help. 3-4 litres a day and you’re golden.

15. Start journaling.

Before technology came into the picture, people would write daily diaries. You can too, though if you’d rather do it on the computer, that’s fine as well. Journaling helps you know yourself better, remember what happened when, and generally have a better look back at your life.

16. Start practising portion control.

This is one of the most important parts of living healthy, and the one that’s most often overlooked. On a plate, your vegetables should take up half of the space, and things like protein and starch should be lesser in amount.

17. Keep updating your resume.

Don’t let your portfolio gather dust – keep your options open at all times and keep your resume updated with everything potential employers might need to know.

18. Remind yourself to be thankful.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the negative aspects of one’s own life, but it’s important to remember all the good that you still have round you. Practising gratitude is a good way to ground yourself.

19. Before leaving, check your pockets for your keys, wallet, and phone.

This one might be the most important on the list, and it’s probably useful for everyone reading. We’ve all left the house without one or the other, and we can avoid a whole lot of hassle if we just do a quick check first.

20. Maintain and nurture relationships.

Keep in touch with friends you haven’t spoken to in a while, talk to your family about more than what feels comfortable in a while, and further your relationships with people in the process. It’ll work both ways.

These should hold you in good stead in your 20s.