Why micro-habits work: An expert explains

November 20, 2025 | 3 min read

Life is busy. And when it feels like there’s more to do than our days allow, it can also feel hard to find an hour to go for a run, prepare a healthy meal, relax with a good book –anything that prioritizes our health.

But what if it only took five minutes? 

Introducing the micro-habit: a healthy activity you can do in a few minutes, in almost any location, with minimal—if any—equipment. It’s a tiny burst of exercise, or nutrition, or rest that can be slotted relatively easily into the demands of your daily routine.

You might think: What possible difference could a three-minute workout or a mini meditation break make? Experts say you’d be surprised.

Micro-habits work on the principle that small things can add up to significant results when repeated with regularity. Think of it this way: The health benefits of doing a few body-weight squats in isolation—while better than nothing—might be limited. But if you do a mini set every few hours, you might find yourself having logged a few dozen squats at the end of the day, a few hundred per week, or several thousand in a year.

“If you look at the science of habit change, doing something for even a few minutes can reinforce neural connections in the brain that make you come back to do it more,” explains Jaclyn Pritchard, a Registered Dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Canada, which serves as the Medical Director for Manulife Canada, where she leads the development of organizational wellness programs. 

Small bursts of healthy behaviour can also make you feel better right away, sparking immediate boosts to happiness, energy and/or peace of mind, depending on the activity. “Micro-habits can fire up neural connections,” Pritchard explains. “The brain really benefits.” For example: A short walk through a park or garden can lower the stress hormone cortisol¹, while a few minutes of breathwork can lift mood.²

Healthy micro-habits can also be preventive powerhouses: Research suggests that regular participation in brief blocks of vigorous activity—known by some as “exercise snacks”—can reduce premature death caused by chronic conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease.³  Other studies have linked brief daily windows of meditation with a lessened risk of Alzheimer’s disease.⁴

1. Cardio bursts: When it comes to exercise, a little can really do a lot. Try getting your heart rate up by dropping for a few push-ups while the toaster’s doing its thing, doing a set of jumping jacks when you’re waiting for the dryer to buzz, or taking a few flights of stairs instead of the elevator. “Movement is one of the easiest habits to incorporate,” says Pritchard. “More exercise is a good thing, even if you just have a few minutes once or twice a day.”
   • Habit helper: Working with a personal trainer—which may be covered by your group benefits plan—can help you learn safe and effective physical activities for your fitness profile and keep you accountable.
2. Mini meditations: Meditation can greatly boost your mental and physical health⁵—and even the smallest sessions can have a positive impact. “You don’t have to sit still for 20 minutes,” Pritchard says. “Try it for one and see what benefits you reap from it.”
   • Habit helper: If you’re a Manulife group benefits member or Vitality^® member, you can also look for resources on meditation on the Manulife Mobile or Vitality apps—and earn rewards for those moments of reflection.
3. Bumped-up bedtimes: Going to bed five or 10 minutes earlier than usual will make no material difference to your evening routine, and even a few extra winks can have a positive effect on overall wellbeing, Pritchard says. “We know the benefit of sleep is massive when it comes to general health, brain health and longevity, so adding in these few extra minutes can be really helpful.”
   • Habit helper: Many smart watches and fitness trackers can help you decode your sleep patterns. Find out about Manulife Vitality’s Oura Ring partnership here.
4. Snack swap: Take the temptation for easy-to-grab, unhealthy foods out of the equation by setting a time each day for a healthy snack—and ensure that nutritious options are easily accessible. “Think of it as nourishing yourself for your day,” Pritchard says. “A 3 p.m. snack can give you energy and make you less hangry before dinner.”
   • Habit helper: Consulting with a registered dietitian can identify the healthiest snacks for your needs as well as help break down barriers that are preventing you from eating well. Check to see if your group benefits plan includes coverage.
5. Hydration cues: Human bodies are 60 per cent water, and we require plenty of it to function well⁶. Pritchard recommends creating hydration cues throughout the day by setting an hourly calendar reminder, for example, or by using every meeting reminder as a cue to drink and refill your glass. “Maybe it's as simple as keeping a big water jug on your desk,” she says. “Setting yourself up to actually make it happen is really important.”
   • Habit helper: A tracking tool, like the Manulife Vitality app or the Manulife Mobile app, can help you log your H2O intake and make hydration a habit.

While some micro-habits can require a degree of planning—such as stocking your fridge with fruits and veggies for a healthy snack break—most can be done any time, in any place and at any fitness level. This makes micro-habits feel less intimidating and more achievable than larger or more dramatic lifestyle overhauls, Pritchard says. “It’s about thinking smaller. It’s less about perfection, and more about consistency.”

Micro-habits can grow into bigger habits with relative ease. Influential behavioural science experts, including Atomic Habits author James Clear⁷ and Stanford University’s BJ Fogg⁸, have found that change is more sustained and effective when it stems from minor, incremental behavioural improvements than from giant goals or cold-turkey transformations.

Pritchard sees this happen all the time. People will start small—for example, they’ll decide to walk for five minutes a few days a week. More often than not by week three or four, they’re up to 10 minutes, five days a week. “It’s not because they’ve had to try especially hard to do it,” Pritchard says. “It’s because their brains have given them positive reinforcement for completing a small task. That feels good, which makes them want to do it for longer.”

How can you turn a micro-habit from something you do every once in a while into a longevity-driving part of your routine? Pritchard recommends a practice called habit-stacking,⁹ which involves attaching a new habit to a task or activity that you already engage in consistently.

Here’s one example: When you make a pot of coffee every morning, you can use the brewing time to do a quick set of burpees or to cut up fresh vegetables for easy snacking. Or another: Whenever you brush your teeth, you can do a dozen lunges or press play on a short, guided meditation podcast.

Pairing activities can make a healthy practice almost automatic—it’s one less decision to make in a day that might be full of them.¹⁰ Furthermore, habit-stacking encourages repetition. According to habit experts,¹¹ individual actions become habits via a loop of consistent cues (which trigger an activity) and rewards (which validate the choice). “When we tack something else onto an activity we already do naturally, it really helps us to solidify it within that habit loop,” Pritchard explains. When we habit-stack healthy behaviours that make us feel good, she adds, it tends to activate the reward centres of our brains in a very motivating way: “It can make us feel like we are working towards who we want to become, which reinforces the value of doing it again.”

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation or are seeking medical advice, contact your medical doctor or your health-care provider.

Cleveland Clinic Canada
Manulife is proud to have Cleveland Clinic Canada on board as Medical Director for our Group Benefits operations. Cleveland Clinic Canada has a wealth of global healthcare expertise and shares our goal to help Canadians live longer, healthier, and better lives. Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit organization that has been at the forefront of modern medicine since 1921. In recent years, Cleveland Clinic has worked with progressive companies in Canada and around the world to prioritize the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and communities.