Present Simple or Continous

The Present Simple is used for:

·         regular actions or events 

He plays tennis most weekends.

·         facts 

The sun rises in the east.

·         facts known about the future 

We leave at 8.30 next Monday 

·         thoughts and feelings about the time of speaking

I don't feel very well.

The Present Continuous is used for:

·         the time of speaking ('now')

Shh, I'm trying to hear what they are saying .

·         things which are true at the moment but not always

We're looking for a new flat.

·         present plans for the future

We're having dinner with them next week .

Look at these examples :

·         I don't usually have cereals for breakfast but I'm having some this morning because there is nothing else.

·         I often cycle to work but I'm taking the car this morning because it's raining very hard.

·         I'm thinking about having my hair cut short but I don't think my husband will be very happy about it.

·         My parents live in Washington but I'm just visiting.

Note how, in all these examples, we use the present continuous to talk about events which are temporary/limited in time and the present simple to talk about events which are habits/permanent.

Sumber: englishgrammarsecrets.