A Guide to Creating Good Habits
In the last post, we discussed the importance of habits as a support system for achieving our goals, and how to break bad habits. Here we are going to talk about a more fun step: a guide to creating good habits that support our dream life and that stick!
How to Create a New Habit
Habits are like rituals. Some people think they don’t have any, but that’s only because we all do them every day without noticing! Everyone has habits- good and bad… Many times your routines seem harmless to you until someone tells you why they might not be as healthy as you thought. Changing your habits is tough work – even if it means just changing one small thing about yourself or something in your life right now (like how much sugar soda you drink!). However, there are steps you can follow that will help you form a new habit.
Focus on One Thing at a Time
First, you need to set your goal by deciding on only one new habit you want to form. Focusing on just one new behavior at a time will increase your chances of being successful. Really commit to the one new habit you want to integrate into your daily life.
Be Persistent
After determining which new habit you want to develop, commit to sticking to doing it for at least a month. Do everything in your power to make sure you perform that specific activity daily for thirty days. Studies show it takes at least 21 days to form a new habit and consolidate it into your life.
Habit Stacking
If you want to create and keep a new habit, try adding it into the daily routine of an already existing one. For example, say you want to start meditating every day but can’t remember when or how often – try “stacking” with brushing your teeth in the morning as part of that action. It’s easier than remembering another time in addition to making sure it sticks!
Plan for Potential Obstacles
You know what they say, “If you fail to plan, then you’re planning to fail.” It’s no different when it comes to achieving new habits. If you can identify obstacles ahead of time and use methods for overcoming them in advance before they happen it will definitely help you stay on track!
Start Small
Break your bigger goal into smaller actionable steps. Reward yourself for staying on track (that’s one I really need to work and improve on personally!). Planning smaller goals to achieve along the way makes it easier to get them done, giving you a sense of accomplishment.
Reward Yourself
Rewarding yourself for those mini-achievements helps the brain solidify the new habit you want to form. Rewards drive human action, along with basic necessities (food, sleep, avoidance of pain). If you want to keep motivated, using a reward system is an excellent method for getting you to stick to the new desired behavior.
Accountability is Key
The key thing with accountability is being responsible for your own actions and not blaming others or the circumstances you were born into. When we are personally accountable, there’s no dismissing responsibility with excuses such as “I’m just made this way.”
Having an accountability partner makes this easier. An accountability partner is someone with whom you’ve shared your desired new habit or goal and is willing to help you through the process, sometimes while you help them meet their goals too. Find someone who is committed and that you can trust to support you without judgment, and you will be way more likely to succeed in creating new habits.
Put it on Paper
When attempting to change your current habits or start a new habit, writing down your intentions is the most crucial part of the process. You can write down goals in several ways. Use whatever method you’re more comfortable with such as journaling, making a list on sticky notes, or using vision boards – it’s up to you! When we are more comfortable and excited about what we want then our chances for success increase significantly.
Writing down your plans for new habits can help make it easier to stick with them, so try writing out what steps you need to do and when they should happen. Our brains store and execute written plans better than if we don’t write anything at all!
Regular Reassessment
Self-assessment is a process that involves the analysis of what’s working and what’s not. This is a very important skill when it comes to sticking to your new habit. Life is not a constant and that means plans may need adjustment. Don’t try to force something when it no longer fits your reality since you first designed the plan. Regularly reassess your plan. Be open to adjusting to changes that may have occurred to make sure you are still working realistically towards your goals.
Give Yourself Some Grace
Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated. If you have a bad day, that’s completely normal! It may seem like perfection is important but in reality, progress and consistency are what matter the most when establishing good habits. Just as long as you’re moving forward, being flexible with yourself, and forgiving about mistakes then one day soon your new habits will stick for life!
A slip-up is expected when trying to establish a new routine. If you get discouraged and give up, then you’re no longer moving towards your goal. Keeping a positive attitude about it and giving yourself grace goes a long way.
When you’re trying to establish a good habit, it’s important that your plan is flexible. When something doesn’t go according to plan, don’t be afraid of switching things up and being more flexible with how you approach different situations in order for them not to happen again. For example: if every time after dinner when I sit down at my computer I end up spending an hour browsing social media instead of working on what I originally intended – then maybe this evening before work starts I will shut off all social media access until bedtime.
Conclusion
Forming a new habit requires time and intentional effort. If you the steps above you will be able to take control of your daily habits, and ultimately be happy that you did when you see the results!