How To Make New Habits Stick
It’s a lot easier said than done, but even little changes may have a big impact on your life! Habits are also no exception. Let’s take a look at some helpful ways to see how to make new habits stick and help you lead a healthier lifestyle.
How to choose habits to implement:
- Choose a habit that will improve your life
- Focus on one thing at a time, this creates momentum
- Make it small to make it achievable
Table of Contents
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Make each habit daily.
It’s easier to make a new habit stick if you’re consistent. For instance, people that want to “make their bed every day” or “say kind words every day” can set an alarm/reminder for themselves. The alarm will go off at times they’re most likely to do those things.
Choose an easy-to-implement habit.
If in doubt, keep it short! For example, start by committing to do 2 pages in a personal development book each morning or go for a 20-minute walk after work.
You need to create a specific, visible reminder or goal for each task. This will usually be in the form of a post-it, although it can be anything that stands out enough for you to notice it. One trigger could be putting up a note on your fridge door so there’s no way you’ll forget what you’re working towards.
I also suggest utilizing your phone. Smartphones have all types of apps, like the reminder app. Plus, you can use the alarm on your smartphone for alerts. Personally, I LIVE by my phone.
Track your progress.
One way to stay motivated is to keep a journal or log that you can keep accountable for the progress that you make. Keep track of when and why you do the task, how long it takes, and if there was anything that made it easier or more difficult.
You might want to also write down any obstacles or other things to note for the future.
Make habits convenient.
“Do 10 minutes of daily morning meditation in the living room” or “walk briskly for 30 minutes each evening after dinner.”
People can quickly get stuck in cycles of doing things that aren’t good for them. It’s important to remember how much easier and better off you’ll be if you take the less-trodden path.
Intermittent moments of relief only come when you take time to relax, regroup or create new habits. This won’t happen as often as needed unless new habits are created.
Making new habits convenient is a big factor because in this way you’ll always be able to grow even if you encounter obstacles in your life..
Tether habits together.
It’s easier to stick to a routine if it is also tied to another event that you do every day. For example, walk briskly while brushing your teeth – this will help you build up an extra 1000 steps throughout the day.
Listening to your Spanish lessons while doing dishes is also a “habit stacking.” We often find it difficult to stick with one single habit- but if you stack your new habit with one that you already have implemented, you’ll be more likely to stick with both.
Enlist accountability partners.
Find a coach or buddy to help you stick with your new habit. Track your progress by setting up achievable goals, such as completing 50 push-ups per week or making a new gratitude list every month.
Whatever your goals are, make sure your partner in crime knows what they are so they can keep tabs on you..
Avoid long breaks when building a new habit.
Missing just one day of your usual routine is really hard to recover from. If it happens, make sure to get back into the habit as soon as possible. Striking a habit every day makes it easier to stay on track and avoid excuses. This is how to make new habits stick the easiest.
Build habits that can last.
I read that it takes 21 days to form a habit and it seems to be true, even though sometimes things might take longer.
Once people develop good habits, they generally take less time to adjust to changes in how they do things. This can include regular journaling or checking off daily tasks like brushing one’s teeth two times a day
This is where small successes can help you build a foundation for additional growth over time. The positive change also relies on these early successes so they’re important to remember when making progress.
Be compassionate with yourself.
If you forget to exercise one day, avoid shaming yourself. It’s important to be compassionate and forgiving with yourself so you can build better habits
It can be difficult to manage those negative thoughts sometimes and if it goes on for too long, it can start to affect your overall mood. If you ever find yourself in that cycle of self-destructive thoughts, do your best to think about something more positive!
Reward yourself.
Rewarding yourself as you progress will make the journey more enjoyable
A few good tricks to reward yourself when you build habits:
- find a friend or partner who wants to do the new habit with you.
- plan ahead and set aside time for yourself.
- eat a nutritious, yummy meal.
- treat yourself to a fun item you’ve been wanting.
Just make sure you’re doing things that feel good or are productive in some way. This is important because it will make forming habits a lot less difficult, meaning you’ll see better results.
Forming new habits.
You don’t have to do something big to make a big change – small changes in your habits will make a huge difference. It’s much easier too!
There are lots of ways to form new habits but try not to worry about trying too many at a time.
Habit formation is important in our lives and we’ve learned from cognitive neuroscience research that it’s best to make it easy for yourself.
You should also build these habits into your routine by tying them to other tasks so they become convenient, like working out or spending time with friends during lunch breaks.
Rewarding yourself for completing each task is a great way to help build a routine that works for you. It might be tempting to cut corners, but the long-term benefits are worth the effort.
Implementing and sticking with new habits.
It’s way easier to form and stick with habits when you have the right mindset. Just don’t let a failure stop you in your tracks, try again!
What are some other things that could help us stick to our new habits and routines? Let me know in the comments below.
