How to create new habits that sticks
Do you also wonder how some people just get so much done and how they develop and maintain new routines or habits? But when you try to do the same, it’s altogether a different story. You may be able to stick to a new habit for a while but lately somewhere along the road, the shiny layer of motivation wears off.
Forming new habits could be a difficult task but with few practical tactics one can form and sustain habits that proves to be beneficial. Here are few simple tricks that can help you get started and get stick to your newly formed habits:
01. Commit to 25 days –
Usually it takes 21 days to start or stop a routine. 25 days is all you need to make any habit a part of your routine. If one can make it consistently through the initial phase, there is a high chance that the habit will sustain.
02. Start small and simple-
Most people want to see big changes as quickly as possible. Maintaining huge changes usually require a lot of dedication and willpower and could be overwhelming. It’s always better to start with small changes and simple habits at once. Small progress is a progress too and here consistency will play a major part. Take one step at a time and make sure it helps you take the bigger step eventually.
03. Attach the habit to a trigger –
A trigger is basically a ritual which attaches you to an automatic behavior. Develop a trigger or your new positive habits. For instance, if you want to avoid eating dessert, drink water every time you feel the urge to eat sweet. Always connect your new habit with an already existing one. This way the new habit will get triggered with your existing activity.
04. Consistency is the key –
Forming new habits does not come easy .If you are trying to form a new habit, it’s more likely that you will fall back into old ways, especially after only following new habits for a small period of time. Keep in mind that these setbacks are not the final result and you can always get started back on your aim. It may be useful to remind yourself the reason on a daily basis of why you are trying to adopt a new habits. You can set a reminder on your cellphone, write it down on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere you will see .Keeping the “why” at the forefront will often times help drive the motivation to keep going.
05. Get a buddy and create an accountability system–
To start and maintain a new habit gets easier when you get company. Find a friend who is interested in adopting same habit as you or drag someone from your family to accompany you.
Additionally, create an accountability system where you report to someone on whether or not you have practiced your habit and discuss why you didn’t follow through if you skipped the habit. A friendly competition and reporting system adds to your motivation to follow through.
Give yourself a few days, weeks or a couple of months subject to the difficulty level of the habit for your new routine to become automatic. Be patient with yourself and celebrate the small wins.
Before you know it, you’ll become a habit master!
Progress is Progress, no matter how slow. To make healthy lifestyle a habit, visit FCBS center or contact our experts to know about different healthy lifestyle choices. To know more about our services in Dubai, call us on +971 4 3255481 or email us at info@fcbsglobal.com.