Have you ever had a habit you were trying set, but it just kept falling off the radar?
I sure have. Deciding which habits you want to build is easy, but setting habits that stick is where most people struggle. In over 20 years of practice, I’ve come to the conclusion that most people – myself included – don’t reach some of their own, well-intentioned goals simply because they don’t build out the structure that allows them keep a new habit long enough for it to become automatic, and therefore easy.
Let’s face it, we all know a few simple things we could do to improve ourselves that require minimal time or effort, like drinking more water, getting up from our desks to move, or taking vitamins. The act itself is often easy and short – but without the HABIT to make it a part of our daily routines, it falls to the wayside, even in the best intentioned people.
Firstly, I suggest chunking a goal down into small, bite-size steps that are manageable rather than too big, difficult and time consuming. And I firmly believe that CONSISTENCY is the most important piece to master – so start small, and build from there!
STEPS to creating a new, healthy habit:
(For the purposes of this exercise, I am going to give the example of wanting to feel more limber, mobile and relaxed vs stiff and achy)
1 – Decide on the habit you want to set. Make it simple, quick and painless (literally!) Start with ONE THING that you can do in a 2-5 minute window with minimal preparation.
(I want to start my day with 2 minutes of mobility work)
2 – Tie that habit to something else you do each day. This is called habit stacking, and helps you create the TIME for the habit in your daily routine. If you want to make it even more mentally cemented in, write it out: “Every day when I do x, I am going to add in y.”
(Each morning while waiting for my coffee to perk, I am going to do 2 minutes of mobility)
**And funny enough – even though I teach this stuff – if I forget or bypass this timing, I forget, and it’s like the habit itself doesn’t even exist.
3 – Plan out what you need for your new habit. Do you need to buy a water bottle for your work desk, a movement timer, a journal…? Especially at the beginning of a new habit, you may need some forethought to help you plan for success.
(You
can follow along with some of Dr. Amy’s mobility videos by clicking here)
4 – Set your environment up for success.
Remove distractions, and set out what is needed for your habit.
(I have a wooden spine board I use for mobility, and a massage ball – both of which are tucked under the coffee table to be easily pulled out each morning. I don’t allow myself to go online until after I have completed my mobility)
5 – Have an accountability partner.
Tell someone so they can check in with you – or better yet, have them build the habit along with you!
So here’s my challenge to you:
Find a habit you’d like to create. Use this formula to help make it easy and automatic. And if you miss a day or a week, don’t give up – just get back on track!
Building success momentum is our goal here – and much success comes from steady, slow repetition, but with great results!
Give it try! And we’d love to know what habit you are working on (:
