The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
As humans, we’re all creatures of habit. Every day, we wake up at the same time, brush our teeth, drink our coffee, and make our way to work.
So what makes it so hard to break out of old habits and form new ones? Is it comfort, or the idea that you shouldn’t fix something that isn’t broken?
Behavioral scientists who’ve researched how habits are formed argue that many of us go about it in an all the wrong ways when attempting to establish them. We make big promises to ourselves, like starting a fitness regimen or losing weight, but we don’t follow through with the preparations necessary to ensure our success. But you might be surprised to learn that developing new, healthy behaviors is easier than you think. You can also learn more about behavior-forming at https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/behavior/.
Here’s how:
Focus On One Habit At A Time
To begin with, many people fail to achieve their goals because they set too many of them, which may lead you to exhaust yourself within a month or even less. In order to attain your goals and the habits that will help you do so, you should focus your energy and attention on one goal at a time.
It Doesn’t Have To Be Difficult
Patience, in addition to a good dose of self-discipline is necessary here until your new habit has been installed or developed. Once you’ve developed a routine, you don’t need to exert any extra effort to maintain it. So how long should you forge ahead before you can safely consider it a habit?
A new habit takes an average of 66 days to form, according to research. However, this is the average number of days, meaning that some people took longer, while others spent less time.
It takes time and effort to develop good habits, which is why focusing on only one at a time is so critical. It’s important to note, however, that everyone is different and some habits may be easier to form than others depending on your lifestyle.
Develop Mini-Habits To Start
Mini-habits are small daily routines, rituals, or activities that take only a few minutes to do but can have a huge impact on your overall quality of life. As a result, mini-habits can be built upon over time to develop larger habits. Mini-habits are all about gradual improvement—taking a granular approach to achievement.
Taking “massive action” can be scary for many of us. Taking enormous action when you can barely get off the couch. But by taking small everyday steps, you will eventually succeed. For instance, if you want to start walking 30 minutes a day, stat with sticking to 5 minutes a day.
Take Part In Your Habits At The Same Time Each Day
It’s just as important when you do something, as what you do or how you do it. It is simpler to stick to a long-term habit if you perform it at the same time each day.
When it comes to time, your body has no idea what it is or how long it’s been since the last time you looked at the clock. In spite of the fact that cavemen had no idea what time it was, they went to bed and woke up at the same time as we do today. It is not the passage of time that drives your body, but the rhythm.
Tell Others About Your New Habit
When people publicly state their goals, they are more likely to achieve them. Involving people is a terrific method to develop new behaviors. If you work with people who share your goals, this can be much more powerful. Having a gym companion can hold you accountable when you don’t feel like going to the gym, for example.