Have you ever set yourself resolutions for the new week or year? Going to bed earlier, eating better, exercising more. While it is admirable to want to be a ‘better version’ of ourselves, it rarely lasts. So, how do you build healthy habits that DO last?
What Are Habits?
A habit is an automatic response to a cue, resulting in routine behaviours. Something that is repeated so regularly that it often occurs without thought.
Think of your bedtime routine. How much thought to you give to brushing your teeth before bed? None? This is because it has become a habit. The cue – bedtime – results in the routine of brushing your teeth.
Other examples of habits include:
- Putting on your seatbelt when you hop into the car.
- Flushing the toilet after using it.
- Locking the front door when you leave the house.
- Drinking coffee before starting the rest of your day.
Scientists believe that between 40-95% of what we do every day is habit. Crazy right? While many of our habits were ingrained in us from children, you can still teach yourself new ones.
The Science of Habit Formation
There is some debate around how habits are formed. However, most agree that there is a ‘habit loop’. The habit loop consists of three key elements:
A Cue
The cue for a habit can be anything that triggers the habit. These are generally a location, time of day, a person/people, emotional state or an immediately preceding action.
A Routine
The routine is the most obvious element. It is the behaviour you wish to change or reinforce.
A Reward
The reward is the reason the brain decides the earlier steps are worth remembering. The reward supplies positive reinforcement, making it more likely that you will reproduce that behaviour again in the future. The reward can be anything from something tangible to a feeling.
The key to habit formation is repetition; doing it so often that we no longer have to think about it.
Small Steps to Success
Creating a habit is no small feat. Below are some strategies to help you make healthy habits a reality.
Specify your goal
Unfortunately, “wanting to be healthier”, isn’t going to cut it. A wish is not a goal; and the best goals are SMART.
S is for specific: is your goal linked to one activity, thought or idea?
M is for measurable: is your goal something you can track or measure your progress towards?
A is for actionable: is there clear actions you can take?
R is for realistic: is your goal possible to achieve?
T is for timely: is there a time frame for your goal?
By using the SMART goal framework, you rid yourself of confusion and gain clarity on exactly what you need to do.
See the examples below? Which do you think would be more achievable?
- I am going to eat healthier.
- I am going to eat more vegetables across the day by adding vegetables to my lunch each day.
Plan
A teacher once said, “if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. Once you have your goal, it is time to make a detailed, cue-based plan.
Scientists have found that you make more progress towards your goals if you decide not only what you are going to do, but the cues you will use, and the where and how you will do it. Making this style plan reduces the chances that you will forget to follow through, because the cues you select will help jog your memory. This is known as implementation intentions.
(When and where) _______________ I will __________________.
For example: When I prepare my lunch at home, I will add some extra vegetables.
Start Small, Build Slowly
Goals that are unachievable are near impossible to stick with. Starting with 50 pushups when you have never done one? First day maybe… but day two and three? Forget it.
As such, break bigger goals into smaller ones. Once you have successfully achieved the smaller goal, build upon it. Small improvements add up fast!
Rather than trying to be amazing from the beginning, remember to start small and improve gradually.
Foster flexibility
Habit building relies on frequent behaviour repeating. If your routine becomes stale, you are less likely to follow through. As such, remember to shake things up every now and again. If vegetables with lunch are getting boring, try having them for a snack or breakfast instead, then return back to your routine of vegetables with lunch.
Also remember it can be easy to slip up. We aren’t perfect. Missing one day does not mean that you can’t form the habit. In fact, slipping up does not have any long-standing effect on habit building, as long you return to your routine as soon as possible. After all life happens; unexpected meetings, outings, birthdays, illness. So just be consistent, not perfect. Try and be the person that never misses a habit twice.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
Know that building a habit takes time. There is a famous misquote floating around:
“It takes 21 days to form a new habit”
However, the truth is that it takes a minimum of 21 days. For most it takes on average two months (or 66 days) to form a new habit. However, it can take longer. For complex goals it can take upwards of eight months to a year.
So, just keep persevering.
Find social support
And finally, we are strongly influenced by the people around us. Good habits can be contagious. As such, surround yourself with people that will help you build your habits. They can be people that supply accountability or role model the habit you are striving for. In any case, avoid people that will block your progress.
Do you want some one-on-one support from trained professionals to get you started? Our team are here to help!
Is online learning more your style? Try our online habit-building program!
References:
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