Building Habits: A Skill You Can Master
Building habits isn’t something you’re either good or bad at—it’s a skill. And, like any skill, the more you practice, the better you get. Here’s the cool part: building good habits is a habit in itself. When you create and maintain healthy routines, you build confidence. And that confidence? It fuels even more habit-building. It’s like a positive cycle that gets stronger with each new habit you nail down.
Ready to become a pro at building habits? Let’s dive in!
Find Your ‘Why’: Motivation That Lasts
We often start building habits with the goal of getting somewhere - losing weight, getting off our phones, being more organized - but those habits tend to fall through when things get hard or we aren’t progressing fast enough. We lose motivation! Connecting your habits to something meaningful can make them stick long-term.
Make It Rewarding: Pay attention to how you feel after completing your habit. Whether it’s a quick workout or a few minutes of journaling, take a moment to notice how much more energized, capable, or proud you feel.
Link Habits to Identity: Instead of creating goals with an endpoint, strive to become a healthier or more productive version of yourself. Then you can ask yourself: would this version of me skip the habit today, or get it done?
Visualize the Benefits: Picture how this habit will positively impact your life—maybe you’ll have more energy, less stress, or feel more in control.
Use Reminders: Keep your ‘why’ front and center. Whether it’s a vision board, sticky notes, or your phone wallpaper, these visual reminders can help keep you motivated when your willpower is low.
Make It Easier: Change Your Environment
One of the hardest parts about building new habits is the conscious effort it takes to change our behaviour. Using our willpower takes a lot of energy, and we only have so much of it to give every day. Instead of relying solely on willpower (because, let's be real, willpower alone doesn’t always cut it), make it easier to stick to your habits by changing your environment.
Create Habit-making Space: Where you can, set up spaces to make habits effortless. If you want to do more yoga, keep your yoga mat set up, and create a playlist of yoga videos, so that the habit is only a few steps and a button press away.
Keep It In Arms’ Reach: Keeping habits in view helps them stick. If you want to drink more water, keep it on your desk in front of you, rather than tucked away in your bag.
Reduce Decision-making: Make the habit automatic by taking out the decision making. If you want to eat healthier snacks, plan a few options (a savoury and a sweet, perhaps?) and limit yourself to those when deciding what you want to eat.
Start Simple: The Power of Tiny Habits
You don’t need to go all in from the start. In fact, trying to do too much at once often leads to burnout. Instead, focus on micro-habits—the super small, easy-to-do actions that build momentum.
Start Small: Instead of aiming for a 30-minute meditation session, try 1 minute of mindfulness. If you want to get fit, start with just 5 push-ups. It might feel silly, but that’s the point! You want it to be so easy that it’s a no-brainer to get it done.
One Habit at a Time: Focus on mastering one habit before moving on to the next. Trying to change your entire life overnight is a recipe for stress and burnout.
Gradually Increase the Challenge: Once a small habit feels like second nature, step it up. Add a few minutes or increase the intensity, building on your progress over time.
Track It to Keep It: The Power of a Habit Tracker
Tracking your habits isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s a way to see your progress and keep the momentum going.
Visualize Your Progress: A habit tracker lets you physically see your streaks. It feels satisfying to watch those check marks build up.
Build Accountability: When you log a habit, it creates a sense of responsibility. The more consistent you are, the harder it becomes to skip a day.
Enjoy Small Rewards: Don’t underestimate the satisfaction of checking something off your tracker. It’s like a mini reward that boosts your motivation.
Overcoming Setbacks: Bouncing Back After Slip-Ups
Nobody’s perfect, and that’s okay! Slip-ups are an important part of the process. The key is not to let one missed day throw you off completely.
Remember It’s a Skill: Part of building a skill is messing up! These moments are the most important in your journey - do you give up when something doesn’t go perfectly right away, or do you stick with it because you know these moments make you stronger?
Analyze What Went Wrong: Figure out what caused the setback. Were you too tired? Did you get distracted? Understanding the cause helps you avoid similar situations in the future.
Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself when you stumble. Beating yourself up only makes it harder to get back on track. A positive mindset makes restarting easier.
Building habits doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small, stay consistent, and give yourself the grace to keep moving forward. Before you know it, these new habits will be second nature, and you’ll be crushing your goals like never before!
BONUS TIP: Practice It Now: No Waiting Around
The best way to build a habit is to do it immediately when the thought pops into your head. Don’t push it to later or try to negotiate with yourself (“I’ll do it after this episode...”). Delaying is just setting yourself up to be unreliable, so practice doing it now. Whether it's a 5-minute workout or setting up your workspace for tomorrow, act on it when the thought crosses your mind.
Whether you’re just starting your wellness journey, or looking for that extra kick in the pants you need, these tips are a great starting place. If you find yourself needing more support, consider finding a wellness expert to help keep you accountable and help you clear those roadblocks!