Habits are the building blocks that help us reach our #goals. Habits are the bricks we need to run our goal systems
It’s not easy to build a new habit. Building a new habit requires you to put in conscious effort, repetitively, until it becomes automatic. This can take weeks or months, various studies have shown anywhere between 21 days to 300 (but on average around 66)
Building new habits can require you to break old ones. For example trying to eat healthier means you have to break the habit of reaching for the chocolate bars!
So how can we improve our chances when trying to build a new habit?
Step 1: Analyse the obstacles you will face with your new habits. Where are your points of infliction?
Ø Example 1
New Potential Habit: Eating healthy snacks
Obstacle: The sugary treats that reside in the kitchen
Ø Example 2
New Potential Habit: Regularly learning about a new subject
Obstacle: Being distracted by the TV in the evenings
Ø Example 3
New Potential Habit: Going for a run
Obstacle: A busy life means only having time early in the morning and not wanting to get out of bed
Step 2: Now you have identified where your good intentions start to break down you can start to make things easier for yourself. Alter your environment to facilitate your new habit.....
Ø Example 1
New Potential Habit: Eating healthy snacks
Obstacle: All the sugary/naughty treats that reside in the kitchen
Environment Change: Separate all the healthy foods from the treats and put them in 2 different cupboards. Now when it’s time to eat ONLY open the healthy cupboard and eliminate the obstacles of sugary cereals and chocolate bars! (or even better, if you can, throw the sugary temptations out)
Ø Example 2
New Potential Habit: Regularly learning about a new subject
Obstacle: Being distracted by the TV in the evenings
Environment Change: Set up your books, paper, pen and computer away from the TV room. Put up a wallboard in your area where you can jot quotes, notes and ideas. Create yourself a ‘you’ space, a specific study area in a ‘no TV’ zone that is always ready to go.
Ø Example 3
New Potential Habit: Going for a run
Obstacle: A busy life means only having time early in the morning and not wanting to get out of bed
Environment Change: get your training clothes and trainers all ready the night before and leave them next to your bed. This means you will see them the moment you wake and can get up and put them on before you have even had time to think about it! Have your water bottle ready and filled in the kitchen for you to grab on your way out, and a power snack ready to eat the moment you step back in the house. You are now set up to get going in minutes.
These may seem like small changes to your environment but they are setting you up for success. You have recognized the obstacles to your habit goals and changed you environment to serve you better.
For more practical advise on setting habits and reaching goals see How to put GOALS into ACTION