You may recognize yourself in the following situation; you plan to read a book before going to sleep. You currently still use your phone before going to sleep and you think this could be better.
During the first week you manage to read a few pages every evening. The following week you use your phone again before going to sleep.
Applying new habits often works for a while, but then you fall back into old habits. But how can you maintain new habits?
Before I give you some tips, I would like to mention why we have created habits in our lives.
The ultimate goal of habits is to solve life's problems with as little energy and effort as possible. A habit is behavior that has been repeated often enough to become automatic.
To change bad habits, you must first recognize them. You can do this by making a habit list. Write down what you do for an entire day, from getting up to going to sleep. Rate all these habits with a + (good habit), – (bad habit) or = (neutral habit). Review your habit list and choose which ones you want to replace or drop.
When you have a clear idea of what new habits you want to create in your life, you can start implementing them in your life.
Makes the new habit visible. Suppose you want to go for a run when you get home from work. Then make sure you have your running clothes ready in sight. If you want to eat more fruit, make sure there is a fruit bowl in sight. This will remind you of the habit you want to create.
Use implementation intentions. An implementation intention is a sentence based on if... then...
When I get home from work, I put on my sports clothes and go to the gym.
When I have made my bed, I place a book on my pillow so that I can read it before going to sleep.
When I go to bed, I put my phone on the charger downstairs.
etc.
Link new habits to your old good habits. Imagine your morning routine looks like this; Get up at 6:00, shower, get dressed, brush your teeth, cover the bed, have breakfast and go to work.
You might want to keep a gratitude diary before you go to work. Then your morning routine will look like this; Get up at 6:00, shower, get dressed, brush your teeth, cover the bed, write down gratitude, have breakfast and go to work.
Because you link a new habit to your current habits, it is a smaller step and you will be able to pursue it more easily.
Good luck creating your new habits.
Noëlle Bekker
Enforce Master Trainer
noelle@enforce.nl
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