Written by: Heidi Richards Mooney, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.’ ‒ Will Durant Our behaviors determine our whole life and ultimately shape our identity. That's why it is so important to acquire good routines or habits. They are the key to a successful life! But getting into the habit of consistently doing something is often easier said than done. We seem to acquire bad habits without any effort, but getting into a “good” habit can be a little more challenging.
Let’s talk about forming new habits. We all have times in our lives where we intentionally want to change our behavior for the better and create new habits for ourselves. This could be getting into the habit of eating healthier and drinking more water. Or it could be moving more and taking the dog for a daily walk. Or it could be work-related, spiritual, or… There are so many areas in our lives that could be improved and made easier if we created new habits. The trick to success is to choose the right habit and bring just enough discipline to establish it.
Just How Long Does It Take To Create A New Habit?
“Motivation is what gets you started, habits are what keep you going.” ‒ Jim Rohn
They say it takes 21 days to create a new habit. That’s kind of a weird idea though, isn’t it? It doesn’t take that long to form a bad habit. And sometimes no matter how hard we try it takes us a lot longer to form a new habit.
So how long does it really take to create a new habit? The answer is that it depends. It depends on your mindset and it depends on how big of a change it is from what you are doing now. If it is your habit to eat a bowl of ice cream at night and you switch from regular ice cream to a low sugar frozen yogurt version, it’s probably not going to take you very long to make that new habit. Giving up ice cream altogether though or cutting out all sugar on the other hand might take a lot longer.
When we ask that question, what we really want to know is how long do we have to tough it out before it gets easier. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel where we don’t have to try so hard anymore? In other words, when will this new behavior become automatic?
While it will be different from one person to the next and even from one habit to the next, there are a few things to keep in mind.
It’s easier to make a new habit than to get rid of an old one. Be prepared to work a lot harder to give up checking your email every 2 minutes or snacking late at night. Whenever possible, try to replace an old habit with a new one. For example, if you’re wanting to give up coffee, brew a cup of herbal tea in the morning and throughout the day when you would usually reach for your cup of Joe.
“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” ‒ Colin Powell
Habits will form faster if you stick to the same time and environment each day. Instead of going for a walk whenever, keep your sneakers next to the door and schedule your walk every day at 6 pm, right after dinner for example.
A constant reminder of why you’re trying to change your behavior is also helpful. Remind yourself every day that you’re exercising so your body stays strong and you can go play with the kids or grandkids in the yard. Or put up a picture to remind you that you’re making frugal habits so you can one day purchase your dream home. Keep your reason why you’re changing front and center and then be prepared to stick it out. Yes, it will take some time to make new habits and replace old ones. But it will be well worth it in the end.
5 Steps to Creating New Habits
Let’s break it down into a five-step process that makes it easy to follow until we’ve internalized the new behavior and made it a true habit – something we do automatically without having to think about, like brushing our teeth.
Decide What You Want To Do
The first step is to set your intention. Creating new habits can be as easy as deciding what you want that new habit to be. Be as specific as possible. Don’t just tell yourself you want to exercise more. Instead, say something like “I will go for a 30-minute walk every single day”.
Deciding what your new habit will be and committing to when and how you’re going to do it, is half the battle.
Start Small
Think micro. Setting micro habits that lead to changing a habit is often easier for some. Micro habits are incremental changes or adjustments to the current habit you wish to change. Say, for instance, you would like to read a book a week. The first micro habit might be to read a chapter a day but if the chapters are long, you start with a specific number of pages a day.
“If you pick the right small behavior and sequence it right, then you won't have to motivate yourself to have it grow. It will happen naturally, like a good seed planted in a good spot.” ‒ BJ Fogg
Breaking down a habit into micro habits helps you see the light at the end of the tunnel without getting frustrated, overwhelmed or quitting. Start small and gradually improve. During this process, your motivation will increase and so will your willpower.
Remind Yourself To Get It Done
The next few days should be smooth sailing. You’re motivated and excited to get this done. Sticking to your new habit isn’t an issue. But a few days in you’ll notice that it’s easy to slip back into old habits.
Maybe it’s raining and you don’t really want to go out and walk. Or maybe your day just gets away from you. This is when it’s important to have a daily reminder. Set an alert on your phone or add the new habit to your daily to-do list for a while.
Today we have hundreds of tech tools at our disposal that can help us create new habits.
Here are two worth checking out (both free to premium versions starting at $4.99 a month)
1. Habitify ‒ Habitify presents you with a list of your habits for the day, and it lets you check them off as you complete them. Simple, but effective.
2. Stride ‒ An app that offers a variety of ways to track different types of habits. You can set streak goals, which are great for 30-day challenges or other habit streak goals. You can also set habit goals as “Yes or No,” which are useful for habits like flossing.
And if you want to do something a certain number of times, Strides lets you set quantity goals
Make It Part Of Your Routine Until It Becomes A Habit
It takes some time before a new behavior becomes a true habit. Until then, a routine will work to your best advantage. Even before the new behavior becomes automatic, a routine will help you get it done without having to spend a lot of willpower or relying on daily reminders.
“Achieving our lifelong goals requires consistent action. Doing something once in a while will not change the trajectory or our lives as much as doing the things consistently that shapes our future.” ‒ Heidi Richards Mooney
Make that daily walk part of your after-dinner routine, or change from grabbing a snack at the vending machine at work at 10:00 in the morning to packing a healthy snack.
Go Easy on Yourself
As you embark on this journey of creating a new habit or better habits, remember to be compassionate with yourself. The reality is that any long-term change takes time. On your journey, you are likely to experience ups and downs. Especially when the new habit is more complex or life-altering. Remind yourself that you are capable, you can do it. You are prepared. You are taking the steps to succeed.
The important thing is to decide to create the new habit, practice the routine until it’s second nature and you’ll be well on your way to forming a new good habit.
And remember to celebrate! Once you have reached the goal you set for yourself, find a way to reward yourself. Doing so may just be the motivation you need to change or set another ‘good’ habit.
Heidi Richards Mooney, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Heidi is a professional speaker (past president for Floridas Speakers Association) an author, coach, small business owner, internet marketing and social media expert who specializes in helping clients get their Website, Blog, and social media channels noticed. She teaches audiences how to GROW their business using targeted social media channels including Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Heidi is also the publisher of several online magazines including WE Magazine for Women, Women of Wisdom Magazine, Marketing Small Business Magazine, Inventing Women Magazine, and Flowers Galore Magazine. She brings a unique combination of experience, technical expertise, and traditional marketing skills as well as creative new marketing approaches to maximize her clients online and social media presence. "
