How to Establish Good Habits
We all know that one person...you know, they get up early to hit that 6:00am workout session, they eat a balanced diet 99.9% of the time, and they are in bed by 9:30pm every night to get that golden 8 hours of beauty sleep. However, what we often mistake as willpower has more to do with discipline and habit.
People with good habits rarely need to drag themselves into the gym or cook at home instead of ordering delivery. This is because autopilot takes over and eliminates the temptation to take the easier route.
Now the challenging part of this equation is that it takes developing good habits to go on autopilot. For example, some people fold their laundry as soon as the dryer stops running instead of letting it sit in piles for weeks. How did they magically get that done and why? Through habits. Here are some ways to become that overachiever!
How to Build Good Habits
Start by setting a specific goal. To keep things simple, let's say you want to improve your metabolic health by exercising for at least 1-hour per day. But let's be honest, maybe you haven't exercises consistently in years. So a good goal might be "I will make it to the gym at least 3 days a week for 30 minutes". Notice there was no specific routine to be completed at the gym or a level of intensity. The goal is focused on simply the discipline of showing up. Showing up when you would rather lay in bed. Showing up when you would rather drive home after work than lift weights.
Establish cues. These cues will help guide not only what you will do but when or how you will do it. Meaning, you might say to yourself that you will make it to the gym on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday before you take the children to school. The when and where part of this equation will improve the chances of following through. Take it a step further and lay our your workout clothes the night before. When the clothes are sitting there waiting to be put on, it's a reminder that you better head over and lift some weights!
Change your environment. This can be as simple as having an accountability partner who pushes you to do some cardio on a Saturday morning. It could mean upgrading your outfit so you feel good in the gym, which might help you push yourself a bit more. It could mean that you tell your family that this is your time for self care and that you will help everyone when you get back. Your environment can significantly influence your actions so be sure to assess whether your environment is helping you; if not, seek the support (i.e. friends, schedule change) you need in order to help reinforce the habit you seek.
Establish a routine. Have you ever been to a restaurant that had too many options? Often you end up choosing something you didn't like because you were overwhelmed. When it comes to a routine, keep in simple like a menu. Instead of telling yourself you will make an afternoon exercise session if you miss the morning, give yourself only the option to train in the morning on the specific days you decide when you establish those cues.
Be flexible to a degree. Building successful habits requires you to frequently repeat a behavior. Miss a day of exercise? No worries. Just don't miss two days. Two leads to three and three leads to starting over next week. You can also substitute a day if you missed one but try to limit that habit as you don't want to always rely on an unpredictable schedule.
Measure your progress. Did you exercise all three days last week? How was the workout? The intensity? Are you satisfied? Do this again for several weeks. If you feel confident you can continue this habit, then add a fourth day of exercise. Keep in mind this process make take weeks or months depending on how disciplined the routine is.
Establishing a habit is challenging but you do hard stuff all time time! It just takes patience and the ability to navigate the barriers that are preventing you from pursuing your goals. If you need some help, feel free to reach out. :)