Change is always difficult at first. There's no denying that. And when it comes to changing a habit, whether it's forming a new one or kicking an old one, the key is to stick with it until it becomes a part of your regular routine.
Experts say it takes 21 days for an action to become a habit. So technically, if you do something continuously for 21 days, it is likely to become a routine part of your life (by this logic, blogging should have become a part of mine by now!! Let's see after this marathon period!). Any back-outs or slip-ups are usually most common in this period because it's not yet a natural tendency for you.
This is why gym memberships are highest in January. So are enrollments at various hobby classes, visitors at libraries or consultations at nutritionists/dieticians. We are conditioned to believe that the new year is a good time to start something new because you're likelier to continue it throughout the year. In reality, this doesn't happen automatically. There is no perfect time to start a new habit. The only perfect time is when you decide to stick with it! Today is as good a day as any so if you're thinking about starting a new habit, here are some of my tips. Get cracking today!!
1) Consistency - This is very important. It is necessary that you indulge in the action that you want to make a habit at the same time every day, as far as possible. If you have decided to read more books this year, try to read every morning or every night instead of just reading at random times everyday. You're likelier to make it a part of your routine if you do this.
2) Keep your goals specific - 'I'll try to read 3 books a month' is a much better goal than 'I'll read more books this year'. Likewise, 'I'll get fitter this year' is far less effective than 'I must lose 15 kilos this year' or I'll quit sugar in all forms this year'. How you frame your goals is very important because that's the message your brain processes and it treats specific instructions very differently from general statements.
3) Make bit-by-bit changes - Instead of making extreme changes too suddenly, try following some form of gradation that'll make the transition easier. For instance, if you wake up usually at 8am, deciding that you are going to wake up at 4am from tomorrow is never going to work because that's just such a large mountain for your resolve to climb! That may be your ultimate goal but it helps to have sub-goals or milestones that help you make this change slightly more easily, even if takes a little longer initially. If you want to improve your fitness over a period of time and decide that starting tomorrow, you will exercise 1 hour, give up all forms of sugar and get 7 hours of sleep everyday, there's no way you will achieve this. While this goal is specific, it is too much for your body and mind to adapt to instantly if you haven't already made some progress in that direction. It might be better to start for a couple of months with the exercise routine and then gradually working on your sleep and then on your diet or in any other order that works but preferably not all together.
4) Start over - If you happen to give in to temptation or don't meet your target, don't chide yourself too much about it. Just move on and start over. Being too rigid or harsh on yourself can often be counter-productive. Instead of motivating you, it may end up seeming like such an impossible goal that you are more wont to give up. At the same time, don't be too lax on yourself. It is necessary that you strike a fine balance between being motivated enough to repeat the activity everyday and at the same not feeling like you're being punished or forced to do it! Read my post on 'Never give up' if you need some added inspiration!
5) Assign a 'motivator' - Tell atleast one and upto 4 people about your goal and ask them to keep checking in with you on how you're progressing. Give them some free rein to push you to achieve your goal. Its remarkable sometimes what you can achieve when you make yourself answerable to someone! At the same time, telling too many people is not advisable because it can get overwhelming if all of them were to constantly nag you about it.
6) Reward yourself - Give yourself tiny rewards even when you achieve your sub-goals. It's so helpful to dangle the carrot of a reward and make sure it's something you feel motivated enough to work for. For example if you are planning to give up sugar, every 10 times that you deny yourself sugar, reward yourself with something you like - could be a new book or a new dress. Doesn't matter. In fact, it doesn't have to be expensive. You could reward yourself with an additional episode of your current favourite TV show that day!
7) Stay cheerful - Most importantly, don't hesitate to revisit, restate or revise your goals if it is making you unhappy. If, instead of motivating you to do better, it seems like a burden on your back or it is depressing you no end, you've probably been over-ambitious either in defining your goal or the timeline you've set yourself. Go back to the drawing board and find a combination that doesn't kill you!
Bonus tip - A lot of people will tell you to be result-oriented when you evaluate your progress towards your goals. But what has worked for me has been to enjoy the process or the journey rather than focusing exclusively on the result. As long as you are in the right direction, take your time and don't rush with that habit. Small, gradual changes everyday will make you a whole new person 5 years from now! So don't fret about not seeing results early in your journey to a new you.
Whether it's that fitness goal you set yourself or a diet plan, if you don't see any significant weight loss in the initial period, do not get disheartened and/or give up. It's maintaining these actions over a longer period of time that deliver results anyway. Similarly, if you manage to meet that goal of getting up at 5am daily but don't end up getting anything done, don't beat yourself over it - at the very least, enjoy your morning cuppa of tea! Over time, you'll become more productive as your mind acclimatizes to the new schedule.
The key thing like I said at the start of this post is to keep at it - vigorously, sincerely and passionately, but also in a forgiving manner and showing yourself some love along the way!
If you have any tips that worked for you, do share them in the comments!
Experts say it takes 21 days for an action to become a habit. So technically, if you do something continuously for 21 days, it is likely to become a routine part of your life (by this logic, blogging should have become a part of mine by now!! Let's see after this marathon period!). Any back-outs or slip-ups are usually most common in this period because it's not yet a natural tendency for you.
This is why gym memberships are highest in January. So are enrollments at various hobby classes, visitors at libraries or consultations at nutritionists/dieticians. We are conditioned to believe that the new year is a good time to start something new because you're likelier to continue it throughout the year. In reality, this doesn't happen automatically. There is no perfect time to start a new habit. The only perfect time is when you decide to stick with it! Today is as good a day as any so if you're thinking about starting a new habit, here are some of my tips. Get cracking today!!
1) Consistency - This is very important. It is necessary that you indulge in the action that you want to make a habit at the same time every day, as far as possible. If you have decided to read more books this year, try to read every morning or every night instead of just reading at random times everyday. You're likelier to make it a part of your routine if you do this.
2) Keep your goals specific - 'I'll try to read 3 books a month' is a much better goal than 'I'll read more books this year'. Likewise, 'I'll get fitter this year' is far less effective than 'I must lose 15 kilos this year' or I'll quit sugar in all forms this year'. How you frame your goals is very important because that's the message your brain processes and it treats specific instructions very differently from general statements.
3) Make bit-by-bit changes - Instead of making extreme changes too suddenly, try following some form of gradation that'll make the transition easier. For instance, if you wake up usually at 8am, deciding that you are going to wake up at 4am from tomorrow is never going to work because that's just such a large mountain for your resolve to climb! That may be your ultimate goal but it helps to have sub-goals or milestones that help you make this change slightly more easily, even if takes a little longer initially. If you want to improve your fitness over a period of time and decide that starting tomorrow, you will exercise 1 hour, give up all forms of sugar and get 7 hours of sleep everyday, there's no way you will achieve this. While this goal is specific, it is too much for your body and mind to adapt to instantly if you haven't already made some progress in that direction. It might be better to start for a couple of months with the exercise routine and then gradually working on your sleep and then on your diet or in any other order that works but preferably not all together.
4) Start over - If you happen to give in to temptation or don't meet your target, don't chide yourself too much about it. Just move on and start over. Being too rigid or harsh on yourself can often be counter-productive. Instead of motivating you, it may end up seeming like such an impossible goal that you are more wont to give up. At the same time, don't be too lax on yourself. It is necessary that you strike a fine balance between being motivated enough to repeat the activity everyday and at the same not feeling like you're being punished or forced to do it! Read my post on 'Never give up' if you need some added inspiration!
5) Assign a 'motivator' - Tell atleast one and upto 4 people about your goal and ask them to keep checking in with you on how you're progressing. Give them some free rein to push you to achieve your goal. Its remarkable sometimes what you can achieve when you make yourself answerable to someone! At the same time, telling too many people is not advisable because it can get overwhelming if all of them were to constantly nag you about it.
6) Reward yourself - Give yourself tiny rewards even when you achieve your sub-goals. It's so helpful to dangle the carrot of a reward and make sure it's something you feel motivated enough to work for. For example if you are planning to give up sugar, every 10 times that you deny yourself sugar, reward yourself with something you like - could be a new book or a new dress. Doesn't matter. In fact, it doesn't have to be expensive. You could reward yourself with an additional episode of your current favourite TV show that day!
7) Stay cheerful - Most importantly, don't hesitate to revisit, restate or revise your goals if it is making you unhappy. If, instead of motivating you to do better, it seems like a burden on your back or it is depressing you no end, you've probably been over-ambitious either in defining your goal or the timeline you've set yourself. Go back to the drawing board and find a combination that doesn't kill you!
Bonus tip - A lot of people will tell you to be result-oriented when you evaluate your progress towards your goals. But what has worked for me has been to enjoy the process or the journey rather than focusing exclusively on the result. As long as you are in the right direction, take your time and don't rush with that habit. Small, gradual changes everyday will make you a whole new person 5 years from now! So don't fret about not seeing results early in your journey to a new you.
Whether it's that fitness goal you set yourself or a diet plan, if you don't see any significant weight loss in the initial period, do not get disheartened and/or give up. It's maintaining these actions over a longer period of time that deliver results anyway. Similarly, if you manage to meet that goal of getting up at 5am daily but don't end up getting anything done, don't beat yourself over it - at the very least, enjoy your morning cuppa of tea! Over time, you'll become more productive as your mind acclimatizes to the new schedule.
The key thing like I said at the start of this post is to keep at it - vigorously, sincerely and passionately, but also in a forgiving manner and showing yourself some love along the way!
If you have any tips that worked for you, do share them in the comments!
Lovely article, well written 👍
ReplyDeleteThanks mom
DeleteThis is so true. Successful change is so gratifying.
Delete