Spring is a natural time of “out with the old and in with the new.” It’s a time of rebirth, renewal, and rejuvenation. It is the perfect time to think about your daily habits and “spring” into better habits!
You can create a new habit that requires little effort to maintain. Here are some tips for creating new habits and making them stick:
1. Focus on one new habit at a time – You can’t completely change your life in one day. It is so easy to get overwhelmed and give up. Identify a habit you can do all the time, something that will fit into your life, and can be completed on a daily basis.
2. Start Simple –If you want to start a new habit, start simple. Rather than starting with 50 pushups per day, start with 5 pushups per day. Rather than trying to meditate for 10 minutes per day, start by meditating for one minute per day.
3. Make it Daily – Consistency is critical if you want to make a new habit stick. If you want to start exercising, exercise every day for the first thirty days. Exercising a couple times a week will make it harder to form the habit. Activities you do once every few days are harder to make into habits.
4. Commit to a Minimum of Thirty Days – Some people say it takes 21 days to change a habit, while others claim it takes up to 60 days. The length of time varies from person to person and habit to habit. Commit to thirty days and carve out time every day to consistently complete your new habit. If you can make it through this phase, it becomes much easier to sustain.
5. Stay Consistent – The more consistent your habit, the easier it will be to stick. If you want to start exercising, try to exercise at the same time every day for the first thirty days.
6. Write it Down –Writing down why you want to start your new habit is important. Writing makes your ideas clearer and focuses you on your end result.
7. Do it For Yourself – Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead, form your habits towards your goals and the things that motivate you.
Spring is a time of transition which makes it the perfect season to start a new healthy habit.