Another year (and decade) bites the dust. A new year is now upon us, and with that comes new resolutions and promises to change our habits. However, more often than not old habits die hard and unfortunately within a few weeks many people find themselves reverting back to their old ways. A recent study by online fitness platform Strava, analysed their 2019 data and have predicted that by Jan 19th 2020, most people will have dropped their resolutions. They have even termed this day “Quitter’s Day”. Eeeeek!
A new habit seems like a tough ask… Whats the best way to start? How do you decide which habits are worth the trouble? How do make sure that a new habit isn’t just a flash in the plan and is going to last for the long haul?
It turns out there’s some science behind how to create a new habit and how to make it stick.
1 – Plan ahead – Work up to it, do your research and build up to your start date
2 – Have a big WHY – There needs to be a personal reason that is important to you behind making the change. “Should”, “must” and “may-as-well” have no place in lasting change.
3 – External Accountability – Tell someone what you’re going to do, why it’s important to you and ask them to check in and encourage you. Sometimes having someone else keeping tabs makes it harder to let things slide.
4 – Tie It In – If you’re struggling to remember to incorporate a new habit into your daily life, tie it in to a regular activity that you’re already doing so it creates a reminder. This will eventually lead to it becoming part of your regular routine.
5 – Celebrate Success – Even the smallest milestones need to be applauded in order to keep you motivated.
Good luck and Happy New Year!!
