We’ve all been there: often we set high targets to improve our healthy living standards, and then we relapse back to our former vice. Unknowing this fact is the cornerstone of failure when it comes to the creation and maintenance of healthy habits. Quite the contrary, it is about creating new small and efficient practices that are going to be incorporated into the modern person’s routine. Now what follows are some useful tips on how you can work towards the creation of those healthy habits that you always wished to have!
Start Small and Specific
The quote that says that the journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step holds some relevance to the situation. In matters of healthy habit formation, therefore, youthful and even ignorable practices matter most. Doing this is better than starting with a rigorous exercise schedule that may be hard for you to continue with after some days. The members of the goal commitment instrument demonstrated in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine that concrete and attainable goals enhance goal commitment. Therefore, rather than making a vague statement like “I will begin eating more healthily,” select, “I will eat vegetables with dinner every day.”
Make It Enjoyable
Let’s face it: unless you are passionate about what you are doing, chances are you won’t carry on doing it for long. In early efforts at healthy habit formation for practice or in pursuing healthier dietary options, choose things that you enjoy. Love dancing? Better to opt for a dance class than head home and hit the treadmill. When you want to eat a healthier diet, feel free to practice with tasty foods that make your tongue excited. The more fun your new habits are, the better they are going to stick because you are going to want to do them.”
Create a Routine
Habits thrive on consistency. It is useful to choose a plan that will help integrate your new habits into your everyday schedule. For instance, if you intend to adopt the new behavior of taking more water, have an alarm telling you to take a glass of water as soon as you wake up and before having a meal. According to research conducted at the University of Southern California, it might take about 66 days before the new behavior becomes unconscious. Therefore, be patient and stick to the plan… every day!
Track Your Progress
The saying sometimes the pictures do the talking is true, especially when you’re achieving something great! It also has action-centered goals of recording each working day activity to encourage adherence to healthy habit formation. You can use applications, diaries, or even a list of daily habits to track yourself. Several studies have revealed that self-monitoring can improve your chances of getting there by about 70%. Thus, when you can see how far you have pulled, it becomes motivating to continue pulling even further.
Get an Accountability Partner
It is important to have somebody with you to provide support during your process, as it can change the world. An accountability partner is someone who can be a friend, a family member, or even a fitness training partner. This means that whenever you share your goals with someone else, you create a feeling of responsibility and motivation. According to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), you are 65% more likely to complete a commitment if you attach it to another person. Well, if you want them to stick, then find a partner and do them in pairs!
Be Kind to Yourself
Let’s be real: setbacks happen. Healthy habit formation is not always a linear process, and that is normal. So always bear in mind that if you missed a workout or have eaten that extra slice of cake, don’t stress it. But this should be done and recognized, and then one should just let it go and continue in such a manner. That is why the concept of a growth mindset is so crucial for the long-term effectiveness of the organization. They say developing new health habits is a process and not an event.
Conclusion
Building healthy habits that stick is all about starting small, staying consistent, and making it enjoyable. By incorporating these strategies into your daily life, you can achieve successful healthy habit formation and lead a more fulfilling, healthier lifestyle. So, what are you waiting for? Take that first step today and watch how your small changes can lead to significant transformations!