In our everyday life, we struggle with a lot of issues considering we are unable to stick to a habit that can help us in flourishing in some crucial aspects such as health, happiness and life in general.
We end up procrastinating and delaying work for the whole day as we are unable to really form a habit to stick to. We are usually so engrossed in our current schedules that every effort towards forming a new habit that can contribute towards our growth goes in vain.
Because of this, there are many repercussions that an individual has to take, whether it is declining health or not being able to maintain a lifestyle, it is all because of that.
Habit formation is an integral part of a person’s life as it ensures you sustain life wholesomely.
The only fact that we need to keep in mind during this process is building good habits requires effort and insight.
Lets now pay attention to a few steps through which we can secure to make great and sustainable habits-
- Set a specific goal
Setting goals is the most important step through which you can get started in this journey. Be specific about what you would like to do. Affirm it everyday that I need to read for almost 15 minutes everyday.
Break your expectations and make them small so that it’s easy for you to work on them.
- Work on just one habit at a time.
You don’t need to rigorously put effort into the process, just simply get started with one habit and make sure it’s in place when you think of getting started with another one. Be kind to yourself all throughout it and don’t feel insecure of the fact that others have it all together when simply you don’t. A better way to approach your goals, and the habits you’ll need in order to achieve them, is to harness all your energy and focus towards approaching each of them once at a time.
- Make it fun to get back to
Whenever we are emphasising building a habit, the thing that usually happens is that we feel burdened to keep it existing whereas this shouldn’t be the case. You need to create and maintain your habit in such a way that you feel like going back to it. For example, when it comes to workouts, start with what you like, don’t go harsh only because others are.
- Attach your habits to the previous one.
The smartest way to get started with your new habit is to take the liberty and connect it with a previous one. This way you won’t feel too drained and would be able to concentrate more as you are actually into the habit, if you see the other way around. For example, when you have the habit of waking up early, ensure that you take a power walk for almost 15 minutes and then slowly change it into steady workouts.
You don’t need to be hard, just be smart enough to include the new habit into your existing schedule. The more you try to devote extra time into it, the more you are likely to feel burdened and on the verge of giving up. To cure that, just incorporate the new habits into your schedule for less than half an hour and once you catch the pace, start with taking extra hours for the same.
- Find the right kind of social support
We often don’t pay attention to this very point as it is overlooked most of the time is the necessity to find out the right kind of people who share the likewise mindset. We need to build a network wherein we are connected to people who are our cheerleaders as well as partners in maintaining a good set of habits.
Studies have shown that people are more likely to perform in a better way when they are supported by their peer groups. But in general, various studies show that finding people to socialise with who have already accomplished what you want to accomplish can make a world of difference. As an added bonus, when you pursue your goals in tandem with people you like, that makes it more fun!
It works as an added bonus and you will charge up to get results for yourself too. Whether it is joining a gym with a partner or going for a run with your sibling, like-minded people always come to the rescue.
It can be pretty hard to stick to a new habit if you feel demotivated to do it on a regular basis.
If you promise yourself you’ll read 20 pages a day, but you keep getting side-tracked and you miss the mark, you’ll feel bad about yourself for being unable to stick with it.
In situations like these, it’s helpful to give yourself liberty and just read for as much as you can without feeling guilty. Don’t set a mark,let your progress flow.
For example, instead of reading 20 pages per day, consider reading for 20 minutes per day. This way, you’ll be more likely to do it to completion, which will lead to a shot of energised hormones in your brain, which will lead to you feeling good about yourself, which will lead to you sticking with your new habit over the long run.
Keep in mind habit formation is a consistent effort and not something that will be evident in the initial days. The initial days will be hard on you as it is going to be a whole new experience for you. However, during that time, you need to surrender yourself to the process and just try to take small steps everyday. There are going to be days when you will fail miserably, but you need to keep going without stopping because the moment you stop, you will feel exhausted to start again. No matter what you do, make sure you do something towards making that habit a daily part of your life.
I hope this article helps you accumulate the right set of knowledge and answers all your apprehensions. Happy reading !!!