Written by: Ana Filipovic Windsor, Digital Media & Content Strategist
We have come to that time of the year again when many new habits die.
Remember those early days of January when anything and everything seemed possible? Every dream, every improvement we had been longing for, if only we had the time and energy to make them a reality…
When New Year’s knocks on our door we’ve got what it takes! And then, as the end of January nears, we lose that feeling of power in ourselves and commitment to our dreams. We stuff them in a drawer and wait to try again next year because next year will be better and we WILL succeed this time!
But why wait until the next year? Why give up? There are still 11 full months left in 2021. So what if you started a new habit and lost your way around mid-January? You can still pick yourself up and push yourself to accomplish your goals. And here’s how to make sure they stick this time:
1. Make it easy. So easy you can’t say no to doing it.
You decide this is the year you get in shape so you get the expensive gym membership, go to the gym two times, get sore and decide to take a rest day... that turns into three weeks of not going to the gym. What went wrong here? If going to the gym every day for one hour doesn’t work with your current schedule or your fitness level, you will fail. Adjust the goal. Make it easy. Walking around your neighborhood for 5 minutes every morning while your coffee is brewing? Now, that’s an attainable goal. After 30 days, increase the duration of the habit. Your 5 minute walk becomes a 10 minute walk. You have changed failing into winning!
2. Measure it.
There’s nothing better than seeing a checked off list at the end of the day. But most of us don’t check things off because we make our daily goals way too big and ambitious. Scale it down. Remember you only have 24 hours during which you have to sleep, work, spend time with family, and take care of yourself. Finishing a marketing strategy is way too broad of a goal for one day. Finding three marketing plans online to read and writing an outline for your marketing plan is much more attainable. Finding a job is way too big of a goal. Listing three must-haves in your new job position is a much more productive, focused goal that will get you closer to your dream position.
3. If you miss a day, start again today. Miss two days? Start again today.
Things in motion stay in motion, right? So when we plop onto our couches and grab our remotes, it’s highly unlikely we’ll want to get up and clean, work, do what will inevitably improve our lives. You can trick yourself though, by saying: “I’ll just clean up in the kitchen for 5 minutes.” Set up a timer for 5 minutes and clean for that time. Chances are, you’ll end up cleaning up for at least 10-15 minutes but if you really don’t have time, you’ll feel good for honoring your 5 minute time frame. Don’t write off the whole day, week, month or a year for simply missing one or two days of your new, healthier habit. Adjust your goals, scale back, and make it attainable so you don’t miss a day again. If you do, start again today.
Changes don’t happen overnight. They happen day by day, minute by minute. The reason you’re in the position you’re in today is a collection of mini events that led to it. If you want to have a different life, you’ll have to build it step by step just like you did with the one you have right now.
Habits are a collection of small actions, whether good or bad for us. Help your brain and body create new, healthy habits by making it easy, simple, and tracking your progress.
Remember: if you have a vision of who you want to be in your life, no one will magically make you that person. You need to get out there and build it yourself. One minute per day, one step at a time. And in 11 months, you won’t believe how tiny habits transformed your life. It’s all about creating a habit and making it easy to stick to it.
Last tip coming from someone who manages social media accounts for a living: turn off all social media notifications on your phone and have a dedicated time frame for when you’re not checking social media. For example: no social media before 10 am or after 9 pm. Your mental health will thank you and you won’t miss anything. Trust me. And you can use that time to meditate, spend time with your kids, cook a healthy meal, watch your favorite show, work on your dream career, or simply stare at the beautiful sky and take a breath.
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