Habits make life easier, but the key to how to build habits that last, lies in answering – “Am I focusing on building habits that fit my style & lifestyle? Or, am I wasting time & energy on the ones everyone says are a must-have?”
Let’s take one of the most popular habits that people wish to create – the habit of reading daily. Now, the reason why this is a part of every successful person’s daily habit is because it’s one of the most consistent ways to keep adding to our knowledge & understanding.
But if listening is more your style than reading, then watching videos or listening to podcasts on the subjects of your interest would be a more suitable habit to create that’s sustainable as well as enjoyable.
So, how do you zoom in on the best choice? Well, that’s what this video is all about…how to build habits that last by choosing the best approach and the right fit for you.
1. Importance of the habit
The first question to ask yourself is ‘what is this new habit going to do for me?’ Basically, ‘why’ you want to build this habit in the first place.
The reason we are asking this question is to find the conviction, the emotional connect of this choice, how involved are we with this choice. Because habits that are anchored in emotion, last longer.
Plus, when you are convinced of the why behind your choice, it will make it easier for you to follow through with the actions even on days when you are running low on motivation because consistency is very important for creating any habit.
And till you reach the point where this habit has become more or less automatic, motivation remains an important factor.
So choose something that you would like to do because if you force yourself to do something you don’t like, you will at best create a routine and not a habit.
The more automatic an action becomes, the easier it is to retain it as a habit.
2. Perfect place in daily routine
Ask yourself where would it fit seamlessly, a natural part of your daily routine.
Because the more effortless it feels to slip into the next step, the easier will it be to be consistent with the actions…and since you already have the routine in place, you won’t need additional reminders.
But, don’t be hard on yourself if your choice of routine doesn’t pan out because you can always choose another one and decide which one works best. Lunch on the go not leaving you enough time for that bowl of fruits? Try having it with your breakfast and see how it works out.
Make it as easy for you to follow as you can because it’s difficult to stay consistent with things that demand more effort. Consistently repeating actions is one of the most important things to build habits that last.
3. Achievable goals
The idea is to basically stretch our comfort zone only one manageable step at a time. So, ask yourself, “What’s the smallest part of this routine that would work for me?”
This approach may seem slower but is actually faster and more effective because actions that stretch too far from what you are comfortable with have a lesser chance of reaching the point where they become automatic. Because things too far out of our comfort zone take a lot of will power and motivation.
Like, if you want to cut down on your habit from 6 cups of coffee a day to just once in the morning, it might be a tough habit to stick to because, amongst other things, the physical discomfort of cutting that much caffeine in one quick swipe.
The better option would be to cut back gradually, like reducing to 3 or 4 cups or whatever feels doable first and then building on that to reach just 1 cup of coffee in the morning.
Habits that don’t take too much effort to create, are easier to maintain.
4. Plan for the day
So ask yourself, what hurdles might pop up, like running out of the things you need for that action, or having things around that can tempt or distract you, or something popping up to take up your time. Just anticipate what could go wrong.
The idea is not to scare you off creating that habit but to make yourself aware of all the possibilities and have a plan ready to tackle everything that springs up in your path along the way.
It’s like efficiently managing a project – removing distractions, keeping all necessary elements handy, and having a contingency plan in place for things that could possibly slow things down. That’s how to build habits that last.
Habits that add value to your life and are aligned with who you are…last longer.
