Image from: https://www.aweekaway.org/2023/03/healthy-habits-for-caregivers
Creating and sticking to healthy habits is one of the best ways to improve your overall well-being, but it can often feel like a daunting task. Whether it’s exercising more, eating healthier, or improving sleep, forming new habits takes time, patience, and the right strategies. Drawing on resources from reputable health organisations, this blog post will guide you through effective steps to successfully develop healthy habits that will last.
1. Start Small and Focus on One Habit at a Time
When it comes to developing a new habit, the key is to start small. Trying to change your entire lifestyle all at once can lead to burnout or frustration. According to HealthDirect, focusing on just one behavior at a time will make the process more manageable. For example, if you’re trying to eat more vegetables, begin by adding a serving to one meal per day instead of attempting to change your entire diet overnight.
Building a new habit requires patience, and a gradual approach allows you to build confidence and track progress. Starting small also helps to avoid feeling overwhelmed, which can cause you to abandon the habit altogether.
2. Make the New Habit Specific and Clear
Vague goals like “I want to get healthier” or “I should exercise more” are unlikely to bring success. Instead, make your goal specific, measurable, and achievable. The NIH News in Health suggests setting a concrete goal such as “I will walk for 20 minutes every morning before breakfast” instead of something more general like “I need to exercise more.”
Having a clear and specific target gives you a roadmap for success. It also allows you to track progress, which helps you stay motivated. Once you achieve your smaller goals, you’ll be encouraged to keep going, leading to greater results in the long run.
3. Set Realistic Expectations and Be Kind to Yourself
Developing healthy habits takes time, and it’s essential to set realistic expectations for yourself. The NIDDK emphasises that it’s normal to face setbacks, and it’s important to not get discouraged. Mistakes or missed days don’t mean failure—they are simply part of the journey. For instance, if you skip a day of exercise or eat an unhealthy snack, don’t let it derail your progress. Acknowledge the setback, learn from it, and get back on track.
Setting realistic expectations also means recognising that new habits take time to form. According to HealthDirect, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit, depending on the individual and the complexity of the behavior. The most important thing is consistency.
4. Create a Supportive Environment
The environment around you plays a significant role in whether or not you will successfully form a new habit. Both HealthDirect and NIH News in Health stress the importance of surrounding yourself with a positive support system. This could include friends, family, or colleagues who encourage your new habit or join you in the process. For example, having a workout buddy can make exercising more enjoyable and provide extra accountability.
Additionally, make your environment conducive to your new habit. If you’re trying to eat healthier, keep healthy snacks visible and within easy reach. If you’re aiming to exercise more, lay out your workout clothes the night before so they’re ready to go in the morning.
5. Track Your Progress and Celebrate Milestones
Tracking your progress is essential for keeping your motivation high. The NIDDK recommends using a journal, a habit-tracking app, or a calendar to keep tabs on how well you’re sticking to your new habit. Seeing tangible evidence of your success reinforces the behaviour and makes it easier to keep going.
Celebrate your small victories along the way! Whether it’s after a week of consistent workouts or when you have eaten vegetables every day for a month, take a moment to recognise your progress. Positive reinforcement encourages you to keep working toward your goal.
Image from: https://medium.com/@ark84/the-significance-of-celebrating-milestones-in-your-career-journey-ac2daf48c0eb
6. Stay Flexible and Adjust When Needed
Life is unpredictable, and there will be times when your plans don’t go as expected. The key to maintaining healthy habits is flexibility. Both HealthDirect and NIH News in Health recommend being open to adjusting your plan if something isn’t working. If you find that 20 minutes of exercise feels too much on certain days, start with 10 minutes or try different types of activities until you find what fits best.
Flexibility allows you to maintain a sense of control over your habit-forming process, while still keeping you aligned with your ultimate health goals.
7. Use Reminders and Cues to Stay Consistent
Consistency is critical when developing healthy habits, and cues can be incredibly helpful. A cue is a signal or prompt that reminds you to engage in a specific behavior. NIH News in Health suggests tying your new habit to something you already do regularly. For instance, if you always have a cup of coffee in the morning, use that as a cue to take a five-minute stretch. Over time, the behavior will become ingrained. You can also set reminders on your phone or use visual cues like sticky notes to prompt you to stay on track. These reminders can help keep your goal at the forefront of your mind.
8. Stay Committed and Be Patient
Finally, the most important part of building a new habit is commitment. It’s easy to start a new habit but much harder to stick with it long enough to make it a permanent part of your routine. Remember, as emphasised by the NIDDK, small setbacks are natural, but consistency is what leads to lasting change. Even on difficult days, keep going!
Conclusion
Forming new healthy habits may take time, but with the right approach, anyone can make lasting changes that enhance their overall health and well-being. By starting small, setting specific goals, creating a supportive environment, tracking progress, and staying patient, you can successfully integrate new habits into your life.
So, what healthy habit will you work on today? Start small, stay consistent, and enjoy the process!
References:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/creating-healthy-habits
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/03/creating-healthy-habits
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diet-nutrition/changing-habits-better-health
