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Grabbing a snack every time you pass by the kitchen? Or skipping the workout because of your hectic day? These can all be bad habits that make you do things involuntarily.
We all have our own habits, some good and some bad. But have you ever thought of giving up your bad habits? Not easy, is it? Well, the truth is, it is difficult, and even more difficult, to start a new habit.
That’s because our habits are deeply imprinted into our brains. They are automatic responses that we develop over time. When we try to stop that habit, we are basically fighting against ourselves, which is like stopping a train on its tracks.
But we are here to tell you that there is another way; instead of stopping the train, you could just change its direction. Yes, that's right. Instead of deleting one of your habits, you can replace it with a new healthy one.
How Long Will It Take to Change your Habit?
Just remember that it will take some time to build a new habit. Don’t just be discouraged after some time; it will take patience and a lot of practice for you to reach that goal.
You may have heard it takes three weeks to build a new habit. Well, it is just a myth like hundreds of others you see on the internet. There is not any specific time period for you to adopt a new habit. It could take 21 days, but it could also take 14, 42, or 67 days, depending on the following factors;
Regularity: The time to change or build your habit highly depends upon the regularity of that habit. Is that an hourly habit? Or monthly? If it is an hourly habit, it will take less time than a monthly one, which may take one to two months.
Hard Work: The second thing that matters is the effort and hard work that you put into planning and preparing for your new habit. The sooner you get started, the more results you will get.
Distance: The other thing that can affect the time period of your building habit is the distance between your current habit and the new habit you want to adopt. Where are you now? And where do you want to be? The shorter the distance, the sooner you will see the results.
How Can You Build A Habit?
You may have heard a lot of side tips and tricks to make your habit stick, including Portion control, Saying no to processed food, and keeping your physical activity regular, but how can you really make it happen?
One thing that you should do at first is "Stop trying to be perfect." Being perfect is never an aim, and no one can be perfect in all ways. You are going to overeat someday and miss your workout the next day; it's all normal. Instead of embracing perfection, go for consistently better.
Here are a few habit tips for you that can help you build new habits and make them stick:
Make A Plan:
The first thing you have to do is make a plan, decide what you will change in your daily routine, and stick to that specific behavior.
For example, if you are a night owl, sleeping and waking up late, you can make a plan to rise up early to exercise every morning, set your clock for the right time, and when the alarm rings, get up immediately and go for your walk or exercise.
Then commit to doing this every day, and after two to three weeks, this desired habit will become a habit, maybe not an established one, but the good news is that you are on your way to building this.
Skip the Idea of Multitasking:
You may have heard a lot about multitasking techniques, which may inspire you that you can do multiple things at one time.
No doubt, you can walk your dog, text your friend, and drink your coffee all at once, which is very impressive. But still, that's not what you need. You have to do one task at a time and do it well.
Similarly, this goes for habit building; focus on changing one behavior or habit at one time, and you can work on the other next week. Focusing on too many habits at once can end up making you feel exhausted and anxious.
So there is no rush; you have plenty of time, "go easy on yourself so you don't have to say No."
Bundle Your Habits:
You must remember Temptation Bundling, doing something that we enjoy paired with something less fun that we must do. This can make us do the not-so-fun chores. Well, habit building is just like a friend to temptation building.
Habit building is simply combining your well-established habit with a new one. You can think of your old habit as a support system for the new one. For example, if you have to go for a walk or do your workout, you can do that with your old habit of listening to music or watching your favorite podcast.
Moreover, if you are a breakfast person, you can establish some healthy breakfast habits, like eating less processed food. Like to have pancakes or waffles dripping syrup all over with syrup or powdered sugar? Well, these are all delicious choices, but they are NOT HEALTHY.
But don’t worry; you can still have pancakes for breakfast but with a little addition of fiber and protein. Try making them with whole wheat, olive oil, almond milk, and some honey for sweetness. In this way, you will have your old habit of delicious breakfast but with a new habit of adding some healthy ingredients to it.
Final Words
Remember that changing your habits or building a new one is not a quick fix; it's a complete journey that needs your patience and time. It takes daily practice. But one thing that we assure you is that the reward will be worth it. You will not only be able to get rid of your bad habits but will also gain a powerful tool like self-control, which will improve your overall well-being.
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