Building healthy habits takes time and practice. It doesn’t happen overnight and requires a good amount of dedication. We have all tried to inculcate good habits in our lives, whether it be sleeping early or simply organising our space. Some habits stick, and some don’t. So, how do we make sure that we build habits that would stay with us?
Here are some tips which may help you with this:
1.Focus
To accomplish most things in life, a certain amount of focus is required. Similarly, to build a habit, focus and concentration on that one habit are required. This is usually applicable when you want to make some changes in your daily routine, for example, waking up at 6 am or studying every day for 2 hours. These habits require you to shift your routine and make space for them. Therefore, they require determination and focus to build.
If the habit is something more specific, educate yourself. Research about how it works and how to make it work.
2.Commit to it for 21 days
It is a very common saying that to build a habit, you must stick to it for 21 days. However, the amount of time it takes to actually build the habit tends to vary from person to person. For some, it might even take less time, and for some, it might take up to a month as well. It also varies from habit to habit. Difficult habits take a longer time to master and practice, whereas easier habits can be included in your routine with less effort.
The key thing to remember is to stick to the habit. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, as long as you don’t give up and keep working towards it.
To learn more about building learning habits, refer to Building clean learning habits.
3.Be Consistent
Just as mentioned in the previous point, it is essential to stick to the habit. This includes even when you are not in the mood. For example, if you want to practice your writing skills every day, write a small paragraph every day regardless of how tired or bored you are with this habit. This practice goes a long way, and the habit just becomes a part of your routine.
There are valid reasons to skip or miss a day naturally. We all have days when we are sick, tired, overworked or simply, busy. But you have to work towards sticking to the habit so that it naturally comes to you in the day.
4.Be Patient
It’s not very simple and straightforward to build a habit. Even the smallest changes in your routine tend to be difficult to inculcate. You must remember to have fun and understand how the habit will benefit you. It is possible that you fall off track; however, what is more important is that you come back to it. It takes a considerable amount of time to get that habit in place, but it is all worth it in the end.
5.Stack your Habit
An excellent method to involve new habits in your life is by stacking them with old habits. For example: Let’s say you sleep at 10 pm every day. So before you sleep, you will brush your teeth. You connect the new habit of brushing teeth with sleeping at 10 pm every day so that you remember to do it religiously every day.
This helps in easily incorporating the habit into your normal routine.
The first step would always be to set your mind to it. Building habits requires repetition, and it can be frustrating at times, but in the long run, it is rewarding. Start small and give yourself time to achieve those goals.
If you liked this step by step guide, you might be interested in the Step-by-step guide to becoming a better learner.
