Embracing a new habit can be fun! Yes, I am writing this on December 1, and think it is the perfect time to do something a little different. Nope, we are not waiting for Jan 1. Why, how many times have I done that? Oh my, too many to count. Don’t think of it as one of those tried and failed New Year resolutions. This is just a habit. Something you either want to add or delete in your routine. I want this to be fun. What is something that you want to start doing or NOT doing that we can start practicing now? It can be as simple as never leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight or keeping your kitchen table free from clutter.
Find something that is driving you nuts and let's practice. I am going to stop leaving my desk in a mess. I seem to get off a call or finish a project and just get up and never tidy up. Not sure why this is. I use the dining room as my office (love the big table and the room is so close to my teapot and coffee maker) and only put everything away if we have company! It takes 5 to 10 minutes to put away. Hmm, sounds a little crazy but I think it would make me feel a little more accomplished and organized if I spent a few minutes at each end of the working day tidying up. I love this topic. I have written about habits many times before. I have read both Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg and Atomic Habits by James Clear and they both are so inspirational. If you know someone who enjoys self-improvement or self-help books, these would be a great Christmas gift.
Over the last several years, I have established several daily and weekly habits. I will admit, some do not stick. I tweak some and completely jump ship on others but it is still fun to try. Here are some simple and doable steps:
Decide on the Habit: Something doable and easy. Let’s not add more stress to the Holiday season. How about drinking at least 60 ounces of water daily? Or, how about doing stretching exercises when your coffee is brewing? Decide the habit.
Find an anchor: This is key. Something to remind you to do it. For instance, each morning when making my coffee, I get my vitamins out and set them right next to my water jug that I fill up. When my coffee is brewing, I do my little 5-minute yoga app. Find a way that will remind you to do something. It might be that you need to set an alarm on your phone or a post-it note on the desk. This is what will remind you. I have had to tweak my anchor a few times. What will remind you?
Celebrate: Sounds ridiculous but there is psychology around this. Your brain loves the atta boy! It likes to repeat what is celebrated. You know, kind of like the M & Ms that your brain loves to repeat LOL. It feels so good when you know that you have formed a habit and it is sticking.
In Tiny Habits, Fogg calls this habit making the ABC. Anchor-Behavior (habit to start or break)-Celebrate. An anchor is a reminder, behavior is the action, and the celebration helps make it stick.
🌼Sharpen up: I added this to my habit-making. Sometimes I get lazy and start slacking. I give myself a little pep talk to sharpen up and get back on track. For instance, if you are on vacation and your coffee routine is off…that is okay. Start back up when you get home.
Here is a sunset in Tucson that I wanted to share!
Comentários