Willpower is a limited resource– it’s constantly depleted throughout the day. You use some up each time you have to force yourself to do something. Habits, on the other hand, are automatic actions that don’t require willpower, such as brushing your teeth and biting your nails. By building positive, consistent habits, you can regularly get more done without draining precious willpower and energy.
Set a trigger. This is the cue that will remind you to perform a habit. Take something you already do (i.e. going to bed) and attach a habit to it (When I go to bed each night, I will take five minutes to write in my journal). Some other examples include:
come home from school —> work out on the elliptical for 15 minutes
take a study break —> drink a glass of water
finish homework —> organize backpack/desk
“Gamify” your tasks. This tip comes from blogger Thomas Frank, who suggests using the reward mechanisms from video games to make sticking to habits more fun. He does this using Habitica {iOS//Android//online}, an app where you play as an RPG character and earn experience, health, and cool items for completing your habits. The app also has a social aspect where your completion of tasks impacts your friends’ characters’ health, providing extra impetus.
Create accountability devices. Set up a system that incentivizes you to stick to your commitments. A famous one is Don’t Break the Chain, which motivates you to continue your habit in order to keep the chain of X’s going. If you’re feeling extreme, sign up for Beeminder, which charges you real money for going off-track with your habits. Another great effective device is peer pressure (the positive kind!). Announce your goals to your friends/family so they can check up on your progress and keep you on track.
Be patient. The popular saying that it takes 21 days to form a new habit has been proven to be untrue. Research has found that it takes anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit (depending on the difficulty), with the average being 66 days. So start small by focusing on one or two little habits for a couple of months, only take on new habits if your old ones have become automatic, and be gentle with yourself if you slip up.
Here’s a list of small daily habits for you to start with, as well as some specific apps that will help you along the way. Choose a couple and stick to them!
drink 6-8 cups of water {Plant Nanny: iOS//Android}
work out for seven minutes {Johnson & Johnson 7 Minute: iOS//Android}
write for X minutes or X amount of words {Written? Kitten!} {750 Words}
practice Duolingo {Online//iOS//Android}
answer the SAT Question of the Day {iOS//Android}
meditate {Stop, Breathe, & Think: iOS//Android}
How do you go about breaking a bad habit, such as nail-biting, stress-eating, or procrastinating?
Reduce triggers. Cut out anything that makes you engage in your bad habit. If you tend to eat too much junk food after school, throw out your unhealthy snacks or keep them out of reach. If you put off doing your homework by playing a game on your phone, delete the app and only re-download it once you’ve finished your work.
Replace them with good habits. Bad habits are usually caused by sadness, stress, or boredom, so find other, healthier ways to relieve those negative emotions. Try going for a walk instead of watching TV, eating fresh fruit instead of ice cream, or reading a book instead of playing on your phone.
Surround yourself with like-minded people. You don’t have to ditch all your friends, but it’s hard to break bad habits when the people around you are participating in things you’re trying to avoid. Even finding one or two buddies who can set a good example or who are trying to break the same habits can be immensely helpful.
Some apps and tools to help motivate you and record your habit building/breaking progress:
Bullet journal spreads {i.ii}
Don’t Break The Chain {Online//printable}
Habitica {iOS//Android//online}
Momentum Habit Tracker: {iOS}
Thanks for reading! If you have questions, feedback, or post requests, feel free to drop me an ask.
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