If you’re like most Americans you started the year off with a laundry list of things you’d like to improve about yourself. This year you were going to lose 20 pounds, write a novel, snag that promotion, and run your first 5k.
And, along with most other Americans, those resolutions have fallen by the wayside now that we are nearly a quarter of the way through the year.
If something was worth doing on January 1, the chances are pretty good that it’s still worth doing. You may have fallen off the bandwagon somewhere between New Year’s fireworks and Valentine’s Day chocolates, but don’t let that stop you from meeting your goals.
Building new habits takes time. In fact, studies have shown that it can take up to 66 days to form a new habit. That’s a lot of time for you go back to your old ways before your new habit has a chance to even take root. So how can you build positive habits into your life to give yourself the best chance of success?
Tether your habits
You already do some things every day. You wake up, eat breakfast, brush your teeth. One of the best ways to start a new habit is to tether it to a habit that you already have. For example, if you want to begin taking a multivitamin every day you could set the jar of multivitamins right next to your toothbrush. This is a reminder for you every day when you brush your teeth to take your vitamin as well. Try tethering just one habit to start, then as your routines become more automatic add another one. This can work for any habit you’d like to build, from reading more books to practicing mindfulness or meditation.
Set measurable goals
While a goal such as “get a promotion” is admirable, if it doesn’t happen you can be left feeling like you have failed. Instead of an ambiguous goal that isn’t completely in your control, try setting goals that allow you to control the outcome. If your end goal is getting a promotion, you may set measurable goals such as “Attend two networking events each month” or “Apply for (certain job) before June 1.” Want to run a 5k? Try goals like “Run 5 minutes without stopping before the end of this month” or “Go buy new running shoes this week.” Even if you don’t get that promotion you’ve been eyeing, the steps you take will continue moving you on that trajectory and leave you feeling accomplished for moving towards your goal instead of feeling deflated about missing the mark. Once you’ve met your first goal, set another to keep moving along the path towards your end goal.
Set yourself up for success
What can you do today to set yourself up for success tomorrow? If you want to eat healthier at work, take today to pack your lunch. Want to hit the gym? Set out your clothes and pack your bag today so you can grab and go tomorrow with no fuss (and no excuses). The truth is that a lot of days you won’t feel like doing what you need to do to meet your goals. The more you can prepare ahead of time the easier it will be for you to stick to your resolutions.
Use a carrot
Dangling a reward is sometimes the best way to make yourself do something you wouldn’t do otherwise. You’re supposed to be working out, but you really want to binge the newest season of your favorite show on Netflix. Solution: only allow yourself to watch that show after you’ve exercised at least twenty minutes that day. Or, better yet, only watch that show while you’re on the treadmill! Rewarding yourself for your short-term successes can be an effective way to move yourself toward your goals. Make sure your rewards aren’t sabotaging your goals (no, you probably shouldn’t reward yourself with half a pizza because you worked out for twenty minutes).
Even if your New Year’s resolutions have fallen flat, it’s not too late to take steps towards your goals this year. You might not make it as far as you had planned, but every step you take now gets you closer to your goal than you were yesterday. Small habits every day add up to a lifetime of reaching your goals.
