We all have habits, some good and some not so good. This is a behavior we have learned and that happens almost automatically. And many of us have a habit that we would like to break free from, or one that we would like to develop.
For most people, it takes about four weeks for the new behavior to become a habit, or a habit. The following steps can make it easier to establish a new pattern of behavior.
1. The first step is to set your goal. Especially if you are trying to quit or quit a habit, you should try to call your goal as a positive statement. For example, instead of “I will stop eating light at night”, say “I will get used to healthy eating habits”. You should also write down your goal. Commitment to paper helps you to commit. It can also help if you tell someone you trust about your intentions.
2. Decide on alternative behaviors. (If your goal is to create a new habit then your behavior instead will become a goal in itself.) This step is very important when you are trying to break a habit. If you want to stop the behavior, you have to have high morals to put in your place. If not, the old behavior pattern will return.
3. Learn and identify the underlying causes. Behavioral patterns do not exist independently. Often, a habit is associated with another part of your routine. For example, in the example of eating a snack meal it could be a night television or a reading. Automatically hold a bag of chips while you watch. Many smokers automatically light up after a meal. Think about when and why you are doing what you want to do.
4. Send reminders. You can do this by leaving notes in areas where behavior is common. Or you can leave a message on the screen, refrigerator, computer monitor or elsewhere where you will see it regularly. You can also have a family member or co-worker use a particular phrase to remind you of your goal.
5. Get help and support from someone. This is kind of obvious. Any task is easy with help. It works even better if you can build a partnership with someone who shares the same goal.
6. Write daily guarantees. Write your own phrase or sentence in the present tense (as if it already happened), and write it ten times a day for twenty-one days. This process helps to make your goal part of your ignorance, which will not only remind you to train new behaviors, but also keep you focused and motivated.
7. Reward yourself for making progress on time. Focus on your goal one day at a time, but give yourself a little pleasure in one, three, and six months. Rewards do not have to be huge or expensive, and you should try to do something that is somehow related to the goal. Doing this gives you both encouragement and added motivation.
Following these steps is not a guarantee of success. Depending on the habit, it may take several attempts to finally make a change. But if you stick to it, you can do it. I wish you the best of luck.
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