Whether it’s drinking more water, choosing a healthier afternoon snack, or taking a supplement, most of us have healthy habits we want to build into our routine.
Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy. Even the simplest habits are easy to forget during the course of the day.
The good news is that you can build healthy habits. But, you have to do more than just decide you want to.
Here are four easy-to-follow tips that will actually help you remember your new habit so it eventually becomes automatic.
Get Real About the Habits You Want to Build
Which habits do you want to build because you want to, and which ones do you feel like you should do?
Focus on building the habits you want to build and forget all the rest. Habits you are intrinsically motivated to work into your schedule are more likely to stick. Only focusing on habits you’re serious about also makes your list shorter, which makes it easier to tackle.
Build One Habit at a Time
There are a lot of things we should be doing to support our health. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed knowing you should be flossing, getting more sleep, lifting weights, and spending more time outside.
It’s too much to try and tackle everything you want to do at the same time. Your chances of success are low, and as you continue to forget one or more of your new habits every day, you’re more and more likely to throw in the towel on all of your healthy habits.
Focus on one habit at a time and stick with it until it becomes automatic. The average time it takes to form a new habitvaries, but with just one habit to keep track of, you’re more likely to do it each day until you no longer have to think about it.
Tie Your New Habit to an Existing Habit
Doing something brand-new, like drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning or taking a daily vitamin, can be hard to remember if you’re relying on your memory alone. Make it easier by tying your new habit to an existing habit.
Strive to drink a glass of water as part of your morning teeth brushing routine and take your daily vitamin with your afternoon snack. By grouping habits together, you’re essentially only remembering one thing instead of multiple things, which means you’re more likely to remember your new routine.
Utilize Feedback to Stick With Your New Habit
Sometimes, just engaging in your new habit isn’t enough. Utilizing feedback can help you feel more accomplished, and it can also make sure you don’t forget.
For example, Tooktake labels require you to pull off a tab each time you take your vitamin or supplement, letting you know that you actually remembered to take it. Adding your new habit to your daily to-do list and crossing it off will help you remember, but it will also make you feel accomplished.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to building healthy habits into your daily routine!