Building Sustainable Habits
by Divya Shori,
Entrepreneur, Founder & Partner, TheiaScape & Yojana Setu
I get out of bed and I feel powerless, I turn around to check the clock and realize I am running super late. I feel more dejected and demotivated to start my day, a burden of sorts. A ripple effect sets in motion through the day and everything that is thrown at me feels out of my league! This keeps happening for a few days until I feel I have lost control of things and desperately need to bring back life on track! Sounds familiar? Is this you?
Today we are all struggling with time management. It feels like there is so much to do in a day. A constant tug and pull! It is essential that we move from short bursts of motivation to a more sustainable work-life balance that works for us. But does it happen overnight? The answer is NO. For new habits to set in and the old ones (that don’t work) to go out the door, it takes some work. But if you are willing to reap the fruits of a balanced lifestyle where everything is working for you, that bit of work to build sustainable habits is worth a shot!
Let’s explore some ways that you can adopt to build good sustainable habits and make the bad habits less effective.
Make it Easy:
To start adapting to a new change, we must make it easier in the beginning, if the change seems tough, chances are we give up even before we start. If you are trying to get up early to squeeze in your workout schedule in the morning, try waking up at 7 first rather than 9 AM. Once you have successfully adapted to his schedule for a month, move on to waking up at 6 AM. This is how slowly you build a habit of waking up early. Don’t burden yourself with a 5 AM wake-up alarm that you know you will never be able to sustain (even for a day!). It is important to understand here the need to build sustainable habits. Habits that are effective and easy to execute. Don’t make it a Herculean task!
Make it Enjoyable:
If the process of creating good habits is not enjoyable, we will not stick with it. Agree? How do you make the process enjoyable? You want to start walking 10000 steps daily but you can’t slot in an hour for it at once in the morning. No problem. Break it into smaller walks. Maybe take a walk after your lunch/snack breaks? Finish the pending steps to walk by end of the day once you are free. Don’t like walking alone, get a buddy to walk with you or get those headphones you always wanted to listen to your favorite songs or those podcasts to wanted to catch up on. Enjoyable now? You will stick to your routine more this way than forcing it on yourself.
Adaptable:
Adaptability is key. When moving on to a new habit, understand the why behind it. What is your motivation to change? Is it just a spur of motivation or do you want to change for good? Don’t expect to achieve perfection. To have a sustainable habit be consistent. Adapting and sticking to it will make the habit stay and not just be a one-of-cases. If you have missed your routine for a day ensure that you don’t repeat it 2 times in a row or else the old patterns will set back in.
Cut distractions:
Often digital distractions waste our productive time. Being mindful at such times helps gain those precious hours of productive work. Now phones and laptops are coming with apps to help you block notifications so you can have uninterrupted time to focus on work. It is a good habit to keep dedicated hours to check emails, messages, etc. so you don’t have to start-stop between tasks. If you are too dependent or highly stimulated by notifications or are always available at a click of a button, it would be a good idea to set in a habit of scheduling uninterrupted time for you to focus. Start with an hour and once you see the benefits you will schedule longer times, I assure you.
Power of Repetition:
For a habit to settle in as a routine, studies suggest that repetition for at least 30 days can help do the trick. If you want to set in a sleep routine that helps you sleep at a certain time, try sticking to it for at least 30 days. Commit to the time every day and see how it becomes an effortless routine.
Habit Stacking:
Habit stacking is a great way to add new habits to established ones. If you have established your sleep time routine for a good period and you are now able to adhere to it, it is time to combine it with another good habit. If you have consistently been able to go for a walk every day try adding strength training 3 times a week. By stacking habits, you are enhancing the quality of your habits and growing. Try clubbing two enjoyable habits together and you will have a great outcome. Do it over and over again and it will start giving you greater results.
Reward:
Small wins help keep the momentum going. Keep track of how you are progressing on your new habit. If you have decided to read a book with your child for 30 mins before bedtime, check the calendar each day and see how you have progressed. Once you see a positive trend, there is a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Reward yourself by buying new books to read with your child. This makes the habit firmly sit in your daily routine.
Low accessibility to bad habits:
In order to make the bad habits go away, make them disappear from your environment. If you want to cut down on alcohol consumption, then don’t stock up at home at all. If you want to stop sleeping late, don’t indulge in screen time at all. Put the phone away after a cut-off time every day. Ensuring you have low accessibility to bad habits makes them vanish and does not hinder your daily routine.
To lead a life that is optimal and where you can enjoy its essence, good and sustainable habits are like levers that help you propel your growth. To remove the noise and have a smooth cycle of habits that benefit your lifestyle, take that time out to invest in good habits. Try it today!
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