Creating a habit
Creating a habit…and why it’s so hard to keep!
Only 9% of people successfully keep their New Year’s resolutions.
23% of people quit by the end of the first week, 64% after the first month, and 81% before the end of the second year.
Most people quit on the second Friday of the month, according to Strava, a Running and Cycling tracking app. They named this day “Quitters Day”.
43% of people expect to give up on their goals by February, which explains the relatively high quitting rate in January.
So why does this happen?
It turns out that most people making resolutions do not know the science behind behavior change and habit formation, so they end up trying to build the new habit on very shaky ground. Below we have outlined a strategy to build a solid foundation to start a new habit.
How to build a habit…
1. Commit to Thirty Days
Three to four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. If you can make it through the initial conditioning phase, it becomes much easier to sustain. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily fits in your calendar.
2. Start Simple
Don’t try to completely change your life in one day. It is easy to get over-motivated and take on too much. If you wanted to study two hours a day, first make the habit to go for thirty minutes and build on that.
3. Remind Yourself
Around two weeks into your commitment it can be easy to forget. Place reminders to execute your habit each day or you might miss a few days. If you miss time it defeats the purpose of setting a habit to begin with.
4. Stay Consistent
The more consistent your habit the easier it will be to stick. If you want to start exercising, try going at the same time, to the same place for your thirty days. When cues like time of day, place and circumstances are the same in each case it is easier to stick.
5. Replace Lost Needs
If you are giving up something in your habit, make sure you are adequately replacing any needs you’ve lost. If watching television gave you a way to relax, you could take up meditation or reading as a way to replace that same need.
6. Be Imperfect
Don’t expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. It took me four independent tries before I started exercising regularly. Now I love it. Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.
7. Do it For Yourself
Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead tool your habits towards your goals and the things that motivate you. Weak guilt and empty resolutions aren’t enough.
