4 Tips To Create Healthy Habits

We all develop habits throughout our lives. Some good, some not so good. By definition, a habit is a sequence of actions that you learn over time and are often done unconsciously. For instance, most of us usually don’t even think about our morning routine: wake up, brush teeth, drink coffee, and so on. Habits are instinctive and while it may not be easy, it is possible to create and maintain new healthy habits. First, we need to recognize the habits we would want to change and more importantly what we want to change them. Do they bring you down? Are they affecting the quality of your life?

Here is one of the best quotes on habits I have ever heard - “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

Here are four tips to create new healthy habits in your life.

1
Set Realistic Goals
Setting big goals in hindsight is exciting and new but they may not be the easiest to achieve. Start off small, maybe that is cutting back on social media or junk food. This may not be something you can do cold turkey so have a limit for yourself and work from there.
2
The Earlier The Better
Your motivation and willpower are highest in the morning. Make the morning the time to commit to a new habit (if it’s a once-a-day occurrence). If you want to start reading the news every day, do it before you leave for work. If you want to improve your eating habits, start with breakfast.
3
Make It Easy
The more time-consuming your activity is, the less chance you will do it. Get everything ready ahead of time so once it’s time to do your action, you’ll be prepared.
4
Track Your Progress
Whether you use a journal or a phone app, keep track of when you actually accomplish your goal, whether it is big or small. You won’t want to see yourself break the momentum, so documentation can help.