3 Tips for Developing New Healthful Habits
The New Year is a great time to start a positive behavior change. Whether you aim to exercise more, get 8 hours of sleep at night or eat healthier, it takes time to develop new habits. Below are some ways that you can change your environment to encourage you to stick to your goals.
Cue your brain to commit to new changes with affirmations and intentions
Cue your brain
When adapting a new habit, constant reminders may be necessary. On the other hand, to reduce the occurrence of past negative behaviors, the notion of “out of sight out of mind” can be applied. Here are some ways to remind yourself to do the action/task you want to accomplish.
Setting a timer/alarm
Using to a virtual calendar app with a notification set up
Placing visual reminders: post-it notes, chalk boards
Make healthy snacks visible and easily accessible while hiding treats in cupboards or drawers and placing them in an inconvenient location if possible
Putting on workout clothes in the morning or afternoon when you’re scheduled to exercise
Make it easy and accessible
New changes can sometimes be scary and often require getting out of your comfort zone. Set up yourself for success by making the change easy to do by changing your environment.
Set a time to prepare meals during the week. Cut fruits and cookvegetables in advance to make eating these foods more convenient throughout the work week.
Purchase healthy snacks and have healthy options available at home and at the workplace. On the contrary, limit the availability of high energy dense foods such as pastries at home. Instead consider these foods as treats/luxuries to be eaten outside the home.
Use smaller plates or bowls and place the food you want to eat on your plate rather than eating family style.
Keep a journal to keep you motivated and to track your progress
Keep track of your progress
Tracking your goals is key to ensuring that you are making progress towards completing them. Habit tracker apps and a journal (e.g. food journal, exercise journal) some ways you can keep tabs on your progress.
Keeping a journal is a great way to track your progress as well as any challenges and successes you encountered during your journey. A notebook or a note-taking app such as evernote or notion.
As part of the tracking process, it would be ideal to reflect on how the changes you have been making are impacting your life. Reflection can boost your motivation or can bring forth new motivations that you haven’t realized before.
