Quick Tips: How to Make a New Habit Stick

PRD11RL_QUICK-TIPS_FIt’s that time again – time to ponder the year ahead, plan what you want to accomplish, and decide what you want to change. Millions of people across the world make new years’ resolutions, but according to psychologists, 75% of people who make resolutions fail on their first attempt. That could be due in part to the fact that additional research has shown it takes 66 days for something to become an automatic habit. So, to help you keep your 2012 resolutions from falling by the wayside before you even flip the calendar to February, try these five tips.

Write It Down
It’s common knowledge that actually writing out your goals gives you a much better chance of succeeding. Simply thinking of them and filing them away in your head isn’t enough of an incentive or reminder to keep your goals top of mind. Having a visual cue will help you make your resolutions a regular habit.

Build a Support Group
The more people who know your goals, the more people there are to hold you accountable. If your resolution is to spend more time with your kids, let them and your spouse know so they can help you remember to schedule quality time. If you want to eat healthier and stop eating sweets, tell your co-workers so they can help you stay on track and resist temptation.

Schedule it Into Your Day
The definition of a habit is “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.” So, if you want something to become an automatic behavior, you have to make it a regular part of your day. That means actually writing in your day planner, putting reminders in your smartphone, and even blocking out time in your Outlook calendar.

Establish Checkpoints
Setting a goal on Jan. 1 and not measuring it until the following Dec. 31 is a sure way to fall short of your goal. Instead, build in checkpoints to measure your success. This will not only provide regular motivation and accountability, it will give you time to alter your behavior if you need to step it up a notch or even need to get completely back on the bandwagon. It’s especially important to institute frequent check points in the first two months as you’re initially instilling the habit.

Attach a Reward
Most resolutions have a natural reward attached to them – healthier body from quitting smoking, better relationships from spending more time with family, smaller clothes size from losing weight. But, those overall rewards can seem far away when you’re fighting temptation. Instead, try to connect your success to a prize that means a lot to you, whether it’s the vacation you’ve always dreamed of where you can wear that swimsuit, or a new briefcase to carry to work each day after you earn that promotion. It’s also a good idea to tie small rewards to your checkpoints in order to keep you inspired.

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