People are creatures of habit, following similar rhythms each day. Shifting our rhythms towards health can be difficult. Now is the ideal time to try, though! During times when your schedule is transitioning anyway, it’s easier to add new behaviors or remove unwanted ones. The start of a new semester means you can set positive routines and work to hold onto them all fall. Here’s how:
Do it Every Day
Habits take a long time to create but they form faster when we do them more often. You’re more likely to stick with a habit if you do a small version of it every day rather than big, deep versions of it a few times a week. During times of transition, you can create schedules that block daily time for the habits you want – cooking meals, moving your body, spending time with your people, meditating. Build time into your schedule to be your best self this semester, Friend.
Be Flexible
Try to give yourself grace. If you miss the scheduled time, do the thing later that day. If you miss a day, start again as soon as you can.
Make it Easy
Set yourself up for success by removing friction that gets in the way of your goals, or adding friction to the habits you want to avoid. Sleep in your workout clothes to make it easier to wake up and move. Choose a mini-habit that requires minimal equipment. Make the healthy choice the easy choice!
Make it Fun
Try adding habits with fun built in. Add a reward to motivate yourself. Do your new activity with a campus organization to meet new people. Pick your favorite person and schedule time to do your thing together. You could listen to a favorite audiobook or podcast only while doing your new habit. This offers immediate reward of hearing that next installation – which help you stick to the behavior.
Stack Your Habits
Look for patterns of behavior you already implement every day and connect new habits with those existing ones. For example, while you brush your teeth, you might stand on one foot to practice your balance. Or every day when you wake up, do a few minutes of yoga before you shower and start your day.
For more habit-changing advice, check out the Learning Center’s website.