Category: Habits and Routines

The new year is a great time to make some changes and I recommend starting with implementing some new habits.

Have you heard the saying: “It takes 21 days to implement a habit; it takes 90 days to make it part of your lifestyle”?

Think about that.

90 days is not that long, I mean it’s really only 3 months.

Meaning if you started a new habit at the beginning of the year, by the end of March it could be a part of your lifestyle.

What do I mean by a part of your lifestyle?

Think of it like this.

You snooze your alarm first thing in the morning. You don’t realize it but that muscle memory of hitting the snooze button every morning becomes a habit and before you know it, you’re doing that every single day!

It’s part of your lifestyle now.

So join me this year while we reprogram our brains to establish some new habits that can help propel us to our goals.

Pin It for Later ?

Here are 29 New Habits to Try this New Year:

1. Daily Walk/Exercise

Try to get outside at least once a day and watch your mood improve.

2. Meditation

Meditation can help calm and focus your mind. You can practice by yourself or listen to a guided meditation.

3. Drink more water

Scientists say we should drink half our body weight in ounces of water every day. So if you weigh 140 lbs you should drink about 70 oz of water every day. Start the new year by getting in the habit of drinking more water.

4. Daily Gratitude

Write down 5 things you are grateful for every day.

5. Journal

Need help getting started journaling? Check out this blog post: How to Start a Journal

6. No Snooze Button!

Are you ready to finally break that snoozing habit? Grab your free “Snooze No-More” guide and follow my 5 steps to break that habit.

7. Make Your Bed

Start off your day with a small win, and it’ll make your room look 10 times cleaner.

8. Go to Bed Early and Wake Up Early

Try making a morning and evening routine to help engage these habits.

9. Fold Your Laundry Right Away

Don’t let your clothes sit around getting wrinkled, put everything away right away.

10. Lay out everything you need for the next day the night before

This helps make your mornings less stressful when you don’t have to make many decisions like what to wear.

Also, if you pack up your bag or purse the night before, you won’t be as stressed trying to remember what you need to grab.

Related: 10 Smart Things to Include in Your Bedtime Routine for an Easier Morning

11. Make a Weekly To-Do List

Every Sunday, take some time to go through what needs to be done this week.

The act of writing down what you have to do makes you more likely to do that thing. Plus you won’t forget it if it’s written down.

Related: 6 Sunday Habits to Have a Productive Week

12. Do a 10-Minute Clean Up Before Bed

Starting the day with a clean house reduces stress, and also reduces mental clutter when you’re trying to focus on an important task.

13. Clean Up as You Go

Don’t save all the cleaning for right before bed. You can’t do it all in 10 minutes. Clean as you go to reduce the time spent cleaning later.

14. Stretch or Do Yoga Before Bed

Stretching or doing yoga before bed can help relax your muscles before going to sleep making you fall asleep faster.

15. Wash Your Face Every Morning and Night

Gotta make sure to take care of your skin.

16. Keep a Notebook Nearby for Random Thoughts and Ideas

Brain dumping has become very popular lately. By keeping a notebook nearby you can quickly jot down (or brain dump) what’s on your mind. And then you can go back to what you were focusing on before.

Related: How to Brain Dump for Mental Clarity

17. Recite Affirmations Every Day

Reciting positive daily affirmations can help shift your mindset for the better.

Read more about affirmations on this blog post: What are Affirmations and How to Write Them

18. Start Your Week Off Right with a Sunday Routine

Check out this blog post for ideas: Things-To-Do on Sunday to Have a Productive Week

19. Get Outside Every Day

Your body needs that vitamin D, so get outside for at least 30-60 minutes a day or even just for a quick walk around the block with your dog. (That counts as your daily exercise too ?)

20. Do the Dishes Right After Dinner

Avoid the mess in the morning. Remember a clean space gives for a stress-free morning.

21. Listen to uplifting podcasts or books on audible on your way to work or while cleaning

I almost always listen to a personal development book or podcast on my way to school or work. It can be motivating to help start your day.

22. Look for the Positive Sides of Everything

Work on shifting to a more positive mindset this year. You won’t regret it!

23. Meal Prep Healthy Snacks

You’ll be more likely to reach for a healthy snack if it’s already prepared. For example, have some celery already cut up and divided out into portions for an easy grab.

24. Floss Your Teeth More Often

Your dentists always ask if you flossed regularly so why not actually set out to make a habit of it instead of sadly telling them no you don’t every time.

You’ll feel awesome when you can finally tell your dentist that yes you have been flossing regularly.

25. Schedule Some Self-Care Time Every Day

You don’t have to schedule a whole hour every day for a self-care bath. Just simply set aside 30 minutes to read your favorite book, or play a board game. Something to relax you after a long day.

Related: Self-Care Activities that won’t Break the Bank and Self-Care Books

26. Find a Creative Hobby

Going along with self-care, make sure you find some time to do the things you love every day. Whether it’d be knitting, painting, writing, etc. find something you enjoy doing every day.

27. Tidy up your workspace at the end of every day

Leave your workspace clean at the end of every day so when you come back to it in the morning you can get straight to work, rather than immediately having a cluttered mind.

28. Read a chapter of a personal development book every day

Check out this list of Personal Development Books. These are some of my favorite self development books so far.

29. Review Your Goals Every Week

Do a weekly review every week to make sure you’re always on track to achieve your goals.

Quick Tip for Starting New Habits this Year

My first tip in starting new habits is to focus on implementing only 1-3 habits at once or you’ll get overwhelmed.

So looking at this list and pick just a few things to start implementing tomorrow!

My next tip is to try attaching a new habit to an already established habit.

For example, if you already have a habit of brushing your teeth every day, add flossing right after. Essentially these two habits will become one and you’ll never forget to do one if you have done the other.

Other habits to link together:

• No snooze button – get a glass of water – make your bed
• Brush teeth – Take vitamins – Floss
• 10 minute tidy – Set out clothes for tomorrow
• Stretch before climbing into bed

My last tip is to use a habit tracker. It can help keep you accountable to work on your new habit every day. Grab this one for free.

Try putting your habit tracker on the wall next to your bed, or on the fridge, or in your bullet journal. Somewhere you will see it every day.

Pin it so more people can enjoy?

When you were a kid, your parents probably set up so many different routines for you because they were told that kids thrive off of routines. You had a routine for everything: when to wake up and brush your teeth, when to take a nap, and when to start winding down for bed. We are always told that routines are very important for children, but what about adults?

Well, guess what, routines are just as important for you as an adult. I mean how often do you find yourself “just winging it” during a workday, or getting little to nothing on your to-do list done. That happens because you didn’t set yourself up for success with a routine.

Let’s discuss what is a routine and why they are important.

Want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

What is a Routine?

A routine is a set of actions (or one action) that are done regularly. A routine can be as simple as picking up your kid from school at 3p Monday through Friday. Or as complex as an hour-long morning routine including reading 10 pages, journaling for 10 minutes, meditating, eating breakfast, shower, and get dress.

A routine can be repeated monthly, weekly, daily, or even hourly. The main idea is that it helps keep you organized, productive, and focused on your short and long-term goals.

But hold on, aren’t habits kinda the same thing? No, not exactly.

What is the difference between a habit and a routine?

While habits and routines sound like the same thing, they are not exactly interchangeable. Habits are behaviors that rely on cues. For example, when you go to the bathroom you have a habit of washing your habits right after. Or if you feel stressed, you develop a habit of smoking.

A routine, on the other hand, is time-based and is more focused on intention. Usually with a routine, you are setting out to achieve something. For example, your morning routine starts at 6 am so you can get to work on time.

Why Are Routines Important?

Now that you know what a routine is and the difference between a habit and a routine, let’s actually discuss why routines are important to have in our daily lives.

While having a routine may sound boring or strict, routines can actually lead you on a path to freedom, productivity, and happiness.

Here are 7 reasons why routines are important:

1. Makes you more productive

When you follow a routine every day, you basically have an already made schedule that plans out your day. When you have a plan for your day, you waste less time. And when you stop wasting time, you are more productive and efficient.

Having a routine cuts out the time it takes to make decisions because you already know what to do next.

Related: How to Time Block Your Whole Week

2. Reduces your need to plan

When you design a set routine to follow, you no longer have to plan out your activities every morning or budget your time every day. There is less guesswork in your day.

Having a routine means less stress about trying to figure out what you are doing every day. For example, you wake up every morning and start your day by doing your top 3 things, instead of waking up feeling unsure about your tasks that need to be accomplished.

Creating routines allows you to wake up and ‘do’ instead of wake up and ‘plan’.

3. Creates structure in your life

Having structure in your life doesn’t mean it’s boring and limited. Instead, see the structure of your routine as a way to logically sequence out your life.

Once you are more familiar with your repetitive routines, you will feel more comfortable because you will know what you need to do every day.

4. Saves time

Time is precious and every minute you waste will never be able to get back. By following a routine, you free up time that would have been spent on planning, decision-making, and preparation. Routines help predetermine your schedule, so therefore you are using your time more effectively.

5. Helps you prioritize

When you are creating a routine, you start prioritizing what is most important to you. You make sure there is enough time in your routine to get it done.

With a routine, you wake up every day knowing exactly what needs to get done, and then by the end of the day, you’ll feel accomplished because your most important things got done.

6. Helps you achieve goals

Goals are rarely achieved all at once. Instead, they are accomplished after you do something over and over again. Having a daily routine that is congruent to your goals helps you build the repetition you need to achieve them.

7. Helps instill good habits and break bad habits

The key to building good habits is consistent repetition. As you repeat a routine so many times, the behaviors within that routine become habits. Following a routine allows you to foster habits that get you closer to achieving your goals.

A routine can also help you destroy bad habits that aren’t serving you. Try to slowly replace your bad habits in your routines with good ones through repetition.

These are just a few positive benefits of having routines set in place. There are many more but these are, in my opinion, the top reasons why having a routine is important.

Pin it to finish reading later ?

How to Create a Routine for Success

Now that you know the many benefits of having a routine, I’m going to walk you through some simple steps to help you create a routine to set up your days for success.

1. Determine what needs to be in your routine

Maybe you want to get more exercise or more journal time? Start by prioritizing what is important to you.

2. Start small

Start by making a few small routines for just the next week. You can build onto it later. Then schedule your routine like an appointment on your calendar.

3. Be consistent with your time

A routine, as we discussed before, is mainly time-based. Getting consistent with when your routines start right away will make it easier to stick to them over the long run.

4. Be prepared

When planning out your new routine, make sure you have everything you need for the routine to be successful. This will make it easier to start the routines on time.

5. Make it fun

Getting into a new routine won’t be easy so in order to keep yourself motivated, you need to find ways to make it fun. If you are enjoying the new routine, you’ll have a harder time finding excuses to abandon it.

This is just a simple step-by-step way to create a new routine. Check back in a few weeks for a more detailed guide to create a daily routine.

The Top 3 Routines You Should Have

There are many different routines you could establish in your life, from a morning routine to a fitness routine to a skincare routine, the ideas are endless. However, in my opinion, these are the top 3 routines I believe you should have.

1. A Morning Routine

A morning routine is the most important routine to implement. Starting your day off right can set the tone for the rest of your day. A great morning will make it so much easier to handle the different things life may through at you throughout the day.

Even if you’re not a morning person, there are a few things that you can do in the morning to set you up for a great day:

• Drink a glass of water first thing
• Write down 3 things you are grateful for
• Meditate for 5 minutes
• Read a self-help book

For more ideas check out this blog post: 20 Ideas for Your Morning Routine

2. A Bedtime Routine

Paired with the morning routine, a bedtime routine can really help you wind down after a long day and can help set you up for the next morning. Finishing the day off right can also help you sleep better.

A bedtime routine doesn’t have to be super complex, here are just a few habits:

• Put the phone away an hour before bed
• Prepare for tomorrow (set out clothes, plan meals, etc.)
• Plan your next day to-dos
• Read

For more ideas to set up your bedtime routine, check out this blog post: 10 Smart Things to Include in Your Bedtime Routine for an Easier Morning

3. A Daily Routine

Believe it or not, you probably already have a daily routine. You know exactly when to start driving to work so you’re not late and when you get to leave work. But these are mostly things you just do because you have to.

Instead, try creating a daily routine that supports your priorities and gets you closer to achieving your goals every day. Plan it into your schedule and you’ll become more productive, efficient, and prepared.

Final Thoughts on Routines

Establishing different routines in your life is very important for your success. Without a plan to succeed you will never reach your goals.

Make sure you are setting up routines that will get you results. You will not survive on just “winging it”.

What routine do you have that is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below.

Pin it so more people can enjoy ?

Want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

Did you know that habits account for about 40% of our behaviors every day? Yep it’s true.

Activities like brushing your teeth before bed and washing your hands after you use the bathroom are habits, whether you think them to be or not.

These habits were taught to you, most likely, when you were young. Your parents would remind you every night before bed to brush your teeth and eventually you did it without the reminder because it became a habit attached to going to bed.

Understanding how to build a new habit (and how your current ones work) is essential for making progress in your health, your happiness, and can help you on your personal development journey.

I have created this guide to help you learn how to build a new habit in any area of your life.

So let’s get started forming new habits so you can use them to reach your goals.

Want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

What Are Habits?

Before we go any further, let’s define what a habit actually is.

Habits are the small decisions you make and actions you perform every day.

Your life today is basically the sum of your habits. How healthy you are, how happy or unhappy you are, how in shape or out of shape you are, and how successful or unsuccessful you are. All of these are a result of your habits.

When you repeatedly do something it forms who you are, what you believe, and the personalities you develop. Anything you want to improve in your life, or any goals you want to achieve, start with building better habits.

“When you learn to transform your habits, you can transform your life.” – James Clear (Author of “Atomic Habits“)

The 8 Steps to Build New Habits

1. Focus on just ONE New Habit

When you’re trying to make a change in your life, like starting a new habit, it can be overwhelming to your brain. Your brain hates change.

So the best way to go about making a change in your life is to implement one habit at a time so it’s not too overwhelming.

Work on building your self-discipline in just this one habit.

Most people who try to add to many new things to their life at once, won’t succeed at any of them because their brain becomes too overwhelmed.

Just take it easy.

2. Commit to the New Habit for at least 30 Days

Some people will say it takes 21 days to build a habit. Others will say it can take up to 66 days.

Well sorry to break it to you, but the length of time it takes to build a habit will vary from person to person and habit to habit.

You will find that some habits may be easy to build why others require a lot more effort.

Knowing this, I would suggest you start with committing to a specific habit for 30 days (one month).

During these 30 days, your entire life should be structured around finding time every day to accomplish this habit.

3. Attach Your New Habit to an Already Established Habit

One of the best ways to start building a new habit is to attach it to a current habit you already do every day. This concept is known as Habit Stacking and was created by BJ Fogg, author of Tiny Habits.

The habit stacking formula goes like this “After I (current habit), I will (new habit).”

For example:

• After I pour my cup of coffee, I will meditate on the couch for 1 minute.
• After I finish eating dinner, I will clean up the kitchen.
• After I climb into bed, I will think of 5 things I am grateful for today.

You get the idea. Just find something you already do every day and anchor it with the new habit.

4. Start Small (The Two-Minute Rule)

When you get excited about making a change in your life, it can be easy to start too big. The most effective way to combat this tendency is to use the Two-Minute Rule.

The Two-Minute Rule in basic terms says, “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.”

Here’s some examples:

• “Reading before bed” → “read one page”
• “Do a 30-minute workout” → “change into workout clothes”
• “Study for class” → “open my notes”
• “Run 3 miles” → “Tie my running shoes”

Basically, you want to make the new habit as easy as possible to start. The idea is that once you start doing the right thing, it is much easier to continue doing it.

If you put on your workout clothes, you might as well get a work out in while your at it.

Focus on the small wins while you build new habits.

5. Make a Plan for Obstacles

Every new habit will have obstacles that will get in your way. If you know in advance what your obstacles are, you can take action to make sure you are ready to overcome them when needed.

Some examples of common obstacles:

• Time
• Pain
• Weather
• Space
• Costs

Prepare and anticipate that these obstacles will pop up.

One of the best ways to do this is by doing “If-Then Planning”. So if an obstacle comes up, you know what to do instead.

Some examples:

• “If it’s raining, then I will workout inside instead.”
• “If I run out of time for my project at the end of the day, then I will start waking up 30 minutes earlier to work on it.”
• “If I’m tired and don’t feel like working out, then I will just go on a short walk around the block.”

6. Create Accountability

According to the Hawthorne Effect, you’re more likely to follow through with a goal or new habit if you are being observed by others. Because of this, it’s a good idea to create some sort of accountability.

Often the most effective way is to get an accountability partner. Tell someone that you are working on a new commitment and ask them to check-in. An accountability partner can be a co-worker, friend, significant other, parent, etc. Just make sure that whoever you pick will actually keep you accountable or it won’t actually help you.

Another way you can create accountability is by using a habit tracker. Print out this habit tracker I created below and tape it up somewhere you’ll see it every day as a reminder to stick to your habits. The simple act of checking something off can create great motivation to stick to it.

7. Use Reinforcements and Reward Yourself

Your new habit doesn’t have to be boring, in fact, we are more likely to repeat the new behavior if we enjoy it. That’s why rewarding yourself is an important part of habit building.

James Clear in his book “Atomic Habits” calls this using reinforcements. It “refers to the process of using an immediate reward to increase the rate of the behavior.”

Find a reward that you can link to your new habit, that way you’ll actually look forward to completing the habit.

A reinforcement, or reward, that I use is coffee. If I don’t hit the snooze button and get up right away I’m allowed to make a delicious cup of coffee using my french press. So immediately after I shut my alarm off and get up without hitting snooze (the habit) I go to the kitchen and start boiling water for my coffee.

This small reward reinforces my want to complete the habit every day.

8. Never Miss Twice

My last tip for you to help you build new habits, is to never miss twice. Life will get in the way sometimes. You might feel sick one day or have a full day of travel another day, and forget to complete your habit. But don’t let that get you down, get back on track as fast as you can.

The most successful people make mistakes and get off track just like everyone else. But the difference is that they get back on track towards their goals as quickly as possible.

You don’t need to be perfect to build a habit, just make sure you stay consistent. Never let your habit tracker show two empty days in a row.

Build Your New Identity

You can only get so far when repeating a daily habit. You can do a lot by starting small and committing to the habit for 30 days while slowly increasing the effort over time.

But at some point, it has to go from doing it every day to being apart of your core identity. Only then will you be able to stick to the habit without needing reinforcements or accountability.

The best way to build a lasting habit is by making it reflect who you are on the inside. Basically, you need to believe that the habit you are forming is a part of what makes you a unique person.

This is a big topic in James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits“, he calls this Identity-Based Habits. And he emphasizes the fact that most goals and habits are centered on a specific outcome.

Because of this, it’s better to decide that the habit is already a part of your identity and that each “small win” is a demonstration of who you really are.

This all starts with a shift in your mindset.

James uses the example that you shouldn’t say “I’m trying to quit smoking” or “I’m not a morning person” but instead say something like “I’m not a smoker” or “I am the type of person that gets up early every morning”.

Saying these things to yourself reinforce the new behavior that you are trying to build.

Try saying these types of reinforcements every day and then follow it by doing that habit and eventually, your identity will match your daily routine.

---

Final Thoughts on How to Build New Habits

So really, after all that, forming a new habit doesn’t have to be that hard. The secret is to relate the new habit to an important goal and reinforce it with your new identity. Make a commitment to work on your new identity every day with a daily habit and you’ll be on your way to a live full of success.

Not sure what new habits you want to start building? Check out this blog post for 29 New Habits to Start this Year.

What new habit are you working on this year? And what challenges have you faced? Let me know in the comments!

And before you go, don’t forget to grab your free habit tracker.

Grab your FREE Habit Tracker

Start tracking your new habits with these habit trackers. Comes with a habit tracker for the week and month.

Send it to me!

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Built with ConvertKit

Pin it so more people can enjoy ?

Want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!