Build Healthy Habits That Stick: 7 Proven Tips for Success
Do you struggle to make new habits stick? You're not alone. Every January, millions of people set goals to improve their health, happiness, and productivity—only to feel defeated just a few weeks later. Here's the good news: with simple, science-backed strategies, you can make your habits stick for good.
With the right approach, you can create long-term habits. From starting small to using simple psychological tools, this guide offers practical tips to help you succeed.
Why Healthy Habits Matter for Mental and Physical Well-Being
Adopting healthy habits can transform your mental and physical health. Small changes, such as spending time in nature, practicing mindfulness, or sharing moments with friends, can build up over time and positively affect your happiness and resilience.
Start Small to Build Momentum
According to Stanford researcher BJ Fogg, PhD, the key to forming lasting habits is starting small—so small that there is no resistance to doing the activity. Think ridiculously small, for instance:
• Walk for 5 minutes
• Meditate for 1 minute
• Do one push-up or read one page
Habits that feel effortless require less motivation and willpower, making you more likely to stick with them.
As you build consistency, you can gradually increase the intensity or duration to where you would like to be (e.g., meditating for 13 minutes, reading a chapter, doing 20 push-ups).
Leverage Habit Stacking for Success
Habit stacking is the proven strategy of anchoring new habits to existing ones, making them easier to remember and integrate into your daily life.
For example:
• After brushing your teeth in the morning, do a 30-second plank
• After waking up, engage in a 1-minute gratitude practice
• After finishing dinner, practice 5 minutes of mindful breathing
Many years ago, I wanted to start a daily breathing practice. So each morning, immediately after I pushed the brew button on my coffee maker (an existing daily habit), I sat down and did box breathing for 2 minutes. More than a decade later, I still have my daily breathing practice.
These simple pairings create cues that help cement the new behavior into your daily routine.
Remove Obstacles to Streamline Success
According to psychologist Shawn Achor, creating a new habit requires activation energy, the initial spark of energy needed to kick-start a new habit. Obstacles increase the activation energy required and reduce the likelihood of success. Practical tips for removing obstacles include:
• Make an exercise appointment with a friend to prevent changing your mind when motivation wanes
• Prep healthy meals or snacks in advance
• Keep a yoga mat visible to encourage regular practice
Eliminating barriers reduces resistance and increases the likelihood you'll follow through.
Visualize Your Future Self for Extra Motivation
Think about how great you'll feel after completing your habit. Visualization is a powerful motivator that can shift your mindset and encourage action.
• Picture the sense of accomplishment after a workout
• Imagine the peace and clarity that follow a meditation session
I can't tell you how many miles I have successfully logged just by reminding myself how good I will feel AFTER I finish my run. This mental trick creates a positive association with the activity, making starting easier.
The Power of Social Support
Social support is your friend, no pun intended, when you are trying to build a new habit. Friends, family, and people with similar goals can all provide encouragement, accountability, and a sense of community, which can significantly increase the likelihood of successfully adopting and maintaining new positive behaviors.
Share your goals with someone close or join a group with similar interests.
Track Progress and Celebrate Small Wins
Tracking progress provides tangible evidence of success and activates your brain's reward system. Ticking off completed items leads to a feeling of accomplishment, which causes the release of dopamine. This neurotransmitter helps us remember the behavior that led to the good feeling, making it more likely that we will repeat that behavior.
Similarly, engaging in a quick and simple celebration of your effort creates the same benefit. According to BJ Fogg, the celebration creates a positive feeling on demand. This pleasurable experience helps wire the new habit into your brain. Mini celebrations can be as simple as exclaiming "Yes!" with a fist pump, doing a victory dance, or giving yourself a high five.
Practice Self-Compassion During Setbacks
No behavior change discussion is complete without mentioning self-compassion. Setbacks, failures, and disappointments are all part of the behavior change process, and self-compassion is one of the best ways to support yourself when these inevitably happen. Research shows that being kind to yourself during challenges helps maintain motivation and protects your self-esteem.
• Mindfully acknowledge the difficulty: "This is tough and setbacks are a normal part of growth."
• Offer kindness to yourself: "I'm here for you and I know you’re trying your best. You'll get this!"
This nurturing approach builds resilience, helping you bounce back stronger.
Creating lasting habits is a gradual process that requires patience and persistence. Start small, remove barriers, and celebrate every step of progress. Using science-based strategies, you can transform your behaviors into habits supporting a healthier, happier life.
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