8 Mind Hacks To Create Habits That Actually Stick
- Watch your language. So often the way you think and talk informs and influences your actions and behaviors. For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier and you tell yourself, “Don’t eat junk food,” that will serve as a negative command.
- Think about what might stop you? Ask yourself, “What might possibly get in my way of doing this?” If you anticipate and troubleshoot possible resistance or stoppers then you can devise a way to counter them. Counter them with an actionable plan such as “I’ll go to sleep 30 minutes earlier and get up sooner so I have time to exercise.”
- Start with small and easy. Setting up small tasks that you can actually accomplish will help to reinforce behaviors that support the goal as well as provide you with a sense of control.
- Use triggers to your advantage. Just as a stimulus can trigger a bad behavior, it can lead to a positive behavior. Set up a new, healthy behavior while watching TV-maybe it is eating carrots, or stretching. This new, healthier behavior will soon become habit.
- Understand your motivation. People are motivated usually in two ways: 1.) to move towards something positive and desirable or 2.) to move away from something negative. What’s your motivation? Are you moving towards something positive or away from something negative?
- Make it convenient. Things that are easy are more likely to become routine.
- Start early. Most people have more energy earlier in their days after a night of sleep and are less likely to have excuses that could arise later in the day. Take advantage of this by scheduling new tasks in the morning.
- Make it fun. If you dread the gym, then try to find a fun exercise program. Maybe it’s an outdoor boot camp, or biking along a scenic route. If you want to develop better eating habits but don’t like the taste of health food, then take a cooking class.
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Reflection:
What are some other mind hacks that help you create habits?
#Mind #Habits #Growth #Motivation
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@comfortableNight4463
Thank you for sharing these tips with our community. All very informative and beneficial. Its not always easy to get started, get motivated or stay motivated. But we certainly have to find whatever it is that works for us "individually".
While I have no "new" ideas to add, something that works for me are certainly the "last two" mentioned. Which are START EARLY & MAKE IT FUN....
I am by NO means an early-bird, and I don't care for early-morning rising, however, I was kind of forced to do so when my Group Fitness class got changed. So now I get up early and get it out of the way to start my day, and I don't have to worry about being tired and "un"-motivated later in the day (or something else getting in the way)..... Another thing that helped with being able to get up early was "MAKING IT FUN"... And doing something that I "Enjoy"!... Its hard to stick with something if you aren't enjoying what you are doing.
@PoliteOcean Well said!
@comfortableNight4463
A lot of my mind hacks are mnemonic or abbreviated.
Here's a few.
RAIN - recognize, allow, investigate, nourish
carE - clear communication, award achievements, recognition and reward and Empthy (empathy capitalized as is foundation of all others)
HALT - (Stop...am I...?) hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?
4Ds - delay, distract, deep breathing, drinking water
SMART (Referring to goals.) - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely
I also like to plan adventures and try new things (Volunteering at an Art Gallery event, attending an open mic, going to the cinema, etc..)
Furthermore I listen to a TED talk or other important informative talk to keep my brain sharp.
And I use apps to track and encourage habit reinforcement such as The Work, Finch, Gratitude and Five Minute Journal.
I'm newly in a peer support group and a writing group.
I try look nice when I can and accept when I don't, and smile and say thanks when people give compliments.
Some other things I do are feng shui, hypnotherapy, EMDR, movement and biking.
Finally I try ride the terrible storms of life as best I can with the help of patience and time, make time for play and fun and remember or go back to books such The Four Agreements, You Can Heal Your Life, The Mountain is You, When the Body say No, The Art of Everything and The Power of Now.
@Dallady Thank you so much for sharing these tips!
