10 Steps to forming healthy habits

Everyone wants to change bad habits and get rid of vices that hold you back from achieving your goals. Though willpower may help at first, you may find your motivation lacking as days go by. Old habits may come back. You need a plan of action to make new habits stick.

Here’s how…

First, clarify the goal you want to achieve. What is the specific outcome you want your new habit to do for you? Be specific. Do you want to lose weight? Set a weight lose goal in numbers. Want to eat better? State what your nutrition goals are in servings, vegetables, establish per day numbers you want to see each day.

Second, identify the habit you want to develop. What are the means to get to your goal? State the specific activities that will get you there. Let’s say you want to eat better. How do you do that? Maybe eat a fruit at each breakfast. Plan a veggie snack each afternoon. Go grocery shopping and meal prep on Sunday. Put the actions in place that will get you to the goal.

Third, break down your new habit into the smallest actions. Start small and work you way up. Going for nutrition, plan to eat protein at every breakfast. Just one small step. Then build on that to include lunch and dinner items. Make it so easy that you can’t say no.

Fourth, create a cue to trigger the habit. Following with the nutrition theme, put out a piece of fruit right next to your coffee mug so you see it and are reminded of your commitment to healthy eating from the early morning. Pack your lunch the night before so you have a trigger to keep you from ordering a fast food lunch because you were not prepared.

Fifth, establish a clear objective. This sounds simple but it is a critical step in moving forward with your new habit formation. Lets say you want to drink more water – establish a number of how many glasses you must drink each day. Or vegetable servings – state how many servings a day. A number defines a clear route to success. There is no room for ambiguity this way.

Sixth, design a plan to slowly increase your new habit. Some habits are once a day and there is no need to increase the repetitions. However, most habits are very well suited to be increased as time goes on. Planning on running a 5k, but never exercised? Plan on walking a block, the next day two blocks, followed by 3 and 4 until you are able to jog the same blocks. Build up the distance a little each day until you are ready to tackle the real race.

Seventh, create a simple reward system. Rewards are a very powerful tool to help new habits flourish. Made it to your daily walk/run goal you set for your day, treat yourself to a small reward. It can be watching your favorite TV show or putting a few dollars into a piggy bank so you can buy a new workout outfit at the end of your goal.

Eighth, perform the habit at the same time each day. Over time the habit will become ingrained in your way of thinking and will replace your old habit. 10 o'clock morning donuts are now the 10 o'clock morning apple. Same routine but with a twist that will see you off to reaching your goal in no time.

Ninth, identify the stumbling blocks that can sabotage you. Your mind will occasionally try to convince you that you don’t need to do the new habit each day. Recognize this in advance and prepare for it. It makes it easier to resist the temptation.

Last but not least, monitor your progress once a week. This step holds you accountable to making the progress you set up in establishing a new habit. This step helps to provide motivation, shows regularity of your new habit. It provides concrete evidence that you are capable of making changes. It makes you form actions that will get you to your goal. Intentions just don’t cut it. Now let’s all start to make some new habits!

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