We have heard the common saying “It takes 21 days to form a habit” but in reality that is a myth. Everyone is different and some will develop a habit faster than the others. It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to make a habit.
Habits make it easier to go about your day without consciously thinking about everything, for example, you get up in the morning and freshen up, you get into your car and put on your seatbelt. Forming habits is easier for your brain as it frees up space for other tedious activities.
Now, if you’re trying to develop a new habit or break a bad habit remember it is not going to happen overnight. You have to be patient and consistent in what you do for it to become automatic.
Here are some things I did to build a good habit and sustain it
Have a strong desire
If you don’t have a strong desire it will be harder for a habit to develop as you aren’t that passionate about it. For example, I’ve always wanted to get fitter but my desire to lose weight wasn’t powerful enough until last year. All I wanted was to get fitter and once I set my mind to it the effort was worth it.
Start small
Don’t start with drastic changes in the beginning, it can put you off from continuing the task. If you’re trying to eat healthily then don’t dive into healthy food altogether and cut out on your regular food intake, you will eventually start craving it more and go back to that. Have cheat meals. Developing a habit is a slow and steady process, it takes time but soon it will become easier.
Be specific
If you have a vague goal in your mind then it will be tougher to visualize. When you picture yourself already having developed the habit you must have an idea as to what your end goal is. If that is clear you will be motivated enough to continue.
Reward yourself
When you reward yourself for the small milestone it conditions you to continue the positive behaviour. The reward can be anything you desire and something that helps you stay on track.
Find a community
No matter what you do today it is easy to find a supportive community who have similar goals. If you don’t want to do this you can ask a friend to help you as well. If you have company the process becomes easier and won’t be as tedious.
Keep reminders
If you are as forgetful as me then it can be hard to develop small habits. The one thing that helped me stay on track is keeping reminders on my phone. Once you get in the routine of doing something at an allotted time then you won’t need the reminders anymore.
Habits cannot be built or broken overnight, don’t get discouraged if things aren’t fast-paced. It took me 3 months to get in the routine of working out every day.
Accept the setbacks and don’t be deterred by them. Forming habits are a slow process, so don't be disheartened and keep going.
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