Many people struggle to create healthy habits. Around this time of year, many people are already finding that they haven’t kept their New Year’s resolutions. In most cases, they started with the best of intentions. And yet they still struggled to change their behavior.
Is this something that you can identify with? What you need is a routine.
I can absolutely say that my routines are crucial for my mental as well as physical health. Honestly, without my routines, I’m a mess. I make sure to maintain my routines as well as I can every single day. This has been a huge key to my transformation, allowing me to be at my healthiest and to show up in the world as my most authentic self.
Why are routines important?
I’m not the only one who finds routines to be hugely beneficial. In fact, research has repeatedly shown the benefits of routines.
A routine doesn’t require conscious thought in order to be performed. This helps to ensure that you’ll be consistent with your healthy choices. Consistency is the key to getting good health outcomes. For example, it’s not enough to exercise once in a while, whenever you happen to feel like it. The benefits come over time, from getting enough exercise every day. It’s the same with healthy eating, getting enough sleep, or any other healthy choice.
When people rely on willpower to make healthy choices, they often struggle. More than 50% of people aren’t able to stay on track with their medical treatment plans. It’s too easy to forget about your decision – for example, you may reach the end of the day and realize that you completely forgot to exercise.
Creating a routine helps to keep you on track with your healthy choices. If exercise is a part of your morning routine, then you won’t forget about it. Similarly, if you start a relaxing evening routine at the same time every night, then you’ll make sure that you consistently get enough sleep.
Research has shown that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become a habit. It’s important to be gentle with yourself as you go through the process of forming your new routine. Make decisions about what you’d like to include, and then do your best to stick to your new routine as well as you can. If you miss a day or two, that’s okay – just try again tomorrow. Eventually, your routine will be so ingrained that you won’t even consider skipping it.
What if you don’t like the restriction of a routine?
I sometimes talk to patients or coaching clients who really don’t like the idea of creating a routine. They worry that they’ll feel restricted – that a routine will take the joy out of their day by forcing them to do things a certain way.
However, a routine doesn’t have to feel restricting or confining. Instead, you can think of a routine as something comforting. Your routine can help you feel cozy and safe, like a warm blanket. The world can be unpredictable, and you never know what’s going to happen – but your routine stays the same, and helps to keep you grounded no matter how your day goes.
With a routine, you’ll be able to create a health transformation that lasts. Instead of staying committed only for a few days or weeks, you’ll have a new behavior that lasts for many years to come.
Need support in creating routines?
Creating routines is a very important part of any health transformation. I share more about the process of doing this inside Mind Gut Skin Academy. I share a step-by-step process for deciding what to incorporate into your routines, as well as how to build them into your life in a way that will last. The brand-new version of the program will be launching soon. If you want to learn more or get on the waiting list, head over here.
Comentários