{"id":36516,"date":"2022-01-28T12:15:29","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T17:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.massagebook.com\/massage-therapy\/?p=36516"},"modified":"2022-12-12T16:43:08","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T21:43:08","slug":"how-to-create-habits-that-stick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/massagebook.com\/massage-therapy\/how-to-create-habits-that-stick\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create Habits That Stick"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the start of the new year, you\u2019ve likely been sucked into a lot of conversations surrounding how you\u2019re going to set yourself up for success this year, whether it be personally or professionally. Undoubtedly, you\u2019ve seen just short of a million articles dedicated to the resolutions you should or can make.<\/p>\n

But inevitably, we end up at the end of January, February, or the first quarter looking back and saying, \u201cI haven\u2019t stuck to anything!\u201d What is it about a new year that gives us the energy that peters out so quickly?<\/p>\n

Well, we would argue that it\u2019s about creating new habits but no one is giving tips on how to create sticky habits.<\/p>\n

What is a sticky habit?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Simply put, it\u2019s a habit that you stick to because you make it a ritual. Soon, you can\u2019t imagine your life before the habit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does it really take 14-21 days to form a habit?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Not likely. If you\u2019ve ever fallen prey to the \u201cjust go to the gym consistently for 14 days and you will all of a sudden love the gym,\u201d you know that this is simplified at best. In fact, in a 2009 study, the <\/span>European Journal of Social Psychology<\/span><\/a>\u00a0said that it can take 18 to 254 days to form a new habit.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, it\u2019s not one-size-fits-all and much depends on how far of a departure the habit is from your current way of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how do we get started?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mark Twain said it best: \u201c<\/span>The secret of getting ahead is getting started.\u201d But the second half of this quote is even more valuable. He continues: \u201cThe secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting bite-size is essential to not feeling overwhelmed and giving up!<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, step one to creating a sticky habit is breaking it down into bite-sized tasks. For example, if you want to create a habit that reduces stress or increases your sleep quality, you\u2019ll need to stop overscheduling your calendar and create a haven for rest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Educate yourself<\/b><\/h3>\n

Step two to creating a sticky habit is to educate yourself. Keeping with the stress reduction equation: to truly feel motivated, you could do some research into what causes stress and what are some particularly nasty outcomes from it. Knowledge is power. There might be activities you find in your research that will be helpful to incorporate you\u2019d not previously considered.<\/p>\n

The key to educating yourself is that you\u2019re digging into the real reason you need to quit being stressed out. It\u2019s not just about relaxing\u2014it\u2019s about your health. Tying your habit to a long-term goal is a great way to remember to do it even when life gets messy.<\/p>\n

Celebrate the small wins<\/b><\/h3>\n

Make a log of each day you\u2019ve felt less stressed. Take notes of what you did. Perhaps you ate a nutritional lunch, got plenty of sleep, got outside, exercised, or got a massage.<\/p>\n

Celebrate this little milestone by giving yourself a pat on the back. And don\u2019t be afraid to tell others so that they can celebrate with you!<\/p>\n

Get a buddy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sometimes, our willpower falters. Occasionally, we may need reminding about the goal and finish line. Especially with something like stress, it\u2019s about staying mindful and on top of your feelings.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when it\u2019s prudent to enlist outside help from family or friends. They can give you perspective about how far you\u2019ve come and can remind you that your end goal is the focus, not this temporary mood or setback.<\/p>\n

Got more ideas on how to make your habits more sticky? We\u2019re all ears! Let us hear \u2018em in the comments!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since the start of the new year, you\u2019ve likely been sucked into a lot of conversations surrounding how you\u2019re going to set yourself up for success this year, whether it be personally or professionally. Undoubtedly, you\u2019ve seen just short of a million articles dedicated to the resolutions you should or can make. But inevitably, we…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":36518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[150,151],"class_list":["post-36516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-new-years-resolutions","tag-sticky-habits","description-off"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Create Habits That Stick<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tired of looking back on your New Year's resolutions and realizing you haven't stuck to anything? 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