Making Changes Stick: How to Make Meaningful and Lasting Habits
New Year’s is usually a time when most of us talk about changes and goals for the upcoming year: improvements with our health, careers and families. The possibility of a brand new year and all the potential to change feels exciting at the beginning of January, but unfortunately, many of us struggle to maintain this momentum into February and beyond. While it may seem impossible to keep those New Year’s Resolutions, making a few small adaptations at how you look at change can set you up for success.
In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear identifies ways in which to make small changes over time to help you develop and stick to new habits. Clear uses practical strategies to help build habits over time and change your framework about how you develop these skills.
Here are five strategies for making habits stick:
Start by making a goal that is so small you can’t fail: Clear states that most people start with a goal that is too large to obtain and become frustrated with their lack of progress and quit. He recommends picking a goal that is so small that it requires little to no motivation. For example, if you goal is to exercise for 30 minutes three times a week, start with exercising for 5 or 10 minutes 3 times a week to make it easy enough to be able to complete
Increase your habit in small ways: Once you have started to work on a habit, increase it in small ways over time. Clear uses the idea of 1% of progress each day to help build you goal and make it easier to stick to.
Once you build up your habits, break it up into smaller chunks: Because you are increasing your habit daily, this can start to add up quick. The major strategy of Clear’s model is to keep goals reasonable, so as you build up your habits. Try breaking it up to keep the goal manageable. For example, if your final goal is to be able to meditate for 30 minutes, try breaking it up into 2 fifteen-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session.
When you slip out of habit, it is important to get back on track as quickly as possible: Error in making habits will be part of the process. The goal with making habits is not to be perfect, but to be able to adapt and get back into the swing of it. Clear states that research show that missing one day has no impact on your long-term progress. Anticipate that there will be hurdles and unexpected barrier to your goal and plan for these as best as you can. However, remember that the goal with this is consistency, not perfection.
Be patient and go at your own pace: Having patience with yourself through this process is the most important strategy. Slow down and allow the process to take as long as it needs. Have grace with yourself!
For more detailed information on building habits, check out James Clear’s Book, Atomic Habits.
-Elisabeth Chipps, LCPC, LPC