Movement for Life: Developing Good Habits Part I

by Lauren Walker

When you're leaving the grocery store, they often put the chocolate bars right at the check out. These are impulse buys. Notice how, when you're cashing out, they seem to call your name? With their brightly wrapped labels and cheap prices, most people pick them up. Why? It's obvious and in your face, so you buy it and eat it. Your impulse is satisfied instantly. Bad habits are like the candy at the grocery store, because they are easy to pick up and will satisfy you in the moment.

Atomic Habits

I listened to a very interesting audio book, called, "Atomic Habits: an easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones," by James Clear. As someone who is highly disciplined, with exercise and good eating habits, I am not so when it comes to cleaning and organizing. I really wanted to change a few small things. The book makes a point of making new habits "obvious and easy." For example: I chose two things I wanted to change. I wanted to make sure to clean my bathroom toilet and clean my new kitchen sink before bed. Every night I have it scheduled in my phone, at 7:30 p.m., and check off when the task is completed. I placed cleaning wipes on each location which makes it both obvious and easy. It takes ten seconds to complete each task. It also helps to create a new habit which saves me time down the road.

What does this have to do with exercise? Lack of proximity to a gym is the number one reason why people do not attend one. If it's closer, many will go. The book suggests, even breaking your new exercise routine in to achievable steps. Leave your shoes and gym gear at the door, so when you come home from work, its obvious. If your gym is on the way home from work, another alternative is, bring your gym gear with you in the morning and stop at the gym before you go home. It's convenient. Even if you exercise for five minutes every day, it becomes a habit. It's not how long you exercise: it's frequency which builds a habit. Even having a personal trainer is a great way to stay consistent because you have someone to be accountable to.

Bad Habits

You cannot overhaul bad habits all at once. The audio book also suggests taking the opposite approach to ridding yourself of bad habits. Don't make it easy and obvious, make it difficult and inconvenient. If you're wanting to spend less time on your phone, put it in another room or have a loved one hide it, so you're less tempted to use it. Occupy that time with a good habit, such as taking a walk around the block. When you have completed the good habit, you can have your phone back. Everyone is a little different but I think you get the gist.

Stay tuned for part 2, as we look at how to develop Good Habits.

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