Why do we make simple things so difficult for ourselves? Get more sleep. Drink more water. Eat less processed food. Cut down on alcohol consumption. It's not bloody ground breaking stuff and we know it will do wonders for our health so why is it still so hard for us to act on?
Is it lack of willpower? Laziness? Or is it because we obviously don't want to reach our goals that much?
I really wish I knew the answer, truth is it is probably a combination of things that are different for everyone. However, I'm going to talk about how our habits and routines that have been ingrained in our day to day lives over the years can help us make these lifestyle changes.
Habit is a powerful thing.
Everyone knows that getting out of a bad habit is a difficult task, well picking up new habits can be even harder. One study suggests that it takes an average of 66 days for a new habit to stick and become automatic. That is of course assuming that the activity is repeated consistently.
Take the task of drinking more water each day for example. It infuriates me that looking at that statement written down, or even saying it out loud makes it seem like such a small, simple thing to change... So why is it difficult for some people to reach their target intake?
I can personally relate to this one! I guess it has never been a habit or part of my daily routine to drink at regular intervals. I have in the past set smart watch notifications to remind myself to drink, and used an app to track my water intake throughout the day, but it didn't really help it become something I do automatically without consciously thinking about.
Instead, try tacking a new habit on to an existing habit. It's a sneaky way to make the new habit part of your usual routine. For example, it may be an automatic habit of yours to grab a coffee at the start of your work day. Use this as a cue to also get a glass of water with that coffee. Or, make putting a bottle of water by your bed part of your usual night time routine, so that it's ready and in sight first thing in the morning to serve as a reminder to drink. If the cue is there, it will make the action become habit much easier. So why not give it a go if you're struggling with making simple changes, and see if it helps you.
As always, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about this or anything else!
