Creating Habits in 2023
January 10, 2023
Author: Megan Hoying
Editor: Caroline Grin
A new year often means new goals. Whatever your personalized goals are, reaching them will require a new set of habits. The challenge of creating and sticking to new habits explains why only about 9% of Americans who make resolutions in January feel that they are successful by the end of the year. Breaking each goal into smaller pieces and shifting your mindset can be what helps you keep your resolutions this year. Shelby Sacco, a new business owner of “Sad to Savage,” explains the three aspects of forming sustainable habits to help you reach your goals.
First, understand that creating a habit is a loop. Loops consist of a cue (the time or place at which it occurs), a routine (the action), and a reward (what you gain, mentally or physically, as a result of the action). All that your mind truly cares about is the reward, so you may have to rephrase the reward that you will get. You can use this framework of a loop to create habits that contribute to your goals and offer you a reward that entices you to continue the habit. For example, if your goal is to read more everyday (routine), you have to think of a reward that is specific and most helpful to your life. The cue can be 20 minutes before bed, and the reward can be better sleep quality.
The second is a method called “habit stacking.” The main concept of this technique revolves around doing something you don’t necessarily want to do and correlating it with something you do like to do. By doing this, you will train your brain to like the habit you are trying to incorporate into your schedule. For example, your goal may be to exercise 5 days a week. You can habit stack by allowing yourself to listen to your favorite podcast or playlist while you work out, watch your favorite show while you walk on the treadmill, or get your favorite food after a workout so that you feel more motivated to go.
The last technique is a mindset adjustment. 35% of people who failed their New Year’s Resolution said it was due to the resolution being unrealistic. To reduce this feeling of being too overwhelmed and ultimately giving up, think about getting 1% “better” every day or week. “Better” can be defined however you want to interpret it. This idea helps you break down the goal into more manageable pieces. Every day or every week you want to implement a new habit that ultimately leads you to your overall goal. For example, maybe your New Year’s Resolution is to eat healthier. That is a huge lifestyle change that is difficult to reach since it is so broad and intimidating. Maybe the first week of January, you decide to implement a green vegetable every day; that is your 1% “better.” The following week, you can decide to add a main source of protein into each meal. By the end of the year, you will have reached your goal in small increments, eventually making yourself 100% “better.”
New Year’s resolutions can be intimidating and difficult to maintain, but 2023 is the year to create new habits that make you proud of yourself, no matter what your goal may be this year.
Sources:
Mick. “19 Mind-Blowing New Year's Resolution Statistics (2023).” Insideout Mastery, 27 Dec. 2022, https://insideoutmastery.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/.
Image: @playgirism
