Things you repeatedly do in your day to day life ultimately portray your personality and reflect on what kind of a person you are. These things represent your habits. People fail to realize that habits account for almost half of your daily behaviors. Sooner you realize that adopting good habits is necessary for making your life happy, healthy, and purposeful, it is better for you. Everyone picks up and eliminate habits at their own pace, some do it in seconds, and some require several years. It also depends on the habits you want to change or how serious you are about that habit. For instance, if you want to lose your weight to be fit, you will start making plans for what to do. Or on the other hand, if the doctors tell you that you are at risk of having Coronary Heart disease (CHD) and you need to look after your weight. This alone will make you change habits instantly. You will quit smoking, start taking a healthy diet, doing a healthy workout, etc.
The following are the ways to build your new habit permanent
1. Commit to 21 days
It is one of the most suitable and famous rules to commit to 21 days. Most people say that 21 days are perfect for breaking a habit or making (adapt) a habit. 21 days is not a very long time period to adopt a simple good habit. This is the minimum time to make your habit automatic. If you are doing well from the initial stage to make good habits, it will become easier to sustain. You can make simple habits with this rule like waking up early, doing regular exercise, being on time for your classes or your work/meeting. Something you should change to enhance your work or for your goals.
Personalize plan
Many studies proved that those who work without plans have to suffer more to achieve their goals. Think wisely about what old habits you want to eliminate and what new you want to make. List down all the habits you want to change. Make a fool-proof plan for it, which means making plans by considering all the criteria around it. Do you have to think about what you should change? How much time or hard work will it take? What will be the results? Etc. Then you have to think about the best ways to change your listed habits. After getting ways to change, you should manage it on the daily schedule that you follow to keep on working daily to change your habits. Finally, after doing all this, one of the most important things is to implement. Almost everyone has plans for them but do all of them follow? Making plans is not a difficult task. Implementing in your life, and taking it seriously is.
Focus on one goal at a time
If you run to have everything, you will end up having none. It will be a waste of time if you are chasing many habits to change. You should focus on one goal at a time by getting your priorities straight. Just as the habits will not be for a day or a month, it will stick to you throughout your life. For instance, if you want to start exercising, try going to the same place, same time form at least 21 days. This consistency will help you to stick easier on your good habits.
Be happy
Research conducted by a psychology professor at Harvard, Shawn Achor, concluded that the brain is more productive when in a positive state as compared to when in a stressful state. Therefore, you should try to be as happy as you can, because happiness boosts you up. Being happy and positive is one of the prerequisites of adapting the best habits. You are more likely to succeed in your new challenges if you start with happiness. Remember that you are doing all this for yourself only. Keep reminding the benefits of changing habits to yourself so that you are always curious. Visualize yourself with the new habit that you have got for the rest of your life, the thought of it alone when help you walk miles, and stay positive throughout.