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We all have our own daily routines. Nearly half of what we do every day is performed out of habit, from the way we travel to work, the time we get up or brushing our teeth.
So, the most effective way to make sure you keep up with our work
out regime is to find a way to incorporate it into our daily routines.
How Long Does It Take To Form a Habit?
It’s widely suggested that it can take up to a month to form a new habit, with 7, 10 or 30 day challenges helping us to learn a new behaviour.
This isn’t foolproof. It still takes work and it won’t work without the necessary commitment. But a study titled Making Health Habitual: The Psychology of ‘Habit-Formation’ and General Practice published by the University College of London found that focusing on one action and repeating it at the same time, in the same place helps you create the foundation for long-lasting change. So, these short challenges are still one of the most effective ways to form these habits.
As Easy as Making a Cup of Tea
The real benefit of these automatic actions is that they free our mental resources for other tasks. How conscious are you of, say, making a cup of tea? You don’t really think about it. You’re thinking of the rest of your day, you’re planning the weekend. It’s such a habit that the actions you’re taking barely enter your mind, and your mind is free to focus on other subjects.
This is known as automaticity; the ability to carry out actions without occupying the mind with low-level details required, allowing it to become an automatic pattern.
How You’ll Know You’ve Succeeded
It’s easy to know when you have succeeded – it’ll be second nature. You won’t even think about needing to work out, or go to the gym. It’ll be ingrained into your routine, and you can build on this foundation to achieve all of your health goals, no matter what they are.