Habits are SO powerful. Yet, it’s easy NOT to notice them in your day-to-day activities.
Some habits work for you; they serve your wants, desires, and goals. They leave you feeling hopeful, optimistic, and excited about your whole life. Some habits work against you; they move you away from what you want, suck the energy out of you, and may even leave you feeling guilty, ashamed, or depleted.
Are any of your habits coming to mind? Simply notice for now.
As you consider your habits, being in a growth mindset helps. In a nutshell, being in a growth mindset means you believe you can learn and grow, and that where you are now is simply a starting point.
Back to habits…
Habits aren’t always straightforward because they can grow unconsciously or consciously. Do any of these ring true for you?
-
You dive into your to-do list every morning vs. first setting priorities for the day.
-
You fill your day being busy vs. scheduling work time, exercise time, family time, or YOU time.
-
You never take breaks at work and end up wiped out vs. scheduling breaks and lunch to recharge yourself so you’re more productive and do better work.
Again, simply notice if any of these habits are true for you.
To start making your habits work better for you, pay attention to what you do consistently every workday. Notice if some of your pesky bad habits sneak up on you. Give yourself permission to notice, without judgment or pushing to change anything right now.
Eventually, begin thinking about which habits you want to keep, which ones you want to toss, and what new one(s) you want to start.
I have a warning and a tip that I always share with coaching clients.
WARNING: Only add one new habit at a time.
TIP: To make a new habit stick, create a habit chain by connecting the new one to a current one.
Using the examples I listed above, a habit chain might look like:
-
Before checking email (old habit), you will write the 3 most important things to get done today (new habit).
-
After getting out of bed (old habit), you will put on workout clothes so you can exercise for any amount of time before going to work (new habit).
-
While you’re sipping your first cup of coffee or tea (old habit), you will write 3 things you’re grateful for from the previous day (new habit).
Building a habit chain — by connecting your new habit with a current one — will make both habits stickier. I encourage you to try it!
What’s one new habit you want to start?
This blog was reprinted with permission from Jalene. To learn more about Jalene and her work, visit www.jalenecase.com.
Photo by Ivan Samkov via Pexels.
Competency