This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.
It’s after Thanksgiving, you’ve stepped on the scale and you’re five pounds heavier than when you left UCSB. It doesn’t bother you that much since you know you’re doing a whole lot of eating and lounging – but, it does make you wonder what you could be doing better, all around. These are the beginning moments of the “almost” New Year’s resolutions – habits you start during the holidays because you’re not feeling as healthy as usual, and with a fresh year right around the corner, why not start now? You may want to drink more water, incorporate a more rigorous health/beauty routine, or even just practice using your free time doing something productive. The following are five tips to stay committed and make your new habit a permanent one!
- Speak your goal into being.
- Sometimes, when we start new habits, there’s a desire to keep it under wraps – simply because one day, we may want someone to give us props on the silent change! Unfortunately, not everyone can do this, and talking about your goal may actually help it become a reality. Others may start to hold you accountable (or you think they’ll notice if you’re slacking), and plus, the positive reinforcement you give yourself by repeating your goals aloud often will help you stick to them.
- Don’t be hard on yourself if you slip up.
- When you are trying to incorporate something new into your life, it obviously takes time, effort, and practice. This is true of anything, especially something as simple as habits, because these are very voluntary and easy to shrug off. So, commit to trying until it becomes a habit, no matter how many times you slip. It will eventually work. Think of another time where you’ve worked for something and the path wasn’t easy – apply that experience to this one.
- Surround yourself with those who are trying to achieve the same thing!
- Join a Facebook group, follow someone on Instagram who embodies your goals, or talk to your friends about challenging themselves as well with a goal of their own. Birds of a feather really do flock together, so having people around with a common mind-set may be of great help to you.
- Use your time wisely! (i.e. the art of Productive Procrastination)
- Even if your new habit is better time management, this goes hand in hand with any new habit. Whenever you have the chance or you find yourself not doing anything, engage in an activity that contributes to your goal. If you have 5 minutes before class and you normally get coffee, get a tea instead. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Stretch when you wake-up. Write in your journal. Tidy up your apartment in the hour of downtime you have. It’s really about learning how to use every second of your time, even if you aren’t doing what you should be – at least every minute is productive in some way. These small changes in your routine will make you feel better and more committed to seeing change.
- Start when you are ready.
- Prepare yourself mentally and physically, and tell yourself that changes are going to happen. The power of words are immeasurable. Plus, you’ll likely be more successful if you begin when you are ready – and remember Nike’s slogan, “Just Do It.” You may just surprise yourself. You got this!