Habits DON’T just happen. They take time and effort to develop. If you want to create a new habit, you have to keep at it until it becomes automatic. It’s hard. For a habit to stick, you have to do the same thing repeatedly without fail. You can’t miss one day, or else your brain will forget what you’re trying to accomplish. It’s frustrating!
The good news is that systems out there can help build new habits through micro-steps (AKA taking small actions). In fact, our team has developed a simple tool to help you build habits intentionally.
James Clear in Atomic Habits says that habits are the small decisions you make and actions you perform every day. According to researchers at Duke University, habits account for about 40 percent of our behaviors on any given day. The key is to start with a micro-step—a tiny action that leads to your desired outcome—and then repeat it until it becomes an automatic behavior.
Stuck? Start with these suggestions:
- Getting up 30 minutes earlier in the morning
- Starting my day with a glass of water
- Journaling
- 30 minutes of movement each day
- Each one more fruit/vegetable each day
- Sit and eat dinner together as a family
- Ask my kids questions and listen to their responses
- Daily huddle with my team
- Keep my desk clean
- Spend 30 minutes a day thinking about the big picture of my business
- Put my phone away 60 minutes before bed
- Keep my car clean
- Save $100/week
- Do one intentional act of service toward my spouse each day