Has anyone managed to change their habits permanently?

[JerryGarcia]

I'm desperate to get embed some new habits. I've been exercising everyday and trying to do jobs around the house as they occur to keep the house looking nice. Any tips on how to keep it up?

someone must have?! Surely?! Doesn't feel very hopeful 😂

Look up habit stacking on You Tube. Basically combining a habit with something you already do

it takes times to make something a habit m. Habit stacking as mentioned is a great way to do it. Start small, one at a time and wait until it is truly a habit before adding another. If you stop it, go back to the beginning and re-create the habit. I’ve got a timer on my Fridge. Once a day (most days) I set it for 15 mins (borrowed from flylady) and declutter - not a general tidy up of everyday crockery in the kitchen etc but tackle clutter that I’ve been ignoring and bin it or give it a place. Once or twice a week, I set the timer for an additional 15 minutes afterwards and do a “procrastination” job (something I have been avoiding doing). It’s working for me. I fall off the wagon but I’m getting there. I go to CrossFit gym classes for my exercise as all I have to do is get myself there and then I enjoy it. I work so much harder than exercising on my own. Good luck!

Read atomic habits by James clear

I think I read somewhere else it takes about 2 months to make something a habit and then it becomes second nature kind of thing so keep going!

I follow a personal trainer on Instagram and he makes the distinction between motivation and discipline. My problem is that my motivation wanes, I have periods when I feel motivated to exercise and others I don't!

So he stresses that it's discipline that we need to keep things going consistently to get results. Sound so simple but it really changed the way I looked at it. On those days where you can't be bothered dragging yourself out of bed to exercise or get up off the couch to tidy, you just have ti dig deep and do it. Discipline!

I drink more water now, have a sports bottle on my desk at work and go through a couple a day

Yes me!!! I am super hard working, disciplined and cheerful (90% of the time.)

Give yourself mental
pats on the back for doing tasks, race yourself to see how many you can get done, Get a to do list you can put satisfying ticks on ✅✅, give yourself non food treats eg.night out, music, seeing friends for hard work and discipline. Take time to admire the results of your hard work, and to tell yourself how pleased you are with yourself. It works a treat!

Yes but you have to do it consistently for at least 21 days for it to become apart of your routine.

I hated exercising, I forced myself to go on daily walks and now I've been walking everyday for over a year. I now walk at least 5k a day.

Some yes and others no. I think the element we have less control over in habit forming is ultimately time. Making sure you commit to whatever it is every day in some way even if that is very brief is what forms the habit a few months down the line.

When I wanted to get back into reading a few years ago I made myself do a chapter /10 minutes/whatever small increment worked a day even when it felt distracting and unenjoyable. After a time I found myself reading on and moved the goalposts and now, a couple of years later I often read 5-10 books a month and it's just second nature to pick one up and i enjoy it.

I've read that the average time for a new behaviour to become a habit or an automatic thing to do is over 60 days and as many as nearly 300. I assume it depends what it is but it's fascinating really.

Thanks very much. The time it takes is interesting - slightly disheartening but I'll get there!

I've been seeing more and more about the difference between motivation and discipline and it has shifted my thinking somewhat. Its a really helpful frame to look through for some reason.