Change Can Be Easier Than Building from Scratch
As anyone with an unused gym membership or a smoothie maker gathering dust at the back of the cupboard can tell you, starting new habits from a standstill can be very difficult. If you have tried and failed to start a new habit in the past, it could instead be more effective to turn an unhealthy habit into a healthy one.
Say you wanted to stop eating junk food in the afternoons, as well as exercise more. Why not schedule in a 15-minute walk for the time when the sugar cravings usually hit? By building on a previous routine but refocusing your attention, you’re much more likely to build a habit that sticks.
Perseverance is Key to Building Good Habits…
While this may sound obvious, the key to building a new habit really is to persevere with it. Although for a long time the conventional wisdom was that it takes three weeks (or 21 days) to form a new habit, new research suggests that this time can actually vary hugely, depending on the individual and also the habit. Studies have shown that the average time it takes for a habit to stick is actually 66 days, or a little over three months, though for some people it was as much as 254 days!
If the habit that you’re hoping to form involves learning a new skill, whether it is learning a musical instrument or training for a marathon, a great way to keep motivated is to think of the total time it will take to gain that skill as a block to be chipped away at. It is said that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill: instead of thinking of this as an impossible number, think of every hour you practice as one hour closer to that goal. Before you know it, you will be in the habit of practicing. As with most things, mindset is everything when it comes to habit-building!
… But Be Kind to Yourself Too
However, while perseverance is probably one of the most important factors in mastering a new habit, it is important to be gentle with yourself too. Life happens: if you miss a day, you haven’t failed. You won’t need to start from scratch – you will just need to try again the next day. Counting every setback as a failure is one of the quickest ways to drop a healthy habit. Every time you think you’ve ‘failed’ shift your mindset that it is another opportunity to learn and try again. Your healthy habit gets stronger every time you get back on track after a slip-up.
Building Healthy Habits Takes Time and Dedication
Building healthy habits is not impossible, but it can be challenging at first, especially when you’re tired or feeling run down. Unfortunately, this can become a vicious cycle as we feel too tired to start a new habit, reverting instead to unhealthy habits that make us feel even worse.
Sometimes, all it takes to break the cycle is the ability to feel well-rested, recovered, and more motivated. The PurePower System combines four of our signature products to help you sustain high performance holistically and synergistically. From sleeping better and recovering quicker to waking up feeling boosted and motivated, this specially formulated system could give you the boost you need to start living your best life.
