Forming new habits
Forming new habits can help us make lifestyle changes to improve our health. A habit is when a new behaviour becomes automatic and we can do it with minimum effort; for example, brushing your teeth. New habits take time and practice.
A simple habit like drinking enough water each day might take days to form, whereas something more difficult, like going to the gym could take months.
Breaking down larger goals into smaller goals is the best way to make lasting change. Making things small makes them easier. Simple is the key!!
Tiny changes:
- are fast
- can start now
- are safe
- can grow big
- don’t rely on willpower
- are transformative
The ABC model
One of the best ways to form new, tiny habits is to follow the ABC model:
- Anchor – a reminder or prompt to do our new health habit
- Behaviour – the new health habit you want to start
- Celebration – something you do to bring about positive feelings after doing your new health habit
Anchor
For your anchor, it is best to pick an action that is already built into your routine. However, you could use other kinds of reminders, like:
- an alarm on your phone
- post-it notes
Anchor moment examples include:
- Brushing your teeth
- Taking a shower
- Drinking a tea/coffee
- Sitting down on the bus
- Walking the dog
- Putting on pyjamas
Behaviour
When it comes to behaviours, starting with a small goal often works best. Try to begin with a habit that you are most motivated to do.
Behaviour examples include:
- Taking a few deep breaths
- Drinking a glass of water
- Going outside for some natural light
- Doing 5 minutes of stretching
- Eating a piece of fruit
Celebration
Bringing on positive emotions through celebration will make you more likely to do the new habit again.
Celebration examples include:
- Saying ‘good work’
- Doing a fist pump
- Smiling quietly to yourself
- Saying ‘well done you’ in your head
- Imagining an audience clapping
- Doing a victory dance
Example of using ABC Model
If you want to eat a piece of fruit each day (behaviour) your anchor moment might be washing your plate after lunch. This means the act of washing your plate triggers the thought that you should now eat a piece of fruit. You might then celebrate by saying into yourself ‘well done you’.
Self-monitoring
We ask that you keep a track of your lifestyle behaviours as you work through the programme. This is called self-monitoring.
There are several ways you can monitor your progress:
- Paper diaries
- A notebook
- Sticky notes
- Mobile app
Self-monitoring can help you work out the areas you would like to change, and notice the good habits you already have. When doing this, try to be honest. This can be hard due to the highs and lows that come with making lifestyle changes. The more open you are, the more helpful monitoring will be.
Choose one lifestyle behaviour at a time to monitor. Options could be:
- What you eat and drink
- Your physical activity
- Your sleep pattern
Focus on both the positives and negatives. Self-monitoring can be a way of noting successes too!! Chart different areas of progress as you go through the programme.
Key points
- Come up with some goals you want to work towards whilst on the programme
- Think about how you might start to work towards these goals this week, making tiny changes and developing new habits
- Engage in some form of self-monitoring around something you want to change
End of Session 1