More On Creating Good Habits

4. Develop Self-Discipline

A 2012 study showed that it can take up to 66 days to form a new habit. That makes self-discipline essential.
One way to strengthen your self-discipline is to create a Treasure Map: a collage or visual representation of what you want to achieve. This will remind you why your new positive habit is so important to you. This can be just what you need to get motivated on days when your enthusiasm is waning.

5. Get Support

It can be hard to stick to a new habit when you're on your own. So share your goals with colleagues or friends, and ask them to support you. For example, you could ask them to call you check on your progress. Or, if they share your goal, you could meet them each week to support one another and maintain progress.
Numerous apps have been designed to support people trying to develop new habits. For example, Stickk® was developed by Harvard economists. It allows you to log a goal, and to appoint a mentor to monitor your progress. A quick search online will reveal similar tools.

Key Points

Habits are powerful. They bring about change one step at a time, and they help you ensure that these changes become part of your life.
However, you're far more likely to reach your goal if you make your new habits part of your regular routine. Follow these steps to make good habits stick:

1. Identify what you want to achieve.
2. Build good habits into your routine.
3. Reflect on your habits.
4. Develop self-discipline.
5. Get support.

When you decide to establish new habits in your life, focus on one at a time. If you try to overhaul your entire schedule at once, you'll likely get overwhelmed and quickly revert to old behaviors.