As anyone who’s ever tried to stick with a new habit knows – it’s hard! Thankfully, we have Dr Fiona Crichton in our corner. Dr Fiona is a health psychology specialist, brain science whizz, and our Clinical Team Lead. Here are 6 of her tricks for creating habits that stick.
Fiona has created the GREATER acronym as a guide to building new habits and working towards a greater you.
Goal
Reason
Enthusiasm
Action
Trigger
Entrench
Reward
Check out the complete GREATER acronym right here.
Habits are repeated behaviours hardwired into your brain (in the basal ganglia, to be exact) that you do subconsciously. Like putting on your seatbelt when you get in the car (great!) or checking your phone every two minutes (let’s work on that one).
Creating a new habit takes time because you need to expose your brain to the habit over and over before it sticks.
“Repetition is key! The more you repeat a behaviour, the more automatic it becomes” explains Fiona.
Now you know this, you can cut yourself some slack as your brain adjusts.
Studies show it takes on average 66 days to build a habit – anywhere between 18 to 254 days.
Of course, you can start practising a new habit almost immediately. Just be aware that it takes time for the habit to becomes automatic.
“Keep going and don’t be discouraged. If you keep showing up and practising the habit, it’ll slowly start to feel easier. And eventually, it’ll be something you do without thinking too hard,” says Fiona.
Stacking habits together – by using triggers and cues – is a great way to make them stick.
“After I brush my teeth in the morning, I do deep breathing exercises,” says Fiona. “Brushing my teeth is my cue to stop, breathe, and set myself up for the day.”
Other opportunities to stack habits include when you’re stuck in traffic, eating or drinking, getting dressed, or in the shower. Think about something you do every day and build from there. See Try this: Habit stacking for more ideas.
Creating a new habit is hard, so celebrate your efforts and reward yourself often. This will help your brain to associate the habit with feeling good.
“Your brain loves dopamine, a feel-good hormone associated with motivation, reward, and pleasure,” says Fiona. “If you had a good experience, dopamine wants you to have it again. It’s responsible for motivating us towards behaviour that provides a reward.”
You’re more likely to stick to habits if you acknowledge from the get-go that you’re going to make mistakes. Be gentle on yourself. You’re human! You will have off days.
“When you fall off the wagon, know that it’s normal – and tomorrow is a new day,” says Fiona. “Give yourself a break. Think about what you’d say to a friend. Don’t let one small setback derail you completely.”