Secret to implementing habits...

Everyone wants to know how to create and implement habits, and the truth is everyone is overcomplicating the most simple thing you can ever do. There is such an emphasis on 'motivation' and in my opinion, motivation doesn't into it.

You don't require motivation to wake up and go work everyday, you don't need motivation to brush your teeth or to eat. The same applies with the habits you would like to implement, the fact of the matter is that you're not going to wake up one day and start doing the things that you would love to do.

As someone who has successfully (sort of) implemented their desired habits into their life, and it is definitely a journey, but my number one rule is consistency over perfection. So if you would like tips on how to integrate habits into your life, then keep reading!

1. The 1% rule

This is very niche, but when I was younger I was a religious watcher of KUWTK and Kris Jenner (boss babe) said that she advises her children to focus on improving 1% every single day. This has literally been seared into my memory since I first heard it, and it is so important.

This saying has really picked me up on those days when I feel like I'm not doing much, or maybe feel un-productive (not to say you need to be super productive all the time) but then I remember the 1% rule and focus on just doing one thing where I can say that I have improved compared to the day before. Another important point, is that we are all on our own journey, what I consider as progress, is different to you and different to someone else. The beauty in this rule is that you can only compare yourself to yourself in order to see real progression,

If you take anything from this little blog, take the 1% rule and ingrain it into your memory and I promise you will slowly start implementing actions automatically, without the need or desire for 'motivation'.

2. Gold stars

I actually got this tip from a tiktok (don't remember the creator) but it has been a game changer! As someone who did well in school, I produce results with positive reinforcement and I cannot begin to explain the dopamine hit you get when you peel of a gold star from the sticker sheet to put next to your to-do list. Yeah, realistically you could tick or cross it out, but that doesn't hit the same to me in all honesty.

If you are someone that likes the idea of this, then write out your to-do list the day before and you will find yourself scrambling before the end of the day to complete as many things on your list as possible. Also, you can literally buy 1000 gold star for a few pounds so there's no excuses! Purchase your stickers here! 3. Start slow not strong

I'm personally someone that sets high standards for the objectives I set out for myself, so in the past if I started too strong in rebuilding my habits and i faltered even a little bit, that was enough for me to give up. This is something that applies specifically to going gym, there were multiple times I would start and stop, like the majority of people, until I found the secret.

Starting off too strong will only set you up for failure, as you will have so much difficulty actually implementing those habits all in one go. If we want to describe it scientifically, our brain has a set of pathways of reoccurring thoughts/feelings/actions and it is incredibly difficult to shock your brain into forming habits, so to successfully create long-term habits can be done by implementing one habit at a time.

When I first started on this journey, I decided I wanted to go gym 3x a week, then I made sure for one week I went gym for those three times, didn't matter what I did there, or how long I stayed, what mattered is that I fulfilled that goal on week one. Week two involved going gym 3x a week, but going with a plan and workout split for each of those three days. Week three concentrated on going gym 3x a week, before work and with a workout split.

As you can tell, it requires some time, but when you do it slowly and consistently is when you can begin to personalise those habits to suit your lifestyle and your goals. In a few months/years you can get to the point where taking a week or two off will not hinder or impact your progress negatively.

I hope this was helpful, and honestly productivity is probably one of my fave topics, so there will be more where this came from!

See you tomorrow, Argita xo