Let me give you a simple plan to start a new habit, using some basic items. So any new success habit that you might want to start like: Business habits, health habits, etc.
Why are habits important? Because they are what move you closer to your goals, so you want to spend your daily waking minutes on habits that improve your life.
Step 1: Know the exact habit that you want to start:
Example: Read 10 pages a day of a business book.
So you want to write down on a post it note a specific new habit that you want to start!
Step 2: Know exactly how much and how often you are supposed to do your new habits
So if we look at the reading habit ” Read 10 pages a day of a business book”. It has 2 parts to it:
- Specific amount to do each time: ” 10 pages”
- How often to do each time: ” Everyday”
So for your habit that you pick, you need to know from trusted sources those 2 things. So that way you are not doing to much or to little of the new habit that you want to start.
Then Once you know exact habit that you want to start: Write it on a post it note so that you can always see the post-it for the new habit that you want to start. Also if you want to always see the habit to be aware of it, then put it on your desk or even on your phone case, just don’t lose it!
Step 3: Track the time it takes: So you would need another post-it and a physical or digital timer, for most habits especially at home I like physical timer since their is no distraction.
So you would write this on the post it: ( habit #: example on your to do list: maybe reading is habit #10),then the goal/habit so like ( read 10 pages),then you set a timer and you go until you finish the habit.
So lets say you start on page 50 you would go until page 60 to fully complete the reading habit.
After that you track the time so lets say it took: 13:10. so you would write this: 10. Read 10 pages: 13:10 ( habit number, goal/habit, total time took)
Now set a timer before you start your habit, and see how long it took you to finish your new habit that you want to start!
What if I don’t fully finish the habit in one sitting? Then write this: Lets say your habit is to do 100 push-ups: ( 11. ( habit #11 lets say), 100 push-ups: 1:10, 1:30 ( so you write the total time first session, then start another session later to finish the habit)
Step 4: Track your habit progress:
So Now that you track how long it took to do your habit, now we want to track the habit progress: So if your goal is to read 10 daily pages of a business book.
Lets say today: you read 10 pages, tomorrow you read 8 pages, next day you read 9 pages, etc. So you would track each day or how often you want to do the habit, your amount of progress that you did each time.
Lets say its 10 daily networking comments, its the same formula: today 10 comments,tomarow 8 comments, etc.
You can track it with paper or online notes like Google docs, and remember the benefits. Time tracking= awareness of how long it takes to do the new habit so that you can nicely fit it into your schedule. and 2: And tracking habit progress helps keep you accountable, since you know how much you do overtime for your new habit.
Start with 1 new habit at a time, once you can do it consistenly without procrastination then you can focus on starting a new self improvement habit!
Step 5: Know your why:
To stay consistent to do a habit multiple times in a row: You need to know the why and beenfits to do your new habit. So lets say the habit of reading 10 busniess pages a day, some of my why’s could be: 1. Afford my dream house 2. Afford my dream car. 3. Grow my personal brand
But you also need reasons on how it helps something else or other people like: 1. I can grow my brand to help more people, 2. I can get more views for my brand so more people stop procrastination, etc.
Bonus: Put items on your desk that motivate you for your new habit: example: Dream car toy, nice keychain, etc.
So write on a post it-notes your why’s and motivations to start a new habit, or just be mentally aware of the reasons why you want to start the new habit! Choose what is easiest for you.
Step 6: Build a habit streak:
So just like in a video game you do tasks to get points to level up, its the same idea with your habits. the more consistent long term you are with your habits the more points you get, and the more you level up in life.
Action plan: Get a folder, then put a piece of scotch tape or clear tape and label it: ” Success habits progress”, then keep your habit tracking papers in a folder, so that overtime you can see your habit progress papers stack up. And that’s a great way to motivate you to stay consistent with that habit, and to form new success habits!
Rule: Dont miss doing a habit 2 times in a row unless you absolutely have to. So if you are very sick or emergency, then you can miss a day of your new habit. But other than that you want to stay consistent and not miss more than 2 times.
So if it’s a reading habit, don’t miss reading more than 1 day in a row.
So build a streak and see how many days or how many weeks in a row you can do your habit! just like in a video game