They say it takes two weeks to make or break a habit. The tough part is -- what if your life changes drastically in between those two weeks? As we all head back to school, it's going to be tough to keep the good parts of our routines going. Maybe you finally managed to get yourself to bed at a reasonable hour, or maybe you just started a fitness regimen that you want to keep up with. No matter what your habit is, here are some ideas to keep yourself on track.
1. Remind yourself why it's important.
Before you can forget why you're not drinking soda, or why you're running every morning, or why you asked your mom to change the Netflix password - write down a list of reasons that help you remember why you decided to make this change in the first place. If you were empowered to make or break a habit that was once so large a part of your life, you know there are some convicting reasons in there. That way, when you're tempted to fall back, you can remind yourself what the long-term purpose is.
2. Set tangible goals that can't be pushed back.
If you're running, register for that race. If you're gradually easing back on foods or drinking or even just binge-watching, set concrete dates for your goals. Write them on your calendar(s), put them in your phone. Set an alarm to wake up earlier or go to bed on time - that way, when those little reminders come around, you'll feel like you've accomplished something just in sticking to your original plan.
3. Lie to yourself a little.
It might sound weird, but every morning that I'm tempted to stay in bed late, I tell myself: "If I don't run today, I'm never going to run again." And every time, it gets me out of bed. Maybe it has something to do with our fear of failure, but if it gets you motivated, I don't see the problem with using it to your advantage. Don't get down on yourself if you do miss a goal, but do keep yourself honest. It helps to go back to those reasons for changing that you wrote down -- tell yourself that those won't ever happen if you never make them happen.
4. Have someone hold you accountable.
Besides holding yourself to your goals, find someone else in your life who isn't going to let you take the easy way out. Sometimes it can't be your best friend or your parents, because they're too forgiving of you fudging on your goals - but sometimes the people closest to you can be better motivators than you are yourself. Either way, find someone who is going to understand why you're doing what you're doing, and supports you. Pick someone who's not afraid to ask the tough questions, and who's going to give you an earful (and then a hug) when you confess that you slipped up.
5. Stick to your routine.
After you've made your transition back to school, look at what your new schedule looks like, and determine if you need to develop a new routine. Once you've figured out what's going to work for you - and I'd give it at least a week's test run - don't change your routine. Do your best not to make excuses for why you can cheat on Fridays and skip on Mondays, or why breaks from school mean breaks from your routine. Sure, getting sick or a demanding week can leave you out of commission, but don't excuse yourself for it. Instead, accept that you missed a few days, and get back to it as soon as you can.
