It’s that time of year that brings ‘Spring Cleaning’ – and we don’t just mean your cupboards. Behavior change expert Dr Heather McKee shares 6 easy ways to clean up your life and create new habits that stick
Spring is the perfect time to rest, declutter, and think about creating some new habits that will see you through the year.
A survey of over 2,000 people per ethical supplement brand Viridian which launched a nation-wide ‘Litter Free Campaign’ found that the top three areas of litter that litter everyday life are diet, noisy social media and a messy home environment.
So no matter what area you want to ditch, if you want to make lasting changes, secrets from the science of behavior change can help you set yourself up for success.
The top three areas of junk that fill daily life are diet, noisy social media, and a messy home environment
Here, straight from the Viridian Dejunk your Life Report 2024, habit change expert Dr Heather McKee guides us on how to unlock a clean life.
Create habits that stick
Have you ever wondered why making permanent changes can be so difficult? Well, it’s complicated, Behavioral Scientist Dr. Heather McKee has been researching the secrets of what makes people stick to healthy habits for over ten years.
Here are her top six secrets to making effective life-enriching changes at a pace that works for you (the rest can be found at reference here).
#1 Choose one goal at a time
Just as we can accumulate clutter in our homes and on our phones, we can also be tempted to pile goals upon goals and try to accomplish many different changes this time of year. But research has shown that this doesn’t work.
In fact, one of the reasons resolutions fail is a psychological phenomenon called “goal dilution,” where we try to change too many things at once. It’s like trying to declutter your entire house at once instead of focusing on a specific spot, like your wardrobe.
So as you make changes, prioritize one area at a time and focus on that. By concentrating your efforts, you maintain willpower and increase your chances of success.
READ MORE: Is snacking one of your bad habits? 7 Ways This Behavior Change Expert Says You Can Quit
#2 Make it positive and specific
This means that it is more useful to choose something you will do than something you will not do. For example, if you want to stop eating chips every afternoon at work, replace ‘I want to give up chips’ with ‘I’ll have carrot sticks and hummus (or another healthy snack) instead of chips every day when I feel hungry.’
Make sure it’s as specific as possible to add another layer of positivity. Giving your goal a specific context will help you stick to it. The research also found that those who sought support for their decisions were more likely to stick to them.
#3 Be an annoying two-year-old – ask “Why?” five times
By setting your goals, find out why you want to accomplish them. What contribution will this change make to your life? Why is it good for you? Why do you want it?
This thoughtful process will help you align your goal with your intrinsic motivation
You need to clearly identify the purpose behind the permanent change and the benefits it is going to bring you.
This thoughtful process will help you align your goal with your intrinsic motivation. This is the kind of motivation that comes from within you that you’re more likely to stick with (as opposed to extrinsic motivation that comes from forces outside of you).
There is a psychological technique called the five whys that can help you peel back the layers of your desires and help you understand why you want something. Just keep asking why five times.
READ MORE: 3 steps to breaking bad habits from a world-renowned willpower expert
#4 What matters most to you right now?
Think of the different aspects of your life like the burners on a stove: you have your friends, your family, your career and your health. You can’t keep them all on at once.
So while some may fall away, like your social life, others like your career or health (as in the example above) may come up. It doesn’t mean that other areas should be completely neglected, but the key is to understand what season of your life you are in right now and devote most of your energy to that.
#5 Prioritize essential habits
When deciding what to choose as a focus area, try to choose something that will influence other areas. This is what we call a “fundamental habit”.
like going to bed and waking up at the same time every day
For example, let’s say you chose a specific sleep-related goal, such as going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. This will have an impact on how well you eat, your motivation to exercise, your productivity at work and your mood in your relationship.
This means that a habit will have many different returns. It’s these returns – the small positive effects you start to feel in other areas of your life – that help you stick with it.
READ MORE: 6 Steps to Creating Your Perfect Summer Workout Routine
#6 Finally, make it fun!
This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people ignore the idea of choosing goals they’d like to do. In fact, joy is the primary driver of intrinsic motivation.
Behavioral science studies have shown that people who approach activities with a sense of fun are more likely to stick with them. Whether you find joy in a workout (perhaps listening to your favorite music) or make everyday tasks more enjoyable, infusing fun into your habits increases their sustainability.
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