Hello there! Are you feeling unorganized and overwhelmed? Tired? Like you’re just going through the motions? Well, maybe it’s time to examine your daily habits.
Why you should build healthy habits in the summer
There are lots of reasons why you should start developing healthy habits during the summertime. The main reason you may want to start building these habits now is that it gives you a set routine before the start of the school year. It’s difficult to develop good habits in the middle of the school year when you’re busy and tired. And it encourages you to make more use of your summer.
Routine also helps to combat seasonal depression. Though summertime blues aren’t as common as experiencing seasonal affective disorder during the winter, I always tend to feel more SAD during the end of the summer when it’s too hot to enjoy anything.
Evaluating your goals
When picking which habits you want to focus on this summer, it’s important to evaluate your goals. What are your personal goals? What kind of person do you want to be by the end of the summer? What are your long-term goals? Choose habits that you think are going to help you reach those goals.
An article from The New York Times recommends to “stack your habits.” They say that the “best way to form a new habit is to tie it to an existing habit. Look for patterns in your day and think about how you can use existing habits to create new, positive ones.”
How to practice these habits
First, you need to understand that you cannot change overnight. Some habits may take longer than others to develop and get used to, and most of the time you aren’t going to want to wake up early or go to the gym. It takes at least 2 months to form a new habit, which is why you have to commit. You have to want this and be willing to work for it. You need to constantly remind yourself of your goal.
Step 1. Commit
If you want to develop any habit YOU HAVE TO COMMIT to it. It’s going to be hard. It takes time to change your behavior. You have to want it enough to work for it.
Step 2. Write them down
It’s no secret that you are more likely to accomplish your goals when you write them down. In addition to clarifying your goals, it helps you to focus and motivates you to reach them.
Step 3. Don’t make excuses
Remember it takes at least 60 days for a habit to become natural. With that said, there will be days when you don’t want to get up at 6am. When you just want to binge TV while scrolling through Instagram. You will form these habits faster if you discipline yourself to practice these habits every day.
Step 4. Keep your eyes on the prize
Forgive me as I reiterate, but as you practice these habits you need to constantly remind yourself of your end goal. Who do you want to be by the end of the summer? This is what is going to help you get through those tough days.
How is your summer so far? What are some habits that you would like to develop this summer?
Thanks a bunch!
— Sarah
The Adventures of a Nerd. 