How to Build Habits The Easy Way

It’s not the best weather, but it’s still great to get out for a walk.

I’ve always been an outdoors person. It gives me time to think, plan and just reset my mind.

I find I can let my mind wander when I’m out walking and sometimes answer questions I’ve been pondering for a while, things like:

• What are my goals?

• What do I want to do in life and is it the same as I’m doing now?

• Why am I doing what I’m doing?

• Do my actions match what I want to achieve?

Often, answers work themselves out and I can see things clearly while I’m walking.

The decision to take a break from my recruitment career of 19 years was just such a problem. To step away from that structure of people relying on me to make decisions, give guidance and drive things forward from 7am every day was difficult.

When I left I didn’t have that structure and instead had time for myself to rest for the first time in years.

Then, over the Christmas period I was in the car negotiating the dreaded festive rush and listening to That Peter Crouch podcast, and he said something that stuck with me.

He was discussing how professional footballers often finish their career then go to seed quickly because of the lack of structure in their lives. And, after spending their lives in a very structured environment where things were expected of them, they find the lack of routine means they can’t as easily achieve things.

This immediately made me look at myself and how my life had been since finishing my career and losing the structure of my recruitment career.

I realised that I was probably guilty of letting this lack of structure take over, like most of us, and decided to make some changes.

After taking myself off for a walk I came up with a few things I wanted to change. I started small, not huge ones that would be unachievable but small ones I could easily maintain and build on - giving me a sense of satisfaction when I did achieve.

I started with:

• Reading for 20 minutes each day

• Eating less processed food after Christmas

• Writing for 20 minutes each day

And, so far I’ve mostly been able to stick to these, but if I do find myself unable to do them, I don’t beat myself up over it, I just reset and keep going.

It takes time to build a habit but using things to make it easy for yourself is a good way of helping you stick to them. With me, I do things like:

• Leaving the computer somewhere visible

• Setting a reminder to add things to my daily goal list

• Giving myself a reward when I achieve things

This all helps to build a daily habit and allow me to set and achieve goals.

I’d recommend James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. It’s a brilliant resource and gives great advice on building good habits and making changes in your life.

It’s working for me. How about you?