I have a friend that eliminated drinking alcohol until March 1st, as a new year’s goal. Last week he told me how that was going to be cut short because he had a group of friends that didn’t get together for their annual meet up in December and made last Wednesday the date. Oh well, there’s always 2025. All joking aside, I know he’s getting right back on the wagon, and more than likely, will stick to it until March 1st. That’s a good example of how life is going to happen, regardless of what your plans may be. One of your goals is to have a strategy for when that happens. Let’s build on the tips I provided last week.
Many people believe that motivation is key to helping them make a positive change and then stick to it. I disagree. Motivation can help, but as I mentioned in my prior post, it’s like a muscle, and it will fatigue. What many people lack is clarity on when and where they are going to implement the change. To successfully make a change, you need to determine the ideal time and place for when you are going to perform that task. By doing that, you are determining a specific space in your brain when that new habit will live. As I mentioned in my prior tips, liking your surroundings is important to eliminate friction in the process. Once you determine the where, now you can determine the when. They call this method implementation intention. Here’s an example:
Complete the following sentence- I will (behavior) at (time) in (location).
Scientists have found that if you use implementation intention you are more likely to follow through with your plans and stick to your habit.
“I’m going to perform a full body strengthening workout at the gym on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6am. I’m going to take a 30-minute brisk walk around my neighbor on Saturday afternoons.”
This technique can work with spending more time with your kids, meditation and to eating better. The more tightly bound your habit is locked into a specific time and location, the better the odds that you will take action.
Key Takeaway: Use implementation intention to solidify when and where you are performing your new habit.
Tim Ferriss has a technique he uses when trying to implement a positive change. He asks himself “How would this look if it was easy?” An example is eating healthy. Most people will eat better if they have healthier options prepared for when they are hungry. It’s too easy and tempting to stop by a fast-food drive-through when you know you are going home to an empty fridge and you’re hungry. To build the habit of eating better, you need to prioritize grocery shopping for healthy nutrient dense foods and then allow time for preparation. One builds on the other. I like to call this
priming the pump. I tell my members that scheduling the time to cook and shop is just as important as scheduling the time for your workouts.
Regarding exercise, this determines when you can minimize distractions and have the most energy. Checking your email every five minutes during your workout is a way to lose your focus. At the studio, we have our members keep their phones in our cubbies to minimize the distractions. Planning an early morning workout following a night you know you must work late is a recipe for disaster. Select training times when energy is optimal.
Key Takeaway: Prime the pump by making things easy. Plan your exercise around when your energy is optimal. Schedule time to prepare healthy and nutritious foods ahead of time.
Stay tuned for next week’s post with more tips. If you’re in the Las Vegas area, enter the J & D Fitness New Year, New You Body-fat Challenge and compete with the chance to win $350! For more information, email me at Doug@janddfitness.com.