Creating healthy habits

4-minute read

Most people want to create at least one good habit, or give up a bad habit. Creating healthy habits helps with mental health and wellbeing.

You can use a simple plan to create and maintain good habits, and avoid returning to older unwanted habits.

What is a habit?

A habit is something that is routine to you and that you repeat, often without knowing it. Some habits are good, some are bad.

Good habits include:

How can I create good habits?

It's hard to change everything all at once; it's easier to set small goals and achieve them. This helps create good habits. For example, it is easier to do a small amount of exercise each day than to decide to run a marathon.

It might take you several months to create a new habit. So you need to include the change as part of your regular routine. A diary (hard copy or online) or a wall planner may help.

Many habits are triggered by events. For example, washing your hands is triggered by going to the toilet. It helps if you set triggers for your new habit as part of your existing routine. This could include a particular time of day, or an event such as waking up or eating lunch.

Setting reminders can help you maintain good habits. If you use an online diary, set automatic reminders on your computer and your phone. There are also apps available that help with goal setting and new habits.

Your family and friends can also be a great support and can help to keep you motivated.

If you slip back into your old habits, don’t give up - this is common. Just remember why you wanted to make the change. This will help you pick up where you left off.

How can I avoid bad habits?

Make a note of what triggers a bad habit. If you are trying to eat less junk food, think about when and where you eat it. When driving? Getting it from the machine at work? After dinner?

Avoid the trigger if you can. So if you buy chips from a vending machine at work, see if you can avoid the machine. If you smoke on the steps outside the office, see if you can use a different entrance.

Replace the bad habit with a good one. So if you can’t avoid the vending machine, buy something healthy instead. If you can’t avoid the steps, chew sugarless gum instead.

Tools to help create a healthy habit

Here's a way to help yourself create a healthy habit:

Decide on a goal.
Choose a simple action you can take every day.
Plan when and where you will take your action: choose a time and place that you encounter every day of the week.
Every time you encounter that time and place, take the action.
Congratulate yourself when you find yourself doing the action.
It gets easier with time, and within 10 weeks you should find you are doing it without even thinking.