CULTIVATING CONSISTENCY

TURNING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS INTO LASTING HABITS

As we head into the new year, many of us start setting our New Year’s resolutions, especially in health and wellness. You may find yourself inspired to deepen your yoga practice, improve your flexibility, eat healthily, run more often, improve your mental health, meditate more, and "do more" mindfulness. However, the reality is that most of our resolutions fall by the wayside before January even ends!  We tend to get over-excited and set ourselves ambitious goals. Whether committing to an hour of yoga every day, giving up sugar, drinking less coffee, or running every day. The allure of a transformative resolution can be tempting, but research shows that overly ambitious goals can lead to feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and ultimately we give up. 

So, let’s explore why setting smaller, more achievable goals using “IF-THEN” plans might be key to turning your wellbeing goals into lasting habits!

What is an “IF-THEN” plan

I first came across “IF-THEN” plans a few years ago when completing my certificate in brain-based coaching. It's a brain-friendly strategy rooted in behavioural psychology that involves creating specific plans for when and where you’ll take action towards your goal. You pre-program your brain to respond automatically to specific triggers by forming strong mental associations between a situational cue (IF) and the desired behaviour (THEN). So instead of something vague like “I will practice yoga more often”, your goal might be “IF it’s 6 pm on a Monday & Wednesday, THEN I will unroll my yoga mat and start my practice.” 

There are a few reasons why this works.

Reduced Cognitive Load

“IF-THEN” plans help to reduce the cognitive load associated with decision-making. You essentially automate part of the decision-making by pre-determining your response to a specific situation. So instead of sitting on the sofa over-thinking about whether you should go to the gym, deciding not to and then feeling guilty about it, the decision is already made for you!

Cue Association

Over time, the brain learns to associate the cue with the desired behaviour, making it more likely that the planned action will occur automatically in response to the trigger situation.

Habit Forming

Habits form through the repetition of a specific behaviour in a consistent context. When you create an “IF-THEN” plan, you establish a new response to an existing cue. This repetition strengthens the neural pathways associated with the action, making it more likely that you will carry it out time after time.

Here's one of my own IF-THEN Plans... IF it’s a weekday and I’m having a shower (a trigger I already do!), THEN I will end with1 minute of cold water.

Setting your own “IF-THEN” plans

Instead of setting yourself some vague goals, try turning them into “IF-THEN” plans.

IF x happens, THEN I will do y.

Make a note of the goals you have set yourself for this year. Then do the following;

1. Identify triggers - Pinpoint specific times or situations in your day when you can seamlessly incorporate your desired action.

2. Be specific - Ensure you are clear and concrete by specifying the exact action.

3. Start small - Break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. You can add more actions or build up the intensity once a habit is established

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Let me share one of my 2024 goals to bring this to life.

My 2024 Goal - I want to improve my mental wellbeing.

IF-THEN Plan - When I wake up, I will take 3 deep breaths and think of one thing I am grateful for.

Let's look at some more examples...

Goal - I want to practice mindful breathing

IF-THEN Plan - If I notice myself feeling stressed, then I will take a 2-minute break and engage in box-breathing exercises.

Goal - I want to attend a regular yoga class

IF-THEN Plan - If it’s a Tuesday at 6 pm, then I will put on my yoga clothes and go to my scheduled yoga class

Goal - I want to improve my sleep

IF-THEN PLAN - If it’s after 3 pm, then I will have water instead of coffee.

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It sounds simple (that’s because it is), but I urge you to try it if you’re determined to make your 2024 goals stick this year. Remember that setting realistic and achievable goals coupled with the power of “if-then” planning can make a big difference. Give it a go and see your resolutions turn into lasting habits!