It can be hard to stick to new routines, but with some tricks, it gets easier. This blog post will give you some tips on how to make your new routine a habit and how to get back on track if you fall off the wagon.

Turning your new routine into a habit

We do various routines that help us accomplish our to-do lists as we go through daily life. For example, we have a morning routine where we usually wake up, do daily hygiene practices, eat breakfast, exercise, maybe read a little, and then go off to work. We also have work routines where we have a particular way and order of doing things in the workplace. Lastly, we also have daily routines regarding what we do after work, including leisure time and taking care of things in the house. All of these are activities that we are already used to doing every day, so doing them is only second nature to us, and they have become habits already.

A new year has just passed, and you might have created some New Year's resolutions. Maybe you figured out to start some new habits that can benefit you as a person. However, sticking to a routine can be a challenge, especially if it's something new to us. Nevertheless, there are several things you can do to turn a recent activity into a new habit and learn how to stick to it.

1. Start small

If you are the type of person who doesn't exercise regularly and then decide to incorporate it as part of your daily routine, it can be tough to find the urge to do it. When you have trouble exercising daily, think back on why you wanted to do it. Know the benefits you can get from your goal; the following action is making small steps. You can try setting a small amount of time every morning to do it. Practice doing the short routine every day until you become comfortable. Then you can start increasing the amount of time for daily fitness or maybe even add additional time slots in the day for exercise. The idea is to gradually ease yourself into the activity until it becomes part of your regular routine.

2. Set a consistent time for doing something

One thing that can help you stick to your routines is to try to do something at the same time you do it every day. For example, if you want to add journaling as one of your new habits, you can set a time after work, say 8:00 p.m., write about everything you have accomplished for the day. The next day, start writing on your journal again at 8:00 p.m. By having a set schedule when to do an activity, you gradually program your mind and body to turn any action into a routine.

3. Take advantage of your prime time

When you are beginning to do something new in your life and want it to become part of your good habits, it might be best to try doing it during the time of the day when you are at peak energy and motivation. You will have a better chance of success trying to do something when you do it before you start losing motivation. For example, if you want to read some pages of a book daily as your new habit, you might have a more challenging time doing it in the evening when you are already tired from doing work all day. Instead, do the book reading in the morning before going to work, commuting, or break time. You most likely still have the energy during these times and will be more willing to try out the activity.

4. Focus on one thing

Trying to do too many things simultaneously can result in you not achieving anything. You can be more productive and efficient if you focus on one task and do it daily until it becomes a routine for you. Once something is second nature, you can try doing something else and focus on it until it also becomes a habit.

5. Make the process enjoyable

Sticking to a daily routine doesn't have to be a tedious process of repeatedly doing the same thing. You can make the effort of incorporating some fun into your daily activities. Maybe you can listen to some music while working, find somebody willing to work with you on your activity or find some new ways of doing things. Making the process fun can make you more motivated in what you are doing and makes sticking around easier.

6. Learn to reward yourself and celebrate small victories

As you spend time doing your daily routine, an excellent way to make yourself stick to it is to reward yourself at set intervals and not just after hitting big milestones. Learn to celebrate the small successes you achieve, and what better way than to reward yourself during these small celebrations. When you have something to look forward to regularly, it's easier to maintain your productivity and good habits daily.

7. Develop a way to track your progress

If you want to make sure you are hitting your targets, you must use a tool like a calendar or a journal that will help track your progress. Each day you can do your routine, you can put a checkmark to indicate your completion. The goal is to ensure that you don't miss a day doing your routines. Tracking your progress also helps you identify when you can reward yourself and see how much you have accomplished over time.

Stick with it

Turning an activity into a daily routine requires repetition and commitment to do the same things daily. To be motivated to continue doing something, one must know what to expect as benefits from doing such things. Most people will have difficulty keeping to new tasks, especially if it's something out of their comfort zones. It's necessary to make a habit change if you know that the new things you are trying will benefit you. Remember that it took us time to turn the things we have become accustomed to doing daily into habits. Learning to stick to new things is essential if we want to make positive changes in our lives.