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Bad habits are hard to break, and good ones are tough to create. That said, change isn’t impossible. With the right mindset, a little discipline and some carefully selected items in your arsenal, you’ll be creating positive routines in no time.
In an effort to get you on your way, HuffPost reached out to experts to find out how they do it. Whether you’re looking to drink more water or get up earlier, here are a few tips and things that’ll assist you in creating new habits and making them stick.
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1
A habit journal
A habit journal is an easy way to track your progress over a period of time. This journal, created by "Atomic Habits" author James Clear, gives you all the space to keep tabs on each new goal. (If you prefer a more guided option, Clear also has a workbook with prompts.)
Matthew Paxton, CEO and founder of Hypernia, said seeing a physical copy of his goals and his progress helps him stay on track as a business owner. "Without this perspective, it’s easy to lose motivation," he said.
“Someone told me to get a habit journal," Paxton continued. "In this, I would track every day of the month where I have made the habit I want to stick. When I see in my journal that I have done a habit seven times in a row, it motivates me to keep on track."
Matthew Paxton, CEO and founder of Hypernia, said seeing a physical copy of his goals and his progress helps him stay on track as a business owner. "Without this perspective, it’s easy to lose motivation," he said.
“Someone told me to get a habit journal," Paxton continued. "In this, I would track every day of the month where I have made the habit I want to stick. When I see in my journal that I have done a habit seven times in a row, it motivates me to keep on track."
2
An app that incentivizes your goals
Can you think of a better way to help yourself stick to a habit than to literally put your money where your mouth is? According to Juliet Dreamhunter, a digital creator and founder of Effective At Home, stickK will challenge you to stick to your commitments in a unique way.
“It’s literally a tool that helps you stick to your commitments by putting money on the line,” Dreamhunter said. “Money is always an effective incentive for people. So, when there is an actual risk to lose it, you’ll be motivated to stick to your goal and keep it.”
“It’s literally a tool that helps you stick to your commitments by putting money on the line,” Dreamhunter said. “Money is always an effective incentive for people. So, when there is an actual risk to lose it, you’ll be motivated to stick to your goal and keep it.”
3
A sunrise alarm clock
Alarm clocks have been helping folks wake up early and stay on track for years, but this Phillips alarm clock puts a fresh spin on it.
Jake Dermer, a corporate wellness consultant and author of "The Desk Job Survival Guide," said the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light is a “genius item that helps you stick to your goals.”
"Light strongly influences your circadian rhythm, which in turn plays a role in your physical and mental health," Dermer said. "Waking up slowly by being exposed to light makes getting out of bed a whole lot easier. No matter what your goals are waking up without hitting the snooze button is always helpful."
Jake Dermer, a corporate wellness consultant and author of "The Desk Job Survival Guide," said the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light is a “genius item that helps you stick to your goals.”
"Light strongly influences your circadian rhythm, which in turn plays a role in your physical and mental health," Dermer said. "Waking up slowly by being exposed to light makes getting out of bed a whole lot easier. No matter what your goals are waking up without hitting the snooze button is always helpful."
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4
A physical planner
This beautifully designed, dateless planner allows you to track your goals and progress without following a specific outline like a calendar year. (The best schedule, after all, is one that you can stick to.) Sure, it’s kind of low-tech and it’s probably more convenient to do this on your laptop or phone. But according to Michelle Davies, a life coach specializing in productivity and founder of "The Best Ever Guide to Life," you can’t go wrong with pen and paper.
"A planner with no dates is the best thing to help you plan ahead and get everything done,” Davies said.
"A planner with no dates is the best thing to help you plan ahead and get everything done,” Davies said.
5
A water bottle that keeps you on track
Davies also recommended a time-stamped water bottle, which might not sound like a genius item, but will definitely help you if your goal is to drink more H2O.
"A big motivational water bottle is a great product to help you stay hydrated," Davies said. "I saw a woman with one of these water bottles in an exercise class and decided to get one for myself. I drank much more water than ever before and the little words of encouragement were a real pick-me-up during the day. It fits a gallon, so it’s more than enough water to meet your daily minimum."
"A big motivational water bottle is a great product to help you stay hydrated," Davies said. "I saw a woman with one of these water bottles in an exercise class and decided to get one for myself. I drank much more water than ever before and the little words of encouragement were a real pick-me-up during the day. It fits a gallon, so it’s more than enough water to meet your daily minimum."