Please note that the following information is not intended to replace the medical advice provided by your health care professional. Before we dive in, make sure to have your activity sheet handy so you can fill it out as we go. Or, you can listen now and fill it out at the end. The link to download your activity sheet is located just above this video player.

Ready to begin? Great!

Have you ever wondered how to build a new habit and maintain it? For example, maybe you want to make a change to your diet or physical activity. We can show you how to create a new habit that supports your vision for the future and keep it going long term. This video provides examples of some strategies that may help you get started.

For this exercise, think of a new habit you want to build and write it on your activity sheet.

Keep this habit in mind as we dive into our first strategy: habit stacking.

Habit stacking works by adding something you want to start doing to something that you’re already doing in your routine. For instance, let’s say you want to start walking more each day. An example of habit stacking would be deciding to take a walk each evening after dinner. By doing this, you're stacking the habit you want to build (walking more each day) on top of another habit in your existing routine (eating dinner).

Take a moment to think about your daily routine. What’s a habit you’re already doing that you could stack your new habit on? Write it down on your activity sheet. If you can’t think of anything, you can revisit it later. Let’s move on to the next habit-building strategy: make it fun!

While it may seem obvious, making something fun, like physical activity, is a great way to stay inspired, especially when you’re feeling less motivated.

Craving company? Grab a friend for a social stroll. Or, if you like walking solo, keep things fresh with a new playlist each week. Whatever you choose, making your new habit enjoyable is a great way to feel motivated to do it again. Plus, the more you do something, the more likely it is to become a habit.

Have any fun-boosting ideas in mind? Jot them down on your activity sheet. If your creativity isn’t sparking just yet, feel free to come back to this one later.

Before we get to the last technique, let's talk about what happens if you don’t practice your new habit for a day or two and feel like you're falling behind.

For example, maybe one night after dinner, you want to curl up on the couch with a book. Or, perhaps it’s raining, and you want to stay dry. That's OK. Occasionally skipping your new habit won't affect your overall habit-building progress.

When you do get off track, a good way to bounce back is to simply be prepared. Planning in advance can help you keep going, even when things don't go as expected.

This brings us to our final strategy: be perfectly imperfect.

That's right. You don't need to be perfect to build a healthy habit. Focus on the big picture: what you're trying to build, how far you've come, and where you're headed.

To help stay prepared, write down what you believe might get in the way of building your new habit and how to get back on track if you need to. If you can't think of any now, make a note and come back to it.

Congratulations! You've now armed yourself with 3 ways to help make building habits easier and part of your daily routine. You can apply the techniques that we’ve worked on today to create even more healthy habits. And bonus, you can come back to this activity anytime in the future whenever you’re ready to build another habit.

There are many ways to build your skills and reach your goals. It's all about what works best for you. Thank you for taking the first step, and keep up the amazing work!