How to Start Multiple Habits by Starting Just One

Lately I have been feeling pulled in a lot of directions.

I have my health, which needs definite attention given the state my body is in right now. There is one of my jobs, which is a stress so I have to learn how to deal with that differently. There are also other things I want to be doing (which might be able to bring in some change) that are a bit more crafty and encourage my creative side. Back to my body, I want to exercise more but the want is proving to be more than the energy is willing to supply right now. There are social dates to be kept and more to be made, pleasure things we’re looking forward to (hello inner Melbourne!) and ways we’re still trying to adjust (namely me cooking at home and having a puppy at the moment).

With all of these things, I was feeling lost. I’ve read so many places that the way to get new habits to stick are to do them one at a time. But which one? Finances dictate job related habits first, but my poor body demands it needs attention yesterday. And if I keep squishing my creative urges, they will just disappear. (I know. I’ve been there before.) So how do I decide?

Well, I finally figured out an oh, so simple way to start all the good habits I want to start at the same time and maintain them by one habit in particular:

As someone who likes to make lists, I’m surprised I haven’t been doing this all along. But one particularly frustrated night, I picked up this notebook and listed all the things I wanted to accomplish the next day. From drinking a cup of tea in the morning (I heart raspberry leaf tea – especially for the health benefits!) to certain work tasks I needed to get done, they were all there. And the next day…

Well, the next day I didn’t get everything done, but I wasn’t stressed. I just put the unfinished tasks on for the next day and went from there.

I haven’t been doing it for long, but I have so much less stress in my life with just this simple habit. I’m establishing all the habits I want at the same time, but I feel like I don’t have to think about it. I just glance at my list during the day and check things off as I go. I already feel like my mind space is doing so much better.

So while the ‘one step at a time’ is a great thought, you don’t have to necessarily stick to that rule completely…