Start Early to Change that Habit

 "If there’s a habit you really want to accomplish, it’s very helpful to schedule it first thing in the morning," writes Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project. Self control, and the willpower that feeds it, is high in the morning.  Note how many of us eat sugar free cereal and organic eggs for breakfast and dive into Oreo's and ice cream by 10pm.   As the day goes on, we tire, and so does our commitment to change.  Our stress rises.  We are more inclined to want to reward ourselves and less inclined to push towards a goal.  Does "I've had a long day.  I deserve re-runs and a glass of wine" sound familiar?  

New habits require energy. Set yourself up for success. Try a morning "habit change" routine and see how it goes. Try these suggestions and see how they work.

• Limit your focus to one habit this week.
  
• Anticipate high energy output and cut yourself a break in other areas.  If this is the week to work out in the mornings, it is NOT the week to take on extra work at the office. Be kind to yourself!
  
• Prepare in the evening.  Leave gym clothes out and ready to decrease the need for morning decisions.   Arrange your desk neatly before retiring to make it easier to get started on a morning project.
  
• Leave motivational reminders on your mirror or where you'll see them first thing in the morning.
  
• Artsy?  Create a motivation board (lots of images online).
  
• Engage a partner.  Tell them to check in with you each day.  Anticipatory guilt, though not a recommended emotion, is a great motivator.
  
• Make a back up plan. If you eat that bag of Oreos at night (and it may well happen), decide ahead of time that you will still wake up the next morning and go to yoga. Do NOT let a mess up derail your efforts.
  
• Commit....really commit....to working towards your new goal before noon.  After that, it's a free for all.
  
• Let me know how it goes!