A powerful tool to make a change of habit it's the 30-day trial.
Let's say you want to start a new habit, like starting to exercise or quit smoking. We all know that getting started and sticking with the new habit for a few weeks is the hard part. Once you have overcome inertia, it is much easier to move on.
However, we often start by thinking of change as permanent, before we have started. It seems too overwhelming to think about making a big change and that you will stick with it for the rest of your life when you are still used to doing the opposite.
You could do it? Still requires a bit of discipline and commitment, but not nearly as much as making a permanent change. Any perceived deprivation is only temporary. You can count the days you have left to achieve freedom. For at least 30 days, you will get some benefit. It's not that bad. You can handle it. It's only a month out of your normality. That doesn't seem so difficult. Exercise daily for just 30 days, and then finish. Keep your desk perfectly organized for 30 days, and then loosen up. Read for an hour a day for 30 days, and then go back to watching TV.
When is the habit established?
If you actually complete a 30-day trial, what will happen? In the first place, you are going to go far enough to establish a habit, and it will be easier to maintain it than in the beginning. Second, you are going to break the addiction of your old habit during that time. Third, you will have 30 days of success, which will give you greater confidence to continue. And fourth, you'll get 30 days of results, giving you practical information on what to expect if you continue. It puts you in a better place to make long-term decisions.
Therefore, when you reach the end of the 30-day trial, your capacity to take the permanent habit is much greater. But even if you are not ready to make it permanent, you can choose to extend your trial period to 60 or 90 days. The longer you've been on the trial period, the easier it will be for you to fit into the new habit for life.
Another advantage of this approach is that it can be used to test new habits if you really aren't sure you want to have them for life. Maybe you would like to try a new diet, but you don't know if it seems too restrictive. In that case, you can try 30 days and then retest. Nothing happens if you eliminate the new habit because it does not convince you. It's like trying a computer program for 30 days and then uninstalling it if it doesn't meet your needs. There is no harm, there is no fault.
This 30-day method seems to work best for daily habits. I have not been lucky enough to use it when trying to start a habit that only occurs 3-4 days a week. Everyday habits are much easier to establish.
Here are some ideas for applying the 30-day trial:
* Give up television.
* Give up chats. Especially if you feel like you are becoming addicted to chatting. Remember that you can always resume your activity when the 30 days are over.
* Shower and shave every day.
* Meet someone new every day. Start a conversation with a stranger.
* Put something up for sale on eBay every day. Purge some of that mess.
* If you are already in a relationship, give your partner a massage every day.
* Give up cigarettes, soda, junk food, coffee, or other unhealthy addictions.
* Become an early riser.
* Write in your journal every day.
* Call a different family member, friend, or business contact every day.
* Write a new post on your blog every day.
* Read for an hour a day on a topic that interests you.
* Meditate every day.
* Learn a new vocabulary word every day.
* Go for a long walk every day.
The power of this approach lies in its simplicity. When you commit to doing something every day without exception, you cannot rationalize or justify missing a day. More information