Adopting a new routine takes time, motivation, and dedication. Many people associate the word routine with being stuck, but a routine can actually serve as a solid foundation to fall back on. Routine behavior creates more peace of mind, requires less energy, and prevents procrastination. By having a solid foundation, you have the time and space to focus on other things you find important. But how do you build a new routine that will keep you motivated? We'll help you get started and ensure you'll actually stick with your new routine this time!

Know why you're doing it

It's important to have a clear picture of why you want to start a new routine. For example, are you finding it frustrating that you've had less energy lately and are you eager to get fitter? Then make sure you work on it. It's easier to stick to your routine if you have a clear goal in mind. If, after a while, you find yourself abandoning your routine more and more, remind yourself why you wanted it so badly.

Make it measurable

Wanting to eat healthy, exercise more, and go to bed earlier are common routines people often want to establish. Yet, "eating healthy," "exercising more," or "going to bed earlier" isn't concrete enough to build a routine around. Make your goals measurable so it's easier to see if you've achieved them. Make agreements with yourself, such as eating 500 grams of vegetables every day, taking 10,000 steps daily, and being in bed by 10:00 PM every night. This makes maintaining your new routine easier because you can clearly see if you've achieved your goal, which is very motivating.

Step by step

Once you've decided to start a new routine, you're planning to completely change your life in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, this often leads to being overwhelmed by the number of new habits and abandoning them after a short period. Therefore, start with one new habit at a time so you can fully focus on it. Once you start to notice you've mastered this routine, you can start thinking about which other new routines you'd like to adopt. Remember, you don't have to do everything perfectly; if you fail to stick to your new routine once, it doesn't mean you've failed. If you only managed to exercise twice this week instead of three, that's still twice as much as you used to.

Make it fun

Building a new routine won't work if you feel like it's a punishment. So, you have to make it a bit fun! Exercise with a friend or take Yummygums instead of standard vitamin pills ;). If you want to eat healthy, that doesn't mean you have to deny yourself everything; a slice of pizza is perfectly fine as part of a healthy diet! This way, you can look forward to the good times and don't have to constantly be hard on yourself. This makes it much easier to stick to your new routine.

Just do it!

Of course, you'll need to get used to your new routine at first. It's understandable if you feel some resistance at first; people generally don't like change. Try not to overthink it and just implement it into your day. You'll notice it gets easier with persistence; motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.