You plan to exercise regularly, eat healthier, or go to bed earlier. Initially, you’re motivated—but after a few days or weeks, everything is forgotten, and you’re back to square one.
That can be quite frustrating.
You’re not alone in this. Many people experience the same—and yes, I’ve repeatedly found it challenging to integrate new routines permanently into my daily life. It’s not always easy—but it’s possible.
And the good news: There are proven methods that can help you integrate new habits into your daily life in the long term.
So: Read this article carefully, feel free to take notes, and start today with your first small habit.
It won’t change everything immediately—but over time, it can make a difference.
Why Habits Are So Important
Habits determine the majority of our daily lives—often without us realizing it. Most of our daily actions and thoughts occur automatically, guided by our subconscious.
Whether we reach for our phone first thing in the morning, exercise regularly, or snack unhealthily—all these are not coincidences but results of our habits. They influence our productivity, our health, and even our self-image.
Good habits can strengthen us, give us more energy and clarity. Bad ones, on the other hand, steal our time, motivation—and often our self-confidence.
But why is it so difficult to establish new habits?
A significant reason lies in our mindset: We desire quick results. If these aren’t immediately visible, we easily lose motivation. And often, we don’t just want to change a small thing—but everything at once.
“All or nothing,” we think. And that’s the first big mistake.
But there’s also a biological explanation:
When we want to establish a new habit, new connections—called synapses—must first form in the brain. This doesn’t happen overnight. It takes repetition and time for your brain to recognize: This is important—we’ll do this more often now.
The more often you repeat an action, the stronger this connection becomes—and the more automatic it eventually becomes.
Nevertheless, it’s not easy to break entrenched patterns or truly anchor new routines.
Why this is the case—and how you can make it easier for yourself—is the focus of the next section.
10 Tips to Establish and Solidify New Habits Faster
1. Start Small—Really Small!
One of the most common mistakes when building new habits is taking on too much at once.
Phrases like “Starting tomorrow, I’ll exercise for an hour every day” sound ambitious—but let’s be honest: If you’ve hardly exercised before, it’s extremely hard to suddenly stick to an hour daily.
The result? Motivation quickly wanes—and the new habit disappears just as quickly.
The solution: Start small. Really small.
Begin with a minimal version of your habit—like five minutes of movement a day. That might sound ridiculously little, but especially at the beginning, it’s less about how long you do something and more about doing it at all. It’s about teaching your brain a new pattern—and that starts with the first step.
The entry should be so easy that it’s almost impossible not to stick with it.
And often, something surprising happens: Once you’ve started, you often stay longer—five minutes suddenly become ten or fifteen. Not out of compulsion, but because it feels good to continue.
2. Link New Habits to Existing Routines
A particularly effective approach to establishing new habits is the concept of habit linking.
The idea is simple: You tie your new habit to an already existing action in your daily life.
This makes it easier to recall—and after some time, it’s automatically linked to the existing routine.
For example:
- After brushing your teeth → do 10 squats
- After breakfast → drink a large glass of water
- Before turning off the light → read 10 pages in a book
This method works so well because your brain connects the new action with something familiar. You don’t have to constantly remind yourself—the new habit “docks” onto an existing routine and becomes quite natural over time.
3. Make Your Habits Visible and Tangible
Many new habits simply fail because we lose sight of them. In the stressful daily routine, it’s easy to forget what we actually intended to do.
Therefore, it helps enormously to make new habits visible and tangible.
A few simple examples:
- Place your yoga mat in the living room to be regularly reminded to move.
- Put your journal with a nice pen on your pillow so you’re directly reminded in the evening to jot down some thoughts.
- Place your water bottle within easy reach on the desk to drink water more often—quite automatically.
- Hang a small reminder on your mirror, e.g., a Post-it with a loving mantra or your new affirmation.
Our brain responds strongly to visual stimuli. If you integrate your habits into your environment, they become more present—and you’re more likely to stick with them.
4. Create a Supportive Environment
You’ve surely heard the saying: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This also applies to your habits.
If your environment regularly exercises or eats healthily, both will be much easier for you. You don’t have to completely overhaul your entire environment—but it helps if you consciously surround yourself with people who pursue similar goals as you.
If you don’t have anyone in your immediate environment, you can also connect online with like-minded individuals—through communities, groups, or apps.
The support of others can be crucial when you want to stay on track.
5. Allow Yourself Bad Days—But Don’t Give Up
There will be days when you miss your new habit.
That’s completely normal. The crucial point is: Don’t let it discourage you.
A single missed day doesn’t nullify your progress—as long as you continue the next day.
A simple rule helps: “Never skip two days in a row.”
This way, you stay in motion, even if it’s not perfect. Setbacks are part of the process—how you deal with them determines how far you go.
6. Be Patient—Real Change Takes Time
You’ve probably heard that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. That sounds motivating but is often too optimistic. Studies show: On average, it takes about 66 days—sometimes more, sometimes less.
Building a habit is not a sprint but a marathon.
Setbacks, fluctuations, doubts—all are part of it. The important thing is to stay on track, even if progress feels slow.
Patience and consistency pay off. Over time, your new habit will increasingly become a natural part of your daily life.
As you establish new routines, new synapses gradually form in your brain—that takes repetition. Therefore: Give yourself time.
7. Find an Accountability Partner
Change is easier when you’re not doing it alone. An accountability partner—someone who accompanies you in your endeavors—can make a huge difference.
This person helps you:
- Stay on track, even when your motivation wanes
- Take responsibility because someone else is watching your progress
- Share successes, which additionally motivates
Ideally, someone who has similar goals or supports you honestly—reliable, motivating, but also open to constructive feedback.
You can regularly exchange ideas, set small goals, and motivate each other.
Together, many things are easier.
8. Make Your Progress Visible
When you recognize progress, you stay more motivated—therefore, it’s worth making your success visible.
Use, for example, a habit tracker, a checklist, or a simple note in the calendar.
Each checkmark shows you: I stayed on track.
Even small visual signals like a cross in the calendar or a mark on your list can be enormously motivating.
You’ll be surprised how much pride a few consecutive checkmarks can evoke—and how much they help you stay on track.
9. Make It as Pleasant as Possible
New habits are much easier to establish when they feel good. Therefore: Make it as pleasant as possible. Design the new routine so that you enjoy doing it—not out of compulsion, but out of joy.
Maybe music helps you, a nice place, a cup of tea, or just a moment of peace afterward.
The more comfortable you feel, the more likely you are to repeat it—and that’s exactly what strengthens your habit in the long term.
Examples:
- Want to meditate? Light a candle and make yourself comfortable with a blanket.
- Want to read more often? Find a cozy reading spot with warm light.
- Want to move more? Play a playlist with your favorite music.
- Want to try journaling in the morning? Place your favorite coffee or tea next to you.
Joy is a strong motivator. If you associate your new habit with positive emotions, it will gradually become a fixed part of your daily routine.
10. Reflect Regularly—What Works for You?
Take time regularly to pause briefly:
- What works well?
- Where do I need adjustment?
- What really helps me—and what doesn’t?
Reflection helps you understand yourself better—how you function, what motivates you, and what stands in your way. This way, you can adjust the process and integrate your habit more easily into your daily life.
Not everything that works for others also suits you—and that’s exactly why it’s worth looking honestly from time to time.
Your Path to Strong Habits
Developing new habits is rarely easy—but absolutely doable. The most important step? Start. Not perfectly, not forever—but just begin.
It’s not about implementing everything immediately. But about staying on track—even when it gets bumpy. Setbacks are part of it. What matters is that you get back up afterward.
Make it as easy as possible for yourself. Integrate small steps into your daily life. And remember: Change doesn’t happen overnight—but through repetition.
One percent change per day is enough. Really, that’s all it takes at the beginning.
✨ You can do it—I believe in you
All the best,
Liv
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