If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said “Knowing what to do and doing it are two different things!”… And, one thing that gets in the way of “doing” are habits. Habits and routines are powerful forces that we fall back on, particularly when we are tired or stressed.

Take me, for example. I know checking my phone and email first thing every morning does not set my day up for success, but does that stop me? Nope! It’s an unproductive habit that can derail my day before I’ve even had my coffee.

Bad habits are sneaky —they’re comfortable, and breaking them can feel overwhelming. Rather than relying on willpower to eliminate them, try adding new, positive ones, which often crowd out bad ones (After all, we only have so much time!)

Message me if you’re feeling like you’re on auto-pilot with a bad habit that’s getting in the way of your wellness goals.

1. Make it obvious, not invisible. Want to drink more water? Keep a water bottle with you.
2. Make it attractive, not a chore. If you’re dreading it, you’re not going to do it. Pair a habit with something you like. For example, watch your favorite show while on the stationary bike.
3. Re-engineer your space to make good habits easy and bad habits hard.
4. Make it rewarding. It’s hard developing a new habit so make sure you find ways to reinforce and celebrate your progress.

Carolyn Kontos, MS, ACC, offers Wellness & Nutrition Coaching at the JCC through her Eat Well Programs. For more information, contact Carolyn at [email protected]

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