Create Habits and Stay Mindful in 2024

Happy New Year, everyone! 2024 is here whether you’re ready for it or not. The new-year pressure to make positive changes and set big goals can be overwhelming. Here are some tips on how to create habits and stay mindful.

Three Tips to Help Create Habits and Stay Mindful

1. Shift Your Mindset: “Your reality is a projection of your thoughts or the things you habitually think about.” – Stephen Richards, How to Get Everything You Can Imagine: Volume 1: How Mind Power Works

How to Have a Positive Mindset

  • Write down what you are grateful for.
  • Consume positive media.
  • Surround yourself with positive people.
  • Write out a “wins” checklist each day.
  • Create a morning mindset routine – Make sure you have one thing to look forward to that day.
  • Take inventory on your thoughts throughout the day.

2. The Two-Minute Rule: If it can be done in less than two minutes, just do it. Using the two-minute rule from the book, Atomic Habits, by James Clear. This rule helps get you started and build momentum.

Nearly Any Habit Can Be Scaled Down to a Two-Minute Version

  • “Read before bed each night” becomes “read one page.”
  • “Do thirty minutes of yoga” becomes “take out my yoga mat.”
  • “Study for class” becomes “open my notes.”
  • “Fold the laundry” becomes “fold one towel.”
  • “Run three miles” becomes “tie my running shoes.”

3. Small Changes Big Results: Make your habits simple & easy.

How to Choose a Habit to Form (Source: CNN health)

  • Set a specific goal and start small.
  • Create a plan. Make the plan detailed and include time of day and duration.
  • Make it fun. Research shows if you do not enjoy the process, you will not stick to it.
  • Be flexible. Allow yourself a few “get out of jail free cards.” Sometimes things come up that will disrupt your plan. Consistency is key.
  • Find social support. Tell a friend / family member the habit you are working toward building.

Habit Example: I want to get more steps each day.

  • Specific Goal: I want to get at least 7,000 steps each day.
  • Plan: Each morning, I will begin my day with a 10-minute walk outside.
  • Make it fun: On Wednesdays, I will walk to my local coffee shop.
  • Flexibility: If it is snowing / raining outside, I will let myself skip the walk that day.
  • Support: Ask a friend to join me in tracking 7,000 steps each day.

List of Mindfulness Tips to Add to Your 2024 Routine:

  1. Intentional Breathing – Set a timer 1-3 times a day to breathe with intention. The breath counts should be a 5 second inhale / 5 second exhale / 5 times kind of thing. Simply put, try intentional / controlled breathing for at least 60 seconds.
  2. Stretching through the motions – Create time throughout the day to do simple stretches: arms, neck, and back.
  3. Eat with meaning – Eat with your less dominant hand and wait a few seconds before taking your next bite. When possible, eat without TV, phone or external entertainment.
  4. Sleep Preparation – Find a set time to wake up and go to bed. Wake up 5 minutes earlier. Eliminate screen time 10-30 minutes before bed and instead try reading for 10 minutes each night.  

Do you want more tips and tricks on how to start your new year off right? Check out Debunking New Year’s Resolutions.