How to Live a Better Life Through Creating Habits

Do you want to live a better life, but don’t know how to actually create good habits?  I mean it seems simple enough, decide and start doing it.  But there’s more to the story.

When you and I walk in step with the right habits we not only accomplish the tasks we set, but we’re ruling over our lives and reaching our goals. Then we fall off.

This is how it goes for me: I might do one or two things right in order, then distraction happens and my consistently becomes less and less. I look up and I’m not: exercising, getting the laundry done, keeping the bathrooms clean, etc.

Whatever it is in your life, if it is housework, taking care of yourself or staying on budget, if we don’t create a habit, it won’t get done. At least not at the speed of life.

Knowing how to create good habits will allow you to accomplish your everyday tasks. Accomplishing everyday tasks is what leads you to live a better life, be a better mom.

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So what exactly is a habit?  My loose definition:

A habit is a road that we run down enough that it becomes the very street to the life we love

So how do we create those habits that will enable us to get the life we’ll love? It’s pretty straight-forward, which makes the process a bit easier for us scatter-minded moms.

How To Create Good Habits that Make You Happy

There are 3 main things you need in order to form happy habits.

#1 A List of Tasks that Reach the Habit Goal

#2 Have a Habit Trigger 

#3 A Habit-forming Routine 

If you are a little ADHD, and even if you aren’t, you also need a solid reward, preferably one that comes automatically within or accompanying the routine that will create the habit.  However, for some people, just the accomplishment, the results or checking it off in you habit tracker, is enough of a reward.

Rewards vary but can be very valuable to your success.

RELATED: How You Can Be a Successful Mom

#1 Reaching the Goal

SMART goals are goals that are

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Time-based

#2 Triggering Your Habit

You know where you want to go, now how do you get there?  In order to keep as consistent as possible, you need to create habit triggers.  I absolutely loved the SPI podcast I listened to recently with an interview with James Clear and his new book Atomic Habits.

You can listen to it yourself right here

In the interview, James talked about a 2-minute habit intro.  His idea is to think of something that would take you around 2 minutes to do that would lead into doing the habit.

For example,

Getting your exercise clothes out for the next day

Get your book out and sit in the chair

Set your homepage to whatever work website (WordPress?) you use

Something that will get you started on the task or routine that will set your habit in place.  But regardless if you use James’ idea or something else.  Think of a way to trigger yourself to get your habit-forming task done.  I like to set alarms to remind me.  You could set something on a countertop or leave a post-it on your mirror.  Some people have an accountability partner who will call, text or wait for them.  That’s definitely motivating!

#3 Doing a Routine

So I love routines!  I feel like nothing will improve your life faster than creating a routine.  Doing your routine regularly, even daily, will form a habit super fast.  This obviously takes time.

After looking at your list of tasks to help you form your habit, think about how you’ll fit them in your schedule.  What day or time will you complete this routine?  Will you need concentration, quiet, help, another task to be completed first?

Here is my free guide to crush your goals by creating that routine to keep you on track to form good daily habits

You will not be successful, confident nor joyful if you are not accomplishing the tasks that will help you reach your goals.

This is something I’ve learned a lot about within doing a blog and creating a business.  If you don’t keep to tasks that ONLY work to accomplish the end result you desire, you’ll easily be side-tracked.  Some people’s whole lives become a big side-tracked adventure.

Don’t let that be you. 

Read more about how to be consistent in completing your tasks in my post Preparation Comes by Consistency.

How to Stop a Bad Habit

Some people tend to think of ending a bad habit as their goal.  But Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, tends to the notion that we can’t actually stop a bad habit, but instead replacing it.

Creating a bad habit happens the same way a good habit is formed.  Looking at the above list, a bad habit needs the same things except #1 would be switched out with a desire you’d like to have.

So when you think of stopping bad habits, you only need to identify what your desire was concerning it and then to replace it with the goals of a good habit and continue to #2 and #3.

How to Create Happy Habits When you Keep Failing.  (What if I mess up?)

This probably isn’t the answer you are wanting but we all mess up.  Only Jesus is perfect, we are not, and so with every habit, goal, and resolution, there will be times of weakness and failure.

Living the life you love does not mean you will somehow be a perfect person.  But you can live a better life by not holding on to the past and by not holding on to mistakes.  You have to have confidence in Him and be determined.

The tasks, what we do each day, is very much a part of you and how you see life.

The key, as said by James in his interview, is not to continue to be derailed because of one mess up. So if you stop exercising for one or two days because of the flu, for instance, don’t drop-off the rest of the week, or even 2 weeks.

Turn around right then and there, stop and think about the reason why you started and determine in yourself to make that habit-forming choice the very next time.

10 Moms Talk How To Create Happy Habits

Below is a list of 10 posts from 10 women who want to help you create and reach everyday goals.  In these posts, these ladies layout how to start your own happy habits.

The One Thing That Kills Your Productivity as a SAHM

by Candice @ Brown Eyed Mom

Simple weekly tasks to keep your home under control

by Katie @ My Sweet Home Life

How To Start New Good Habits

by Chelsea @ Making Manzanita

The #1 Secret to Forming Good Habits

by Paula @ I’m Busy Being Awesome

Feel Good Each Day: Good Sleeping Habits

by Rose @ Becoming Mom (you are here 🙂

Start The Day with a Morning Make-Up Routine

by Jo @ Neat n Tiny

9 Habits to help you be a Happy and Healthy Mom

by Lisa @ Amerytina

5 Routines to Taking a Mom Break

by Jenny @ Homeafterthree 

How to Create a Better Life for Yourself

by Rose-Marie @ Our House of Love

10 Day Love Yourself Challenge for Selfcare Habits

by Haley @ Adventures of Southern Motherhood 

Now, are you ready to create your own good habits.  Here are some ideas of how to create happy habits:

How to Have Happy Habits Going Forward

Happy habits create a positive mindset, you feel courageous about the future because of past successes.

Keeping good habits expands your ability to control your circumstances, which make you more open to trying new things. Instead of that fear of rejection and failure, you now have greater confidence to face both the mundane and spontaneous aspects of life.

Look at your personal goals and family needs and start the process to a better life.  Create worthy goals, create a list of tasks to reach the goals, and do them regularly.