GUIDE TO ESTABLISHING LONG TERM HABITS

This guide was designed by Ian Haut '21 as part of his yearlong ambassadorship with the CSW Library in SY 2019-2020.

Think of something you’ve always wanted to do: it could be that spring cleaning project you’ve been putting off, starting a journal, or getting in better shape. Most of us have countless long projects to do or habits we want to build, but just never end up getting around to. It can be hard to carve out the time to work on something consistently, especially if there’s no deadline. Over the past few years, I have started, continued, and finished multiple projects that took months to complete (many still aren’t done!). In this guide I will share what strategies and resources have worked for me when it comes to these long projects!

Getting Started

Before jumping into a long project or trying to start a new habit, think about what your goal is and what you want out of the project. What are you trying to achieve? The end goal should be something that excites you, and something you can look forward to (if not, why even do the project?).

Plan out the big-picture steps. How can you split up the process into manageable pieces? If the project is a marathon, these steps should be like the miles. Decide how and when you are going to work on it. Make sure this is a reasonable goal. Crocheting for five hours a day, for example, is the fastest way to make a blanket, but it's not the most sustainable.

Strategies for working

Make the process enjoyable! If working on your project is unpleasant, you won't want to do it.
Incentivize. Reward yourself for steps completed and milestones reached!
Have your projects in the vicinity and easy to access

Add variety to the process! Try to make each day just a little different if you can
Instead of measuring progress by time or speed, try to measure yourself by milestones instead. If you're constantly rushing to make a deadline, you will probably get burned out.