Lifestyle

 

 

Lifestyle changes are habits that we change in our lives that are beneficial to our well-being. 

Habits are practises we do frequently that become part of our lives and that’s why a habit can be difficult to give up. 

When something becomes part of our lives it becomes a part of us and our identity. Giving up a habit can feel like giving up a part of ourselves. 

The first step in successfully giving up an unhealthy habit, for example, smoking, is to detach from it. It helps to stop using a habit as a personal label.  Stop referring to oneself as a smoker, instead change the narrative to ‘I am giving up smoking’. 

The next step is to change the routine around the habit. If our habit involves an action, change the action at that time. To use the smoking example: instead of smoking a cigarette, make a hot drink and stand outside in the fresh air for five minutes (cravings usually last three to five minutes). 

These changes to our routines then become our new habits. Our new habits then become our lifestyle. 

Using the Vitalis Routine Planner can help us to form new habits by maintaining daily routines.