Mark a cross on the calendar every day you repeat a new and important habit. Start with three days, then evaluate it and see whether you want to continue.
The first time you add a new routine can feel awkward, like when you are learning to drive a car. Every element feels difficult, but for every repeated action it gets easier and easier. The comedian Jerry Seinfeld was once asked how to get better at writing jokes. Seinfeld answered that making writing a habit was important. He suggested a large wall calendar with every day of the year clearly visible. Every day you manage to write a joke, mark the calendar with a large cross. After a while, the crosses form a chain. The most important task, according to Seinfeld, is not to break the chain. Repetition is vital in making the habit stick, making it easier and easier. Researchers agree with the comedian. According to Phillipa Lally and her team, it takes anything from 18 to 254 days to establish a habit – so knowing your daily routine can help.
Oskar Henrikson