Why Should You Change One Habit at a Time?

Have you ever tried to change your routine all at once? It can be pretty daunting, especially if you’re trying to establish new habits. You can quickly get overwhelmed and end up reverting back to your old ways. Instead of trying to overhaul your entire routine at once, it’s better to focus on changing one habit at a time. This is more manageable and less overwhelming. Plus, you’re more likely to stick with it this way.

If you’re thinking about making some changes to your routine, here are some reasons why you should NOT try to do everything all at once & what you SHOULD do instead.

You’re More Likely to Get Overwhelmed and Give Up

That is exactly what is going to happen if you keep piling on a bunch of new habits to start at once. You will quickly get overwhelmed and won’t want to do anything. This can cause you to give up on your goals entirely.

When you’re trying to make a change, it’s important to ease into it. If you try to do too much at once, you’ll just end up feeling burnt out and frustrated. You won’t be able to focus on anything and will probably end up giving up altogether.

So, instead of trying to change everything at once, just focus on one habit at a time. It can be anything from working out every day to eating breakfast every morning. Once you’ve got that habit down, you can move on to the next one.

You Won’t Be Able to Focus

When you’re trying to change multiple habits at once, you won’t be able to focus on any of them. This is because your brain can only focus on so many things at once. As a result, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed and it can lead to you not making any progress at all.

It’s much better to focus on one habit at a time. This way, you can give that habit your full attention. Once you’ve got it down, you can move on to the next one. It also makes sense since it takes time to form a new habit. So, if you’re trying to focus on multiple habits, it will just take longer for all of them to stick.

You Won’t Be as Motivated

When you’re trying to change multiple habits at once, it can be hard to stay motivated. It’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t see results right away as you would if you’re just focused on one habit. And, when you don’t see results, it’s easy to give up.

On the other hand, when you’re only focused on changing one habit, it’s easier to stay motivated because you can see the progress you’re making, which is pretty motivating in itself and will keep you going until the habit is finally ingrained.

You Might Not Be as Successful

If you’re trying to change multiple habits at the same time, you might not be as successful as you would be if you only focused on one habit since it’s harder to stick to multiple habits than just one.

You’ll have to be extra diligent in order to make sure you’re successful. However, it’s not a sustainable way of changing your habits since it’s harder to maintain. By the end of the day, it will just make you more frustrated than anything.

It’s Easier to Make Excuses

When you’re trying to change multiple habits, it’s easy to make excuses as to why you can’t do them. This will eventually develop into a never-ending cycle where you’re constantly making excuses and not making any progress. You could end up developing bad habits this way too.

For example, if you’re trying to eat better and exercise more, you might find yourself making excuses as to why you can’t go to the gym or cook a healthy meal. “I’m too tired,” “I don’t have time,” or “I don’t have the energy” are all excuses we often use.

But, if you’re only focused on one habit, you can easily avoid making excuses. You can find ways to work around your excuses and still make progress. Plus, it’s important to remember that change takes time and effort. So, even if you can’t do everything perfectly, as long as you’re making an effort, it’s a step in the right direction.

You Might Miss Important Details

The last thing you want to do is miss important details when you’re trying to change your habits. However, when you’re trying to focus on multiple things at once, it’s easy to let some things slip through the cracks.

For example, if you’re trying to eat healthily and lose weight, you might find yourself not paying attention to how much sugar is in your food or how many calories you’re eating. As a result, you might not see the results you want because you’re not being as diligent as you should be.

Or, assume you’re trying to be more productivy and organized. You might start off strong, but then find yourself forgetting to follow through with certain tasks or letting your inbox get out of control. Suddenly, you’re back to where you started.

The point is, when you try to change too many things at once, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and make mistakes. It’s better to focus on one habit at a time so that you can give it your full attention and make sure you’re doing it right.

Final Thoughts

Changing one habit at a time may seem like it will take longer, but in the end, it will be more successful, and you are less likely to give up. It is essential to be patient when changing your routine and allow yourself the time to get used to the new habit.

Instead of overhauling your entire routine, it’s much more effective to change one habit at a time. This gives you the opportunity to slowly adapt to the new behavior and make it a part of your daily routine. Once you’ve mastered one habit, you can move on to another.

Be mindful of your progress and give yourself credit for every victory, no matter how small. Creating a new routine is a process that should be celebrated!