One of the most important keys to success in habit maintenance is the use of triggers.
Find something you do that can act as a tripwire – and then force yourself to perform your habit immediately.
For example: during the school year, I make a cup of tea every morning at 6am – after I’ve finished my musical writing for the day. I’ve used turning on the kettle – just the switch – as my trigger to sit down at the computer and write future blog posts.
Triggers can be small – putting on pajamas triggers brushing teeth. Or they can be large: eating lunch triggers locking the door and practicing piano for an hour. The end-of-school bell can trigger 5-minutes of reviewing and prioritizing your to-do list.
Building the habits of success is a lot easier when you’ve got the triggers to remind you to practice them.
What habit are you trying to build? What could you use as a trigger to form it?