STARTINGNEWHABITS

As professionals working in housing operations on college campuses, it can be difficult to find a routine, especially in our personal lives. Each week may bring a different challenge that not only affects our work, but our personal lives. It is easy to give up on finding a routine when we are always expecting the unexpected However, this makes it difficult to break bad habits and start new healthy habits. You can create a routine, while also remaining flexible and giving yourself grace when the unexpected happens.

According to James Clear in his book Atomic Habits (2018), it takes 66 days to make a habit out of something Often, we feel motivated to start a new habit, but it does not last past two weeks. BJ Fogg (2019), head of the Stanford University Persuasive Tech Lab, suggests starting small to find consistency and simplify what you are trying to achieve Being overly ambitious with your habit goals can quickly lead to failure. Fogg (2019) suggests starting the habit of your choice and doing the bare minimum. If you want to go to the gym 4-5 times a week, you should start by going once a week Once you consistently go once a week for 3-4 weeks, try adding a second day at the gym into your routine, and so on

One way to help you start a new habit is to make a plan, or simply write the habit down in your calendar or planner. If you have a plan, you are more likely to follow through and complete a task For example, if you are trying to eat healthier or cook more at home, then planning your meals out for the entire week will set you up for success If you do not have a plan, you are more likely to divert from the plan because nothing is keeping you on that path Even if you are eating in the dining halls, you can look and see what is on the menu for the week on Sunday and plan where you will go and what you can eat.

Lastly, do not feel like the habit you are wanting to take on is all or nothing! If you stray from your plan, it is okay. Recognize your shortcomings and try establishing the habit again One way to prevent straying from habits is by rewarding yourself. For example, if you are trying to go on more walks or spend more time outside, but you want to read a book, try downloading the audiobook version and listening to it while you are outside. If you are trying to eat healthier and you accomplish one week, you can reward yourself with your favorite midnight snack or purchasing an item you enjoy like a new book or clothing item. This reward method can help keep motivation high. Monitoring our cues and changing our responses can lead to healthier habits. Instead of checking your phone, try going on a walk around your building to check on your front desks or talk to residents

Just like personal habits, professional habits can also be a challenge to break or start because of the random meetings that get scheduled on your calendar each week. We can still apply what we learn from James Clear and BJ Fogg when it comes to professional habits Start small and be consistent Maybe you want to find more of a balance between work and personal life.

For example, you could choose to break the habit of checking your emails after work hours

We have all been there, where you can’t help opening the emails as you are notified. Try logging out of your email or turning notifications off after your workday. This is extremely important during your time off, especially when you are trying to enjoy vacation!

Another great habit that everyone can strive for in the workplace is staying organized. Again, with the starting-small mindset, you can utilize your work calendar Both Outlook and Google have a calendar that can serve as a useful tool if used correctly Scheduling meetings, along with time in between as needed, can help keep you organized and on track throughout your day and week. This can also be beneficial when there are tasks that need to be completed by a deadline Another small step that you can take to being more organized is showing up early to scheduled meetings. You can block off 15 minutes before each meeting to allow time to get there and get settled before the meeting begins. Whether you are leading the meeting or not, being early will give you plenty of time to be prepared to be as present as possible