Starting Small

A good idea to start the new year with is the minimal habit, starting a habit incredibly small so you can make it habitual. Take the seven minute workout. Though it’s fairly minimal to start, it could still be intimidating. The seven minute workout is typically made up of 12 different exercises, done for 30 seconds each. So the minimal habit to start with could be to use a seven minute workout app (I like Seven), and just do the first exercise, which takes just thirty seconds. You might do more, but anything beyond the first exercise is extra. You win if you do the first exercise.

The idea is that starting incredibly, ridiculously small gets the habit planted solidly in your daily routine. From there, you can build up over time, and probably will. Making it ridiculously small lowers the barrier. Then once you start, you get a quick win, and either stop or continue. Either way, you feel good about your effort.