Our first new thing is to create a new habit. Developing a habit takes some time by its very nature, so this won’t be an easy task to mark off your to do list. But on the upside, it’s easier than breaking a bad habit!

Your first step is to decide what habit you want to develop. Maybe you want to pray every day or exercise more or eat healthier foods or spend less time online or stop hitting the snooze button or keep your home tidier. Only you can decide the change you want to make.

Once you have chosen your new good habit, the next step is to make it easier! What things keep you from doing this good new thing? Once you have identified the obstacles, you can start clearing them out of your way. What would make it easier to build this habit?

Let me give you some examples:

If you want to spend less time online, there are apps that will lock you out of social media accounts for a specific amount of time.

If you want to stop hitting the snooze button, move your alarm clock so you have to get out of bed to shut it off. Once you’ve left the nice warm covers, why hit snooze?

If you want to eat better, stop buying junk food and keep fresh fruits and veggies prepared and accessible.

You can also strengthen a new habit by making it part of your routine. It helps even more to set reminders on your phone. I can give you examples for that as well:

If you want to keep your house tidier, spend 15 minutes before bed putting things where they belong, doing the dishes, emptying the dishwasher.

If you want to exercise more, sign up for a (virtual) class or do it at a specified time of day. Set out your clothes and equipment in advance.

If you want to pray more, decide when you will do it and what you will do. I pray Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer on my way to or from work (I commute by subway) or just after walking my dog (on days I don’t go to the office). Some people read the Bible or a devotional while they have their morning coffee or tea. My grandmother prayed her rosary in the early afternoon, when her grandchildren napped. Some people pray before bed.

Finally, remember that you won’t be perfect. Building a habit takes time (and even after something is a habit, you’ll still have bad days – it’s life). So, when you forget or miss a day, just pick up where you left off and keep going. The goal is progress, not perfection.