How I Stick to Habits

Consistency and sticking to habits is something I’ve become quite good at and it really comes down to the systems I’ve built. In 2025, I made a resolution and was able to stick to it 365/365 days! But this blogpost is not here to shame you. Ultimately Willpower is also a life skill- and like any other skill- be it cooking or coding- it can be learnt and refined. In this blog, I want to share bits from the framework I use to stay consistent.

1. The 365 Day Trap

I don’t commit to a full 365-day resolution in the traditional sense. I commit in smaller numbers: one week, three weeks, or ten days. Even if I have a big, year-long theme- like "Self-Care"- I keep it manageable by changing the mini-goals underneath that umbrella every month. This keeps the momentum fresh and allows me to get those frequent kicks of satisfaction from finishing a sprint (flashback to my corporate days!) rather than waiting until the end of the year for a sense of achievement that may never arrive.

When a commitment is 365 days in one go, it can sometimes lead to paralysis or fear. The goal can feel so heavy that if you miss a single day, shame might kick in and make it tempting to give up on the whole year. But realistically, you and your life change a lot from month to month, so goals and intentions might also evolve.

2. Making the System Visible

I am heavily visual-spatial person and thinker. For years, as far back as college and school, I would put up notes & reminders in plain sight, like at my desk or even right next to my bed. I do use phone apps for tracking habits sometimes but they have their downsides too- mainly that the phone is full of other notifications & distractions and can pull you away from your intention. (Tip: Use widgets on your home screen and lock screen). Even with journals and notebooks, things tend to go out of sight, out of mind once you close them. To make things easy, I make sure my tracker is very visible and right in front of my eyes. Whether it’s digital or physical, the key is that it stays front and centre.

3. Start On A Wednesday

I don’t wait for a Monday, a Sunday or the 1st of the month to begin a new habit. I prefer to start from wherever I am. If I decide to do something on a Wednesday, that becomes Day One. It’s just a way to build momentum immediately rather than waiting for the calendar to align.

4. The IKEA Effect

There is a common trap where we buy stationery or tools thinking the purchase itself will solve our problems. But when something just lands in your hand, you haven’t actually put any effort into the process yet.

The IKEA Effect says that we value things more when we have a hand in creating them.

This is why bullet journals and creating their own weekly/monthly spreads works so well for people. When you write down the dates yourself, add colors or use stickers, there is a "creative transfer." You’ve put your own work into the setup. Now, what you see every day isn’t just a store-bought diary; it’s something you created and it’s natural to want to respect the effort you’ve already put in.

5. Build in Joy

I try to find ways to be happy and joyful as I’m doing the work, not just when I have achieved the goal. Even if an activity like the gym or meditation isn’t feeling inspiring that day, the process around it can still be enjoyable for you. I use colors I love, wear a specific outfit that makes me feel good or use my favorite pens. If the process feels like a dull task, it’s much harder to get started. Adding small moments of joy makes the system sustainable.

6. Built-in Breathers

Remember to set realistic expectations. I might set a goal to do something 5 out of 7 days rather than aiming for a perfect streak. If I skip a day, I can still see that I’m on track to hit my goal for the week. This keeps me from getting lost in an "all or nothing" mindset where one missed day feels like total failure. Plan for your low-energy days, your rest days and break days too because they WILL happen.

Bottom line: Focus on Systems, Not Goals

Instead of focusing on a distant outcome, I focus on setting up the process to do it. By focusing on systems and making it easy to get somewhere, consistency feels much more natural. This makes the work feel less like a chore and more like a choice. You get to enjoy the progress as you go along, rather than waiting for a single moment of redemption at the end of the year.

So, in 2026, ask yourself: How do I make it ridiculously easy for myself to be consistent?

Summary of the 6 Points:

1. The 365-Day Trap: I don't commit to a full year; I work in "sprints" of 7, 10 or 21 days. It keeps up the momentum.

2. Making the System Visible: "Out of sight, out of mind" is real. Keep your tracker front and center, not hidden in a phone app or a closed book.

3. Start on a Wednesday: Don’t wait for Monday. If you decide to change today, today is Day One.

4. The IKEA Effect: When you put effort into setting up your own spread/dates, you’re more likely to respect and stick to it.

5. Build in Joy: Use the colors and pens you love. If the process is dull, you won't do it.

6. Built-in Breathers: Aim for 5/7 days. Plan for low-energy days so one "miss" doesn't feel like total failure.

Because I couldn't find a tool that did all 6 of these things, I eventually designed my own undated tracker cards to cover these 6 points:

• Undated: So you can start where you are (Point 3) and avoid the "big commitment" trap (Point 1).

• The Creative Transfer: By filling in the dates and reviews yourself each month, you put your own effort into the setup (Point 4).

• Zero Guilt: If you skip a month, you can start again without any wastage or the shame of empty pages (Point 6).

• Visible Cards: Unlike a closed book or apps on your phone, these stay front-and-centre on your desk/fridge/etc (Point 2).

• Daily Joy: I kept the colours minimal and pastel so they are a joy to use every day (Point 5).
  

To get your own trackers, check out my store.

P.S. If you want to figure out a personalised system that works for you, feel free to reach out for a 1:1 session. We can look at your specific needs and find the tools that help you stay on track.