I few weeks ago, I wrote that in 2021, I wanted to make more time for myself. I’d noticed that my body seemed to be craving more movement and my mind was longing for more quiet time to read, write, and work through ideas. But part of being kind to myself means not setting near-impossible resolutions and then beating myself up when I don’t adhere to them. Doing that can really mess with one’s self-image. It’s important for me to set goals that I can actually meet.

Some in the life-coaching world suggest finding a “minimum baseline.” The idea is to establish a new habit by starting with very small steps you know you can take. For instance, if you want get in shape, you might commit to walking just five minutes per weekday or even just putting on your workout clothes each morning. The goal is so easy that you remove any excuses, and by consistently doing what you said you’d do, you rebuild your confidence in yourself. Once the first small habit is solidly engrained, you step it up a notch. Maybe your five-minute walk becomes a ten-minute walk or a five-minute run. Before you know it, you’ve inched your way to some significant progress.

When aiming to establish new habits, it’s also helpful to be very specific. What time of day will you walk? Where will you do it? Plan these details in advance so you don’t have to make decisions in the moment when you’re tempted to do something other than the thing you committed to do. Again, you want to remove as many obstacles as possible so that you can be consistent.

Last year, I used these principles to establish several healthy habits: I go for a walk at lunchtime during the work week, I do pushups after my kids go to bed, and I meditate for about ten minutes before I go to bed. Building on these habits, I’ve added the following resolutions for 2021:

1. On Saturdays, during my kids’ nap time, I will do a workout video.
2. On Sundays, during my kids’ nap time, I will write.

One workout per week may not get me ready to run marathons, but it’s a goal I know I can meet. I look forward to those weekly workouts, and I genuinely enjoy them. I choose videos that get my heart rate up and make me break a sweat, but that don’t make me feel exhausted. Right now, I’m enjoying the Body Project videos on YouTube. They’re fun, accessible, and they leave me feeling energized rather than depleted, which is crucial for me in this season of life.

Similarly, writing once a week is not going to give me the kind of momentum I once had when I wrote every day, but it’s a start. I feel accomplished and at ease after getting my thoughts down on paper. Sometimes one of my kids wakes up early and I have to stop after 20 or 30 minutes, but that’s okay. Even those shorter writing sessions add up, and I feel better after taking that time for myself.

I’ve been sticking to this schedule of Saturday workouts and Sunday writing sessions for three weeks now, and so far, it’s working well for me. Maybe I’ll become so motivated by how good these new weekly habits make me feel that I’ll find time during the week to do even more. If so, that’s great. If not, these weekend activities are still helping to feel more like myself. I’m caring for my mental and physical health, and I feel good about that. I don’t doubt that I’ll maintain these habits for a long time.

Are there new habits you want to adopt in 2021? How do you plan to make them stick? Tell us in the comments.

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