New routines, better results, different you

Integrating new habits into your routine is challenging.

 

After gaining new coaching insights and techniques, breaking old habits and establishing new ones requires effort. 

 

However, with the right strategies, this transition will be smooth and rewarding – and more likely to stick. 

 

I want to offer four practical tips to help you seamlessly integrate new habits into your coaching practice: creating a plan, pairing new habits with something you enjoy, starting with manageable steps and tracking your progress. 

 

By following these tips, you will find building better habits easier and more enjoyable.

 

Put it in plain sight

A common mistake when trying to adopt new habits is relying solely on motivation.

 

While motivation gets you started, it is not enough to sustain lasting change. To make a habit stick, you need to develop a clear, actionable plan.

 

Start by identifying where you can integrate new habits into your existing routine. 

 

Use your current activities to serve as cues for the new habits you want to establish. 

 

Write down all the tasks or actions that happen in your day, as specifically as possible. For example:

• Get out of bed
• Get dressed
• Eat breakfast
• Pack coaching equipment
• Receive text
• Set out equipment

Once you have a detailed list, insert your new habit into this sequence. The cue should be specific and the new habit should be immediately actionable. For example:

• After I get home from coaching, I will think about the session for two minutes.
• After I think about the session, I will make notes.
• After making notes, I will clean my boots.

Stacking habits in this way provides a clear roadmap for what to do next. 

 

This technique is also effective in non-routine situations, such as at coaching CPD events. For example, the cue could be: "At such events, I will introduce myself to another coach I do not know."

 

In addition, organising your environment is crucial. 

 

Since sight is our most powerful sense, placing visual cues for your new habits increases the likelihood of action. 

 

For instance, if you want to get better at reflecting, keep a notepad or your laptop where you can easily see it after practice. If you want to improve your demonstrations, keep the ball next to your boots. 

 

Making new habits visible makes it easier to integrate them into your routine.

 

Dress it up

You are much more likely to stick with a new habit if you pair it with something else you enjoy.

 

This technique, known as ’temptation bundling’, makes the new habit more attractive and rewarding. 

 

Combining an enjoyable activity with your new habit motivates you to follow through. For example, you might listen to your favourite music while practising your new habit.

 

However, this is not always practical. In those situations, layer what you enjoy into the habits you have already stacked. 

 

For instance, think: "After I get back from coaching [current habit], I will reflect on the session for two minutes [new habit], then I will listen to my favourite music [something I enjoy]."

 

By adding a pleasurable activity after your new habit, you create an incentive to complete the less exciting task. 

 

This makes you look forward to the new habit because it is followed by something enjoyable.

 

Piece of cake

The key to building a lasting habit is practice. It is much easier to practise something if it feels simple and manageable.

 

To get started, make your new habit as easy as possible. When you first begin, aim for a version of the habit that takes no more than two minutes.

 

Nearly everything can be scaled down to a two-minute version:

• Reflecting on your coaching becomes thinking about your session for two minutes
• Improving your demonstrations becomes putting on your boots

Breaking the habit down into smaller steps removes the sense of overwhelming pressure. 

 

The first two minutes are easy and serve as a gateway to the more challenging aspects of the habit. 

 

Once the two-minute version is established, gradually expand it. For example, once you are comfortable with basic turns, add new turns to your repertoire.

 

Scaling your habit in this way ensures it is sustainable and does not feel like a chore. 

 

Once the initial phase is embedded in your routine, build it up over time. How long each phase takes is up to you, but you will eventually have the habit you wanted.

 

Having your cake and eating it

The first three tips make it more likely you will do your new habit this time.

 

Making your new habit satisfying will make it more likely you will repeat it, because we are naturally inclined to repeat actions that feel rewarding.

 

However, early on, results may not be immediately visible. To maintain motivation, make your progress visual.

 

Ways to track your progress include:

• Keep a log or journal
• Use a tally chart
• Place a coin or paperclip in a jar
• Move a magnet on the fridge

These visual cues remind you to keep going and celebrate small wins. 

 

By recording your success immediately after completing your habit, you create immediate reinforcement, which is a powerful motivator.

 

Tracking your progress is especially important when trying to break an old habit. 

 

For instance, if you are working to reduce unnecessary interventions during coaching, a tally acts as a visual reminder of your progress. 

 

Even though resisting the urge to intervene might not feel rewarding at first, seeing the tally grow gives you something tangible to acknowledge your effort.

 

Adopting new habits is a continuous process as you learn more about coaching. 

 

With a clear plan, the right pairing of activities, manageable steps, and regular progress tracking, you set the stage for lasting change. 

 

These habits will compound over time, significantly enhancing your coaching. 

 

The secret to success is consistent progress – small steps lead to big results. Keep building, and you will soon see the positive impact in your coaching performance.