4 Steps to Make Constant Therapy Exercises a New Habit

To make something a habit, you’ve got to work at it initially – but once you form a good habit, it’s easy to keep on repeating and benefiting from that habit everyday. Below, we describe how to make Constant Therapy exercises a part of your daily routine – and how to use it to drive you or your loved one’s recovery or improvement.

4 Steps to a New Habit

1. Decide on the WHY
   To be successful in forming a habit, you need to make sure that you understand the reason that you’re working so hard. That’s why setting goals is a must. Keep in mind the long-term. Is your goal to be able to place your order at Starbucks independently? Great! Each time you sit down to make Constant Therapy a habit, think about how this is moving you towards that goal. Write down your goals and keep them handy. By reminding yourself of the long-view, you’ll be instilling greater motivation and rationale for why you’re creating this new habit.
2. Chose the RIGHT FREQUENCY
   Everyone is different. That means that for some, doing 20 minutes of Constant Therapy at a time but doing it more frequently may be best, while for others doing and hour or two of Constant Therapy at a time, but only once a day, may be better.  It really depends on your stamina. You want to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your therapy – it should be challenging but not impossible. And, you do need to make sure to prioritize your habit. That means that you may have to give up that extra episode of Netflix in the evening to carve out time for your exercises.
3. Same place and time – make it a FAMILIAR ROUTINE
   Do your Constant Therapy exercises in the same place and ideally the same time everyday – preferably a spot away from distractions, and where you are comfortable and focused. Maybe enjoy a cup of tea while you do a session. Make it a pleasant experience and provide some structure so that this habit will quickly become a part of your day that you look forward to. Maybe that means you sit in the comfy porch chair while you do your sessions. Or maybe you need to be at the kitchen table so you feel awake and alert.
4. Celebrate your PROGRESS, not perfection
   You’re not going to form a habit overnight, but you will after a few weeks. In the meantime, the best laid intentions do not come to fruition if you are constantly beating yourself up for not reaching perfection.  Just because you missed one of your planned Constant Therapy sessions does not mean that you should throw in the towel and give up.  That session is still waiting for you, and you can get to it tomorrow! At first it may feel like “walking uphill in sand” – sliding half a step backwards for every two steps you take up. But know that you WILL get there! We’ve seen it happen over and over! Strive for progress, not perfection. And CELEBRATE that progress! Be proud!

Forming a new habit is hard, and just by starting this journey you are making major strides forward.