How often have you said, “This time, I’m really going to stick to it,” only to find yourself back where you started a few weeks later? No matter what we're up to, building habits can feel like an endless cycle of starts and stops. But why is it so hard to keep at it, even when we know how beneficial a habit can be?

Building (and sticking to) habits isn't just about willpower – it requires consistency, patience, and a little bit of gumption. But, if you're a knowledge worker juggling multiple responsibilities, this can feel particularly daunting. But, don’t worry – this guide will show you how to build habits that last, without the risk of burnout or frustration.

Want to jump to the good stuff? How to form habits in 9 steps:

1. Understand the habit loop
2. Start small
3. Make it attractive
4. Make it consistent
5. Create an environment that supports your habit
6. Track your progress
7. Be kind to yourself about setbacks
8. Focus on your identity
9. Be patient

Why it’s so hard to stick to habits

So, why does it seem like habits always slip through our fingers? Well, it all starts in the brain. Our habits form through a loop: cue, routine, reward. It’s this loop that keeps us coming back to a habit.

But here's the thing: the brain doesn’t care if the habit is good or bad; it just loves the reward. That’s why reaching for your phone the second you’re bored or grabbing a snack when you’re stressed happens without conscious effort. It feels good, so your brain locks it in.

Popular advice often makes it sound like sheer determination is all you need to build better habits. But that’s a myth. If you’re constantly relying on willpower alone to resist temptation or power through tough routines, you’ll eventually hit a wall.

And then there’s the emotional side of habit formation. Have you ever noticed how some habits feel effortless to stick to while others seem impossible? That’s because emotions are the glue that holds them together. When you associate a habit with positive emotions, it’s much more likely to become second nature.

Let's take scrolling through social media before bed as an example. Those (seemingly endless) little dopamine hits – the satisfying swipe, the bright colors, the sense of connection (even if fleeting). That emotional payoff turns it into a go-to habit, even if you know it’s cutting into your sleep.

Now, contrast that with flossing your teeth. Sure, you know it’s good for you, but where’s the instant gratification? Without an emotional hook or immediate reward, it feels like just another task on an already long to-do list.

How to build a habit in 9 steps

Building a habit might feel overwhelming with everything else on your plate, but it doesn’t have to be. By taking small, manageable steps, you can create habits that stick without the stress. Whether you’re looking to boost productivity, improve your health, or find more balance, these steps will help you get there – one day at a time.

1. Understand the habit loop

The first step in the habit formation process is understanding how habits work in the first place. And to do that, you must understand the habit loop. It's the brain's way of streamlining our actions and making them automatic. This loop is made up of three dimensions: Cue, Routine, and Reward – a concept explained in The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

The habit loop is a little cycle that repeats itself every time you do something automatically. It drives everything from brushing your teeth in the morning to reaching for your phone when you hear a notification.

• Cue: The trigger that sets the whole process in motion. It can be something external, like a time of day, an emotional state, or even something in your environment.
• Routine: Once the cue happens, it prompts you to perform a behavior or action – the habit itself.
• Reward: After completing the routine, your brain receives a positive feedback loop – this is the reward. It can be an emotional boost, a sense of accomplishment, or just the enjoyment of the action itself (like that caffeine buzz from your morning coffee or the drag of a cigarette). The reward is what encourages the brain to repeat the habit again and again.

2. Start small – make it easy

We get it: building a bunch of new habits might seem impossible at first –especially when you consider all the steps and effort needed to make them last. So make them easy with tiny habits.

Begin with a habit so small that it feels nearly impossible to fail. For example, if you're looking to start exercising, don’t jump into a 2-hour daily workout right away. Instead, make it easy, make it effortless – something like 2 minutes of exercise each day. Yes, just 2 minutes. It’s a tiny commitment, but that’s the idea – it’s so manageable that you can’t fail. (This is also known as the 2-Minute Rule).

The beauty of the 2 Minute Rule is that it makes it super easy to start forming new habits. You don’t need a lot of motivation or willpower to begin because the habit is so small that it can easily fit into your day. Over time, this habit becomes second nature, and those small victories add up.

3. Make it attractive

When you're working to build a new habit, motivation can be hard to come by. But making your habit attractive - or, better yet, fun - can change that. The more you associate a habit with something you enjoy, the easier it will be to make it a regular part of your routine. 

One of the best ways to make a new habit stick is to link it to an existing habit you already love. Habit bundling, in other words. For example, when it comes to an exercise habit, you might pair your workouts with a favorite podcast. You’re connecting the new habit (exercise) with something pleasurable (the podcast). So you’ll be more excited to get moving because you’re rewarding yourself with something you look forward to.

It is these kinds of instant rewards that make completing the habit feel good (bad habits come with their own instant rewards, they also feel good – otherwise, we wouldn't do them). Instant gratification helps solidify the habit loop and makes you want to do it again and again.

4. Make it consistent – don’t break the chain

Consistency is the biggest thing that matters when it comes to building new habits. You're not trying to do something once in a while; you're trying to show up every day – even if it’s just for a few minutes. As they say, “small steps lead to big results.”

Mark off each day that you successfully complete your habit on something like a calendar or habit tracker app. As the days pile up, you’ll have a visible streak – the longer the streak, the harder it should be to break.

James Clear in Atomic Habits places a lot of emphasis on this exact point. Especially when it comes to missing days. Don’t allow yourself to skip a day – even if you’re exhausted or distracted. Missing one day is more damaging than one successful day is beneficial. The reason? The brain is quick to form new patterns, and breaking the chain can make it harder to get back on track. One missed day can snowball into increasingly frequent negative behavior patterns.

5. Create an environment that supports your habit

The environment plays a bigger role in determining our behavior than we often realize (or perhaps care to admit). You can have all the motivation in the world, but if your surroundings don't match up with your goals, your efforts may fall short.

What does your environment say about the current state of your habits? Is it helping you, or is it pulling you in the opposite direction? If your space is cluttered, disorganized, or filled with distractions, it can be a lot harder to build healthy habits (not to mention negatively affect your mental health). Luckily, it's rather easy to redesign your environment to make your habits easier to stick with.

For example, if you want to start exercising in the morning, place your workout clothes right by your bed, so they’re the first thing you see when you wake up. It’s a small change, but it makes it way harder to forget or skip more complex behaviors. If your goal is to eat healthier, make sure healthy snacks are front and center – on the counter, in a visible drawer, or within easy reach.

6. Track your progress

Habits take a while to form – no way around it. And, here's the thing: you might not immediately see that much progress while you try to form them; at least, not for a while. This is why people quit so often – it takes so long that it feels like you're not making any real progress, even though you are. You have to track your progress to see your small steps now pointing you in a radically different trajectory later.

Tracking your success doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. It could be as simple as checking off a box on a calendar every day you complete your habit. Or, if you’re more tech-savvy, you can use a habit-tracking app like Reclaim.ai or Streaks to log your wins.

The more regularly you check in on your progress, the more you'll feel that sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue. And the more you track, the more progress you’ll see. The more progress you see, the more motivated you’ll be to continue. Over time, this loop becomes ingrained in your routine, making the habit feel more natural and automatic.

7. Be kind to yourself about setbacks

It’s easy to get frustrated with yourself if things don’t go perfectly with habit-building. Maybe you missed a day of your new workout routine or didn’t track your meals as you planned. The thing is, setbacks are part of the process. No one’s perfect, and you’re bound to slip up now and then. The trick is not to let those moments derail all the progress you’ve made.

If you miss a day (or even a few days), don’t beat yourself up about it. The most important thing is getting back on track as soon as possible. James Clear in Atomic Habits, says it best: “You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to be consistent.” That missed day doesn’t erase all your hard work – it’s simply a part of the ebb and flow of habit-building.

Get back to your routine the next day and move forward without guilt. It’s how you handle these small bumps that will ultimately determine whether or not you succeed in the long run.

8. Focus on your identity, not just your goals

When we set out to build a new habit, we'll likely be highly focused on the goal itself. But instead of thinking about habits as something you’re “trying to achieve,” think about them as part of who you are.

This is another concept from James Clear’s Atomic Habits, and it’s all about explicitly aligning your new habits with your identity. Don't just say “I want to exercise more,” say, “I am a gym rat (or runner, yogi, fitness freak, whatever you like).” As a result, the way you approach the habit will shift too. It’s no longer a task or something you have to check off a list. It’s who you are now.

For example, if you identify as a runner, you’re far more likely to lace up your shoes every morning without hesitation. If you see yourself as someone who meditates daily, you’ll make time for it without needing external motivation. When habits become part of your identity, they stop feeling like chores and start feeling like actions that naturally flow from the person you want to be.

9. Be patient – you're in it for the long haul

We live in a world swirling with instant gratification at virtually every turn. From fast food to quick online shopping, we expect results now. So, when it comes to building habits, it’s easy to get frustrated when things don’t happen overnight. But behavior change takes time, and cultivating a lasting habit is no different.

In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg emphasizes that habits don’t form in a day – or even a week. True transformation is a process, and genuine success requires sticking with it for the long haul. Doesn't matter if we're talking fitness, productivity, or any other habit – you need to approach it with patience. After all, you’re not just aiming for a quick win; you’re creating something that will last.

The greatest takeaway from books like The Power of Habit and Atomic Habits is that small, consistent actions compound over time. Shooting for these small, consistent changes is a much better strategy for personal transformation than trying to revamp your life with huge, monumental gestures.

If you miss a day or don’t see immediate results, don’t be hard on yourself. Allow yourself grace. Just keep moving forward – always forward. It’s the cumulative effect of all your small actions that will lead to change.

Stay consistent & build transformational habits 🌟

Building habits isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. Start small, stay consistent, and be patient with yourself. You don’t have to transform your daily life overnight. Just one small habit at a time, and you’ll be amazed at the lasting change you can create.

So, what’s your first habit going to be? Need a little inspiration? Take a look at our Habit Templates here.