How to establish (and stick to) good work habits

Hey There,??

Whether it’s how often you check your email or your wind down routine in the evening, one thing is clear.??

Habits shape your life.??

But thinking about good habits isn’t the same as making them happen. Behavior change can be extremely challenging, (as evidenced by the meager 9% of New Year’s Resolutions that actually succeed beyond February.)?

Luckily, there are steps you can take to help you succeed.??

Here are 6 strategies to help you establish (and stick to!) good work habits:?

1. Use the WOOP Method?

This science-based mental strategy starts by writing down your wish. Then you write down the ideal outcome if your wish were to come true. Then you identify the internal obstacles and excuses that may come up, blocking you from fulfilling your wish. And finally, you make a plan for when you slip up, (or are about to.)

2. Do the same thing every day?

Habits are all about repetition. The more you repeat a specific behavior, the more that pattern gets engrained in your neurology and the more likely it will turn into a habit.??

3. Take small steps?

Again, consistency is key. So, instead of trying to make a drastic change right away, break your goal down to steps that are so small, it would be ridiculous not to follow through. Once you show up for the first small step consistently, it’s much easier to take a bigger step down the line.??

4. Use positive reinforcement?

Rewards can help to positively reinforce your desired habits and keep you moving in the direction you want to go.??

5. Remove friction?

A lot of habit development comes down to removing friction (or obstacles, as they say in the WOOP method).??

For example, if you want more time for deep work but have trouble prioritizing your schedule, ask your VA to block off one or two “no-meeting days” in your schedule so you can focus.??

Or maybe you want to start working out regularly, your VA can help you with that, too. One Prialto member travels every couple of weeks and has his VA find gym classes near his hotel, so he doesn’t have any excuses not to work out.???

6. Use your VA as an accountability partner?

Your VA can act as an accountability partner, making habit formation significantly easier by helping you set clear goals and track progress, in work or even your personal life. Prialto members use their VAs this way all the time.??

One member was having trouble in her relationship and used her VA as an accountability partner for her marriage counseling sessions. He asked her daily if she had been practicing the recommendations that her marriage counselor had given her, and she was much more consistent as a result.??

Now?you know how to follow through on good work habits, but which habits are going to make the biggest impact??

Here are 9 essential work habits you need in order to amplify your productivity. ??

I’ll check in with you again next week.?

Warmly,??

Katerina Baratta, Resident Productivity Liaison at Prialto

Quote of the Week:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”?

-Will Durant

Prialto Picks:

What we're reading, listening to, and loving this week:

• The Nir and Far Blog: Stop Confusing Habits for Routines: What You Need to Know ?
• Harvard Business Review Video: What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means ?
• Wall Street Journal Article: Yes, You Can Train Yourself to Be a Positive Person ?

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What Our Members Are Saying

"Prialto is by far the best assistant services I have had yet. Not only is there a dedicated assistant, they have a team supporting them, I get daily updates on what was accomplished, and if they don't know how to do something, they are quick to learn how. Thank you, Prialto!”?

-Alexander McCobin, Prialto member

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