When willpower is just not enough, try habit tying.

Consider this; if you tie your habit to a time of day, it will take willpower/motivation out of the equation.

Research has shown for the formation of exercise habits there is great power in the context cue of time. One study examining two conditions: 

1. Participants who exercised whenever they felt like it / when they were motivated to exercise

2. Participants who chose a specific time of day to exercise each day

They found that:

• Those who exercised at the same time every day reported that they did so without thinking or without having to remind themselves to exercise. Exercising at that time of day had become automated for them i.e. it had become a habit.
• Those who worked out at inconsistent times/when they felt like it, had far less exercise adherence over time and found it harder to create a habit.

The same goes for research into medication adherence; it didn't matter when participants took their pills i.e. if it was morning, afternoon or evening. The key was doing it at the same time each day. Those that did this were the ones who were most consistent. 

Ultimately, the conscious/thinking mind can fool us into believing that taking pills or exercising at a different time shouldn't matter if you're sufficiently motivated. However, this isn't true. It's the consistency in time of day that allows these behaviours to become habits. 

Maybe you are struggling to maintain a walking, running or medication habit. Why not try tying your habit to a particular time of day (HINT: pick a time when it's easiest for you to perform the behaviour) and see what impact that could have on your ability to stick with it?

For more healthy habit hints and tips that can help you to make sustainable changes, take a look at the insights on my website and find out more about my upcoming Bite Sized Habits course.

Heather