Habits When You Have No Time
because we are all busy and just trying to live our best lives
The thing with trying to add new habits to your already well-established routine is that the best intentions fade quickly when reality sets in that there is just not enough time in the day to do all the things! But I got you! You can live a big, full life AND build new sustainable habits without having to find more time in your day. Here are two cheat-codes for new habits when you don’t have time for one more thing.
Try a 2-for-1
Habit pairing, which I like to call a 2-for-1, is all about pairing a new habit with something you’re already doing and doing them both at the same time. It’s so simple that it’s easy to say yes to and here’s how it works. Take a non-negotiable habit that you already have built into your day — brushing your teeth, drinking coffee, commuting to work — and pair it with a new habit you want to try - meditation, breathwork, reading a new book, learning a new language, fill in the blank. The work is finding the perfect pairing and then remembering to pair each day and you are off the races with no excuses (or at least without the excuse that you don’t have time).
By the end of your 21 Day Project, your new habit happens automatically while you’re doing something you already have to do and no extra time was required! The math is math-ing with this one and even the most tightly scheduled among us wins at the new habits game!
Consider the 2-Minute Rule
The Two-Minute Rule, which James Clear coined in Atomic Habits, is another game-changer. The rule states that any new habit should take two minutes to complete. If you can do more, great! But if not, two minutes is enough to get the job done. This rule is perfect if you are in a place where nothing can budge in your schedule, because I bet even then you can find 2 minutes every day for 21 days!
Why It Works
When you are starting a new habit, the most important thing is repetition, not duration.
You are becoming the person that does the thing, that’s it! And when you are in the infancy stage with a new habit, you are just training your brain that you are that person. All it takes is the act of showing up for the thing, for any length of time (but at least two minutes). Habit pairing and the two-minute rule allow you to do just that!
It’s important to understand that sustainable habit-building isn’t about doing more and taking more time or taking away from something else in your life (necessarily). It’s about making small tweaks, taking daily action and building the trust muscle in yourself that you follow through on the commitments you make to yourself.
Habits in Action
Part of the 21 Day Project framework is eliminating excuses, and these tools are specifically targeted to the excuse of: I’m too busy. Here is how some of my friends and clients are using them if you need some inspo:
A mom of two kiddos under the age of 4 feels like there is no time in her day for anything for herself, but is craving clarity and wants to commit to a daily meditation practice to help her feel more clear. She is using the 2-for-1 option to pair breathwork with her morning commute. Over time, and with accountability, she is becoming the person that gets a daily dose of meditation without having to find extra time to do it.
A high achiever and time management master has an inkling that journaling would be a powerful daily habit to keep her centered, but she doesn’t want to shake up her schedule if it ultimately doesn’t take. She is using the two-minute rule to try journalling on for size for 21 days: 2 minutes of journaling a day. If she feels like more she will, but in the meantime she is becoming the person that pulls out a pen and paper every day to journal for 2 minutes.
These strategies work for when you are initially making a commitment to a new habit, BUT ALSO work when you are in the middle of your 21 Day Project and you’ve chosen a habit that requires a bigger time commitment. I am in 21 Days of Kettlebells and am in drift week (week 2) when your enthusiasm for the THING starts to drift from when the habit sounded like a good idea. These tools come in so handy so I can keep showing up for myself and I used the 2-minute rule to bridge the gap from today to tomorrow so I can keep my 21 Day streak alive! Normally, my workouts are 20 minutes, but one day this week I gave myself permission to just do a two minute version of the workout. I put on my workout clothes, made it to my kettlebells, and did 2 minutes of the programmed workout. My brain benefited more than anything else, it really didn’t know any different than that I was the person showing up that day to do the thing. The next day I was back at the full-length version and I keep going in my 21 Day Project.
The 21 Day Project
What if I told you that 21 Days could change everything?
The 21 Day Project is more than just a habit-building program—it’s the solution you’ve been looking for to get you from where you are to where you want to be. It stacks everything in your favor for early wins and long-term success, ensuring that you start strong and finish stronger.
Imagine having a routine that enhances your overall well-being, grows your self-confidence and moves you in the direction of best YOU. That’s what The 21 Day Project is all about, and it’s easier than you think.
The framework is designed to get you started with clarity, move you through it with confidence, and finish feeling absolutely stoked for what’s possible for yourself beyond the 21 days.
The 21 Day Project works WITH your brain to overcome resistance and establish new routines that move you in the direction of your best self! Think faster results and higher success rate (without having to find massive pockets of time in your schedule).
In just three weeks, you’ll design and implement a habit that fits your life, overcome resistance with ease, and become the person who (finally) DOES the thing.
Learn more at www.the21dayproject.com and decide to live your BEST LIFE, 21 days at a time 💫!
Happy 21 Day-ing!
The habit queen,
Steph