Habit Rehab

To Make a New Habit Stick, You Need to Reward Yourself

This is part of a five-day habit rehab to help you start the year off right

Illustrations: Kieran Blakey

Day 4:

It is very, very difficult to turn a new behavior into a habit if you dread that new behavior. A classic example is running: If you hate running and feel uncomfortable or miserable whenever you do it, you will struggle to make running a regular part of your exercise routine.

“People make these New Year’s resolutions — like going to the gym five days a week — but if you don’t enjoy the thing you’re trying to do, you probably won’t have enough motivation to stick with it,” says Benjamin Gardner, a habit researcher and senior lecturer in psychology at King’s College London.