Sharing your goal with friends to stay accountable or making a more public commitment, on social media for example, can be helpful tools for some people, Bermdez said.

Reframing the benefits of a goal can also be a powerful tool. If your goal is exercise-focused but the physical and psychological benefits arent motivation on their own, reframing time spent exercising as, Oh, this is a chance for me to catch up with my podcasts or with the music that I love, or its a chance for me to go outside, can be helpful, Bermdez said. Conversely, to break a habit, focus on the negatives of the tempting action, he said, because it will start to look increasingly less appealing.

Bermdez said its important to monitor if the strategy youve chosen is working and, if not, to be open to trying others. You may even need to reevaluate the goal itself.

Read the rest here:
Tips from neuroscience to form healthy habits and break unhealthy ones - The Washington Post