Create Good Habits and Avoid Procrastination

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Living a disciplined life opens the door to enjoying life more fully. To achieve this, we need to focus on productive activities that foster growth and success while cutting back on distractions and unproductive habits. This process begins with taking an honest inventory of our daily routines—identifying what positive habits we need to add and what negative habits need to be eliminated. Change doesn’t happen overnight, so we must exercise patience while diligently working to create and reinforce new, healthy habits. Over time, this intentional effort leads to a more prosperous, balanced, and fulfilling life.

Creating a habit can take 18 to 254 days, depending on the complexity of the habit and individual differences. 66 days is the average time for a behavior to become automatic, according to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology. The idea that it takes 21 days to form a habit originated from Dr. Maxwell Maltz's book, Psycho-Cybernetics (1960), which has been disproven.

Our Bible guides us to be disciplined and create Godly habits. For Christians, habit formation can be seen as a process of discipline and growth, relying on God's strength to stay consistent. The Bible encourages perseverance in building good habits:

• “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)

• “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

How to Build a Habit More Effectively

1. Start Small: Begin with a manageable version of the habit. For example, if you want to start exercising, aim for 10 minutes a day instead of an hour.

2. Tie it to an Existing Routine: Use a habit trigger, like brushing your teeth before bed or making coffee in the morning, as a reminder for your new habit.

3. Track Your Progress: Use a habit tracker or journal to celebrate small wins and measure consistency.

4. Stay Patient: Accept that forming a habit is a process that takes time, but consistency will eventually make the habit automatic.

Living a disciplined life creates the structure, peace, and freedom needed to enjoy life fully. By managing time, responsibilities, and resources wisely, we reduce stress, avoid regret, and make room for meaningful rest, relationships, and activities. Discipline ultimately allows us to live with joy and balance, experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised.

• “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10, NIV).

• “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.” (Psalm 37:5, ESV).

Discipline is not about restricting our lives—it’s about stewarding our time, talents, and resources in a way that brings glory to God and joy to our lives. As we grow in discipline, we’ll find that we have more time, energy, and freedom to truly enjoy the blessings God has given us. As we persevere, remember that small, consistent steps are key: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10, NLT).

Let’s make a list of five areas we need to improve like drinking more water, and set a plan to practice these until they become habits.