The 21/90 Rule For Habits Formation
Building good habits takes time, be it sticking to a schedule, having good study habits or going to bed at a certain time. The 21/90 rule explains how you can try to build such good habits.
After choosing a habit you would like to build, start practising this every day for the same amount of time for 3 weeks (21 days). After which, this practice should have become a habit.
Stick to one goal. Avoid multitasking as much as possible, as it may demotivate you from building the habit you want to focus on.
After you have built the habit for 21 days, continue practising this habit for another 90 days. By then, this practice would have become a permanent lifestyle change.
Here are some additional tips on how to stick to this practice:
Create a detailed plan on how you would like to achieve this goal. If your goal sounds something like ‘study for 2 hours every day’, you may consider making a schedule or bullet journal to track your progress.
Make the habit fun to repeat. Create positive associations to the habit. For example, if music helps you to study better and lifts your mood, you may want to study with your favourite tunes; or decorate the notebook in which your notes are in.
Be realistic. Make sure your goal can be achieved without taking a huge toll on yourself and your mental health.
Find the right kind of social support. Having a support system can help encourage accountability, and it never hurts to build a habit alongside friends who may be doing the same.
Building good habits can train your self-discipline as well as improve your lifestyle greatly. While it may be hard at first, sticking to the 21/90 rule will help make this practice permanent. This can be applied to many areas of your life, not just for studying.
Resources:
https://capespace.com/how-the-21-90-rule-helps-you-build-good-habits-and-a-better-life/
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/29/health/5-steps-habit-builder-wellness/index.html