SMALL CHANGES BIG RESULTS

Who needs an overhaul? You can get healthier, happier, more fit, better rested ... one step at a time.

- BY Charlotte Hilton Andersen

YOU DON'T HAVE to quit sugar, go vegan or run a marathon to see real change in your health and well-being. Instead, science supports a “go small” approach. Little actions, done consistently, are what create lasting change, says Wendy Wood, PhD, psychologist and author of Good Habits, Bad Habits.

The secret? It's not willpower. It's not even goals. “The best way to turn a small change into a powerful habit is not to focus on your motivation, the reasons why you want to do it or your long-term goals,” she says.

Wait, what? Isn't motivation the whole point of New Year's resolutions? Aren't goals supposed to fuel us?

“That is what everyone thinks, but research has shown that making small alterations to the environment, the context in which you perform the behavior, is far more powerful. Goals aren’t bad; they certainly have a purpose, but ‘motivation’ only lasts for so long,” she says. “Habits need to be two things to stick: easy and enjoyable.”

For example, do you think your goal of getting back into the same size jeans you wore in high school will inspire you to hit the gym every day? Nope. What will? “Choosing a gym that’s close to your house, ideally less than 5 miles, was the strongest predictor of gym attendance in our research,” Wood says. “Even better if you are doing an activity you really enjoy or meeting a good friend there.”

The best part: Once these tiny tweaks take root, they compound—better sleep, stronger muscles, calmer moods and a sharper mind. To help you make this shift, we’ve rounded up the simplest, most science-backed microhabits that can transform your physical, emotional and mental health—no guilt, no overwhelm and no kale required (unless you happen to like kale!).

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