The new year is traditionally a time to start fresh, make resolutions, and name your hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Some share this tradition with friends and family and even introduce it to the young people in their lives. Kids and teens are in their prime habit-forming years, and learning how to add new behavior to their routine or work toward a goal is a valuable skill that will serve them throughout life. But as we all know, it’s one thing to name your goals and entirely another to make them happen.

So what helps us make the changes that we’re craving? What makes a new habit stick?

Start Small

According to author and behavioral scientist Dr. B.J. Fogg, change works best if it starts on the micro level. His method, outlined in the book Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything, recommends a fairly simple process.

Here is my synopsis:

1. Name a new habit that you would like to develop.

One study suggests that nearly half of the actions we take each day are habitual. That means our habits determine quite a lot about our daily lives. Perhaps you’d like to start working towards a larger goal, like writing daily, going through your closets, or learning to play guitar. Maybe you just want to stick to that small thing you promised yourself you would, like eating your veggies or doing your homework before dinner. Pick something you’re invested in, and that you believe that you can do.

2. Attach the new habit to something you already do.

For example, you might brush your teeth (old habit), and then floss them (new habit), or wash the dishes (old habit) and then pack your lunch for the next day (new habit). Make sure the old habit is already ingrained, so that it will act as a reminder of the new habit you’re taking on. 

3. Reward yourself in the moment.

Positive reinforcement does encourage new neural pathways to form. But for that positive association to be connected with your new habit, you have to do it immediately. This isn’t the place for delayed gratification. So after you’ve completed the old habit-new habit pairing, do something to encourage yourself! You might give yourself a high-five, say “good job” to the mirror, or use a favorite scented hand cream. As long as it’s enjoyable and good for you, anything goes. By linking the reward with the completion of your new behavior, you’re cementing a good habit into place.

4. Keep it up!

There are various suggestions of how long it takes to form a new habit. What we do know is that repetition is key. Those little things you do each day add up! If you get your homework done before dinner every day, you won’t have as much catching up to do. If you practice the guitar every Saturday after breakfast, you’ll be playing your favorite song before you know it. Adjust as needed to make your habit stick.

If you’d like to explore the ins and outs of the Tiny Habits theory, how to share it with kids, and how it might apply to even larger life goals, check out this in-depth review or borrow the book from the Free Library.

Want to learn more about habit development?

• Check out how to help your students develop positive habits. 
• Sign up for a limited-time newsletter, The Science of Habits, to get curated, science-backed tips from The Greater Good Science Center to help make your New Year's resolution stick in 2024. 
• Find a selection of additional books on Changing Habits in our catalog. 

Free Library Learning Opportunities

Interested in cultivating the many benefits of mindfulness in daily life? Or maybe you’re looking for ways to create community and counter loneliness. Perhaps you’d like to further your education, take up an instrument, or learn a new language. Whatever your learning goal for yourself or your loved ones may be, the Free Library is here for you.

• Learning is a lifelong endeavor. It can even begin in the womb! Find upcoming Read, Baby, Read storytimes for babies and toddlers, or visit the Read, Baby, Read program page to find a list of neighborhood libraries with designated “baby spaces.”
• Visit LEAP — our free, drop-in, after-school program for grades K–12 — available at libraries around the city. Neighborhood libraries are now on a synchronized schedule, with most branches open later on Mondays and Tuesdays. LEAP hours reflect this change, with LEAP in operation Monday and Tuesday from 3–6 p.m., and Wednesday–Friday from 3–5 p.m.
• To tend your body, mind, and spirit, try a yoga class at the library, available for different ability levels.
• Foster your musical leanings and borrow an instrument from the Music Department’s collection!
• Explore our Languages and Learning classes to brush up on a new language, join an English conversation group, request a tutor for extra help with reading and writing in English, or pursue your GED. Try Edible Alphabet classes that combine English language learning with cooking!
• Immerse yourself in Author Events to see great thinkers firsthand or listen to previous events in podcast form for free online.
• Track your reading habits with our Online Winter Reading Challenge, open to all ages! Register online with Beanstack and/or download the free app for iOS and Android devices. Log your books and activities, write reviews, participate in themed challenges, and earn points and badges on Beanstack as you go.

What habits are you looking to nurture in your life in 2024? Let us know how it goes!