Why is it so hard to change lifestyles, even when we know what is good for us?
Gym class is about to start, it’s raining and you’re tired. And the dog should be walked outside too.
When you find yourself again encountering obstacles in the way of a new sport you started with good intentions, it may be better to try another way.
“In terms of life change, it’s important to try to find ways to do things that suit you personally” Matti Heino says.
Heino works at the University of Helsinki as a researcher of health behavior and motivational processes in the field of social psychology.
According to Heino, many typically make the mistake of trying to copy models from magazine articles and other sources. These models may not fit well with personal circumstances or motivation.
“And when they don’t work, people think they’re to blame.”
Successful change is not just a personal matter
According to Heino, what makes it difficult to change health habits and lifestyles is their connection to so many everyday things.
“We are pulled in different directions by many different forces. We walk as if in a stream with different currents. The directions we can take are not just our own actions.”
Making a change requires individual characteristics, such as knowledge, abilities and motivation. In addition, you need several physical and social opportunities that enable change. For example, do you have time, equipment or money? What kind of activities and attitudes do the people around you have?
“We depend on other people and our environment, which is why we need to consider our environment in everything we do.”
Changing behavior always affects others as well. In fact, change is burdened by people’s efforts to maintain the surrounding system. It also has its purpose.
“If we could change everything in our environment, there would be no permanent society. Circumstances would constantly change.”
Forget forcing, invest in complaint
People often say they have a lot or a little motivation for something. However, Heino claims that there are many types of motivation.
Nurturing autonomous motivation helps achieve success in change. Then people do things because they value and enjoy them, not because of internal or external pressure.
Autonomous motivation can be increased by doing things that give you a sense of control, generate feelings of ability and competence, and strengthen your connection to others.
“For example, you can ask a like-minded friend to join you,” says Heino.
Research shows that people are able to change their behavior much more easily in a group than alone.
If you want to succeed, positive emotions should be increased, but forcing yourself to do things should be reduced. The increased appeal and ease helps to make the change permanent.
Information about appropriate ways to implement lifestyle changes can be obtained by conducting a large number of low-threshold micro-experiments where failure is allowed.
“You can try things with the mindset that you gather information about whether something works in your current life situation,” says Heino.
Easy experiments are also more likely to give feelings of success than making a drastic change right away.
“We need wins in our everyday life. They motivate us and tell us what should be increased and what should be decreased in the current situation.