There are really only two simple tricks to establishing new habits.

Trick number one is to acknowledge how long it’s going to take to get into the new habit in the first place, and to give yourself a daily reminder. Use post-it notes, send yourself an email, set a timer, ask your sister to call you – whatever it takes, just do the habit faithfully every single day. After 21 days it will become more or less automatic. (To really nail the habit, give it 28.)

The second trick is the one that defeats most of us: you need to make the habit actually doable. This calls for a lot of creativity. Sometimes a simple change will result in immediate benefits. Sometimes it can take years of experimentation to discover what will work. Here, an example of both from my own life.

When I started using FlyLady’s system I needed to train myself do what she calls the “Swish and Swipe” -- quickly wiping off the bathroom counters and sink and swabbing the toilet bowl with a quick splash of cleaner every single day. I was always terrible at keeping the family bathroom clean. It was definitely my most hated (and neglected) chore.

I sat myself down and asked just what made the job so awful and decided it was the yucky rags. I really hate having to wash them when I’m done. It wasn’t practical to throw them out after every use, but what other options did I have?

That’s when the little light went on in my head.  Why not put a paper towel dispenser in the bathroom, just like in the kitchen? After all, it probably cost about the same amount of money and resources to use paper towels as washing and drying a load of stinky rags. Since then I have faithfully swiped the sink virtually every day and it never gets really gross anymore. Once a week I spray it with some disinfectant cleaner, but I only need to rinse and I’m done. Voila! I mastered the swipe portion almost instantly!

As for the daily swish? *blushes*  Well, I am doing much better than I was in the past. But daily? Not even close. Maybe twice a week.

Don’t ask me why I’m so picky about this, but I have tried 4 different brush styles in 5 different containers; I have used nearly every cleaner out there. I’ve tried doing it first thing in the morning, last thing at night and every time in between. Very slowly I have overcome most of the obstacles that make me still hate the chore.

After 5 years, I now have a brush that works well. It lives in a small decorative ceramic flower pot that is easy to clean and very cute. One by one I rejected all the harsh chemical cleaners and decided that I was most satisfied using plain old chlorine bleach. I also discovered that I prefer “swishing” in the morning just before I get my shower – the bowl is clean for the day, and then, a few minutes later, so am I.

I have but one issue still to solve: I haven’t found the right bottle/container to keep the bleach in. I don’t want the whole big ugly gallon jug sitting on the floor so I’m looking for a durable, refillable bottle that doesn’t splash, preferably with a spout that I can aim up under the rim. Once I find a suitable one I’m sure that I’ll faithfully (and automatically) swish the bowl every morning right after I swipe the sink. *

So, do you think that I’m being too obsessive about a stupid chore? You’re absolutely right; I won’t even argue the point. But, most of us are obsessive about certain things, and “the right way to clean the toilet bowl” seems to be one of mine. I feel I’m just being realistic when I nitpick over finding the perfect way to do this: I know that I won’t do this particular chore unless I make it really easy to do.

This applies to things like getting my kids to do their chores too. They always hated putting the groceries away until I let them toss the non-breakables to each other. Now it gets done in record time.

Weight loss, exercise programs, taking pills, taking vitamins, getting homework done, you name it - if you don’t make it simple to do you probably won’t do it on a regular basis.

So, if you ever have trouble with any of our wellness habits take heart from realizing that you can keep on trying until you get it right. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a long time. Progress, not Perfection!