How “temporary workout habits” can help to get even the most reluctant exercisers moving

Think changing your workout plan is a sign of failure? It’s actually a great way to stay consistent. 

Increasingly, the way we exercise is linked with our identity. You become the sport you choose – you’re a runner, a lifter, a yogi or a climber. It’s as though the workout you choose sticks, and that means deciding what exercise to pursue is a big, loaded decision – and enough to put many people off starting.

So be reassured that temporary workout fixtures might be the best way to go. That’s according to social psychologist Alice Boyes, who says that chopping and changing your fitness routines over time actually has huge benefits.

Writing in Psychology Today, she explained that “temporary habits” might not be seen as valuable, but they’re actually a great way to shape our skillset. 

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“When people think of habits, they often consider any habit that’s not permanent as a failure. For example, Jack starts running every day and then stops. Jack might consider that a habit failure. However, in ordinary life, temporary daily habits can have a lot of value,” writes Boyes.

What are temporary habits?

She describes temporary habits as something that’s done every day (or as often as necessary) but not sustained over a long period of time. For example, you might follow a four-week running programme, followed by an eight-week strength training guide, then buy a month’s worth of classes at your local yoga studio.

But why would you put the effort into learning a new skill or trying out a new workout if you aren’t going to even attempt to keep it up?

“Our habits are sometimes the most useful for a season,” Boyes explains. Ultra-consistent habits, like running 20km every single week or practising yoga every evening for years at a time, undoubtedly have benefits. “[They help with] building grit, focus and discipline. But, those strengths are not the be-all and end-all. Other psychological strengths are important for our success and happiness too,” Boyes explains.

“Trying many different things is good for us. Engaging in lots of novel activities builds diverse skills and relationships, and gives us practice in handling a wide range of emotions. It’s good for creativity, and it’s typically beneficial for our mood. In other words, novelty builds our resilience in a range of ways.” 

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Are you still worried it just sounds like well-excused quitting? Well, according to Boyes, temporary habits are actually more sustainable. “Even if you don’t keep up the daily habit forever, you’ll still have those efficiency hacks in your toolkit,” she explains. That means you can slide right back into your old workout routine whenever you fancy it. 

“It’s useful to keep up temporary habits long enough that the sequence of behaviours involved becomes automated in your long-term memory. But you don’t necessarily need to keep doing the habit every day to maintain that benefit.”

When it comes to exercise, that’s true both mentally and physically. Not only does building up the confidence in the gym or on a run stay with you, but your muscle memory also makes getting back into the workout easier if and when you do return to it. That’s not saying you can jump straight back into a 15km run after a big break, but you’ll rebuild the skill easier than if you were starting out fresh.

Ultimately, the biggest benefit of a temporary workout routine is that you still build a habit of the most important part: the movement. You’ll be exercising regularly and prioritising working out to reap all the health benefits, but with the novelty of trying something new that expands your skillset and enjoyment.

It sounds like a win-win. 

Images: Getty

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