How to build habits you can stick to in your pet business

Have you ever tried to start something new in your pet business, like a newsletter or a weekly piece of content? At first, it feels easy, but then life gets in the way, and it falls to the bottom of the to-do list. After a while, it has stopped altogether.First, don’t beat yourself up. Running a business is a slog, and there are only so many plates you can spin, especially if you’re on your own. When I have conversations about things people want to be doing, they often talk about willpower and a lack of it leading to them not doing the ‘thing.’But there’s a lot of research into whether willpower really is the key to having the self-control to either do something consistently or stop doing something. When it comes to the things you want to implement in your business, it’s more about creating habits that you can sustain.These habits can make your day or week feel more manageable, ensure you do the things you need to do to power your business, reduce ‘decision fatigue’, and help you grow your business. In this podcast, we’ll look at how to create habits, why they matter, and how to stick with them when life gets busy, plus case studies and further reading.Caveat - I’m not an expert on this - I’ve researched the topic as I would as a journalist and brought in what I’ve learned as a coach to try to help you.Key topics and timings in this episode: 0.45 - What to expect from this episode.1.40 - Why forming habits can be hard and why it’s not about willpower.4.00 - The willpower myth and how genetics can drive behaviour.5.45 - What are habits and why are they important?7.15 - Decision fatigue and how creating habits can free you up for the tasks you enjoy.8.30 - The Change Curve concept and how this relates to change and habits.12.22 - Finding ways to build habits that stick - 7 steps to follow.20.56 - Three barriers and objections to building habits.25.29 - Case study - Kerry Jordan.26.52 - How coaching can help you build habits.29.57 - Why letting go of old habits can help you create space for new ones.32.06 - Habits that could help your pet business - marketing, customer communications, invoicing and admin.34.18 - Recommended reading on habits, Atomic Habits, The One Thing and The Power of Habit.36.04 - Your options if you’d like to work on habits together.37.04 - Conclusion to building habits.Links mentioned in this episode: Join Pets Get Visible and get 50% off your first month here.Book a 1-1 session hereFurther listening: Kerry Jordan on the importance of building relationships to grow your pet businessIs my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?How to choose the right pet business coachHow to create consistent contentHow to create a social media calendar for your pet businessHow to tackle procrastination and get stuff done