Stay Consistent With The Rule of Two

When life inevitably throws you curveballs, it can be hard to stay consistent or be motivated to maintain your healthy habits. You can’t always control what life has in store for you but you can control how you respond to it. I’ve invented a simple rule for myself that allows me grace when I need it and also keeps me on track with the things I know are important to me. I bet it will work for you, too. 

It’s Been a Week Over Here

I’m sharing this trick with you because I had to use it myself last week. I caught a cold so I stayed in and rested for a few days. Then, while picking up a prescription, I decided to get my tetanus booster. I was overdue for it and already at the pharmacy, so it seemed like a good idea. I was wrong.

I don’t remember ever having much of a reaction to booster shots before, but this time it laid me out. I was achy, feverish, and lethargic for days afterward. Needless to say, I had a week of feeling awful and I didn’t feel like working out at all. Even though I had good reasons for resting, it’s easy to let healthy habits slide in situations like this. Whether it’s work deadlines, sick pets or kids, or special events, a few missed days of your routine can turn into missed weeks (or more!). Here’s how I stopped that from happening to me. 

My Two-Day Rule

The idea is simple: never miss two days in a row (within reason, of course). I’ve been working on my fitness and bike riding, but while I was sick, I didn’t even want to get out of bed. I missed one day. Then the second. But on the third day I knew I had to get back to it, even if the effort was small. Since I had started to recover, I decided to take my dog on a short, one mile walk. I can almost always do that, at least, and I felt better afterward, too. 

This rule is all about building in flexibility without losing consistency. You can use my two-day rule, or modify it into your own “rule of two”. Maybe that means you can’t miss two Pilates classes in a week or you can’t eat out for lunch more than two days a week. Whatever your goals are, just don’t miss more than two days of working on them in a row. It’s simple and it works! 

Why It Works

I’ve learned a lot of ways to “trick” myself into staying on track with my goals because our brains are sneaky and like the status quo. It also likes things to be easy, and making changes or trying new things pushes you out of your comfort zone. Here are some reasons why this rule of two works so well:

• It keeps your momentum going and doesn’t let the gap between actions get too wide.
• It reduces pressure around perfection. Knowing that you only need to act within two days makes the goal feel more achievable and removes the stress of “starting over.”
• It builds trust with yourself. Following the rule of two helps you prove to yourself that you can stay committed, even when things get tough.

Give It A Try

The rule of two is forgiving and flexible, but it keeps you anchored to your goals. So, the next time life gets in the way (because it always does!), remember:  just don’t miss three days in a row.  It’s a simple rule that can make a huge difference.