5 Tips on How to Make Hot Tubbing a Habit
As hot tub owners, we all go through different phases of use with our spas. First, we are filled with excitement and enjoy it every chance we get. Then, just like any new thing, the allure starts to fade and other demands creep in the way. It’s not that we don’t enjoy it, we just need that extra motivation to prioritize the benefits of use and create a good soaking habit. Try these tips to make your daily soak something you won’t skip.
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Set visual cues. According to Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear, we are highly dependent on visual cues to trigger a response in our brain to to take an action. For example, if you plan a time to soak, let’s say when you immediately get home from work, set out your bathing suit, a towel, and a book so that it’s the first thing you see when you get home. This will create an expectation that you will soak as soon as you get home while also serving as a reminder.
In addition, when you plan your space to install your hot tub, try to make sure it's located in a direct line of sight. This is where the old saying rings true, "out of sight, out of mind". If you can see the hot tub from the most used parts of your house, whether that's through a window or glass door, you are more likely to be reminded to get in.
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Reward Yourself. One of the best ways to start a new habit and keep it is to reward yourself for completing the task. And isn’t soaking in the spa a reward within itself? Sign me up for double rewards! Before you soak, think of a creative and small way to reward yourself for achieving this desired action. This could be as small as treating yourself to a chocolate or watching your favorite show. The key here is to celebrate every "win", even if it's just a 1% improvement.
- Set an appointment with a friend or family member. If you know that you will be letting someone else down by not showing up, this will be good motivation. Try scheduling a time to hang out with a friend or family member in the hot tub or you can even schedule a facetime call.
Bonus tip for parents with kids…try having a “device free” time of connection while soaking.
- Rely on systems rather than will power. This is where the power of repetition comes in. There's varying ranges of research out there saying that it takes anywhere from 21 to 256 days form a new habit. If you are of a competitive nature, try challenging yourself to a 30 Day Challenge.
Setting a goal to soak in your spa regularly, whether it’s once a week or daily, can bring many obvious benefits. It’s likely that this is something you already want to do yet achieving this goal requires setting a new habit. Remember to be gracious with yourself when you are trying these for the first time, repetition is key for any new habit. We hope you can get the most out of your spa, yourself, and live life to the fullest.