Why Big Life Changes Are the Best Time to Build New Habits

Brooks
Aug 14
2 min read

Updated: Aug 21

What I'd Do Differently If I Was Starting My Fitness Journey

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Why Big Life Changes Are the Best Time to Build New Habits

How to use schedule disruptions (like back-to-school, new job or having a baby) to create routines that actually stick

I know it probably feels like any time your schedule is disrupted or something else has been added to your plate it's the WORST time to focus on your health and fitness goals.

Maybe your kids just went back to school. Maybe you just went back to school. Or maybe you’re adjusting to something even bigger—like a new job, a move, or welcoming a new baby.

When life feels chaotic, it’s natural to think: “I’ll just hit pause until things settle down. Then I’ll get back on track.” But what if… that’s the worst thing you could do?

💡 Here’s why change is actually the sneaky best time for building better habits

Most of our daily routines run on autopilot. You probably don’t think about brushing your teeth or making coffee—those habits happen without much effort. That’s the definition of a habit: something so ingrained, it happens automatically and requires little cognitive effort to do.

Most of your health and fitness behaviors(unless you've been doing them for years) aren't yet TRUE habits.

When life shifts—your schedule changes, your environment changes—you get bumped off autopilot.

Suddenly, your brain has to re-engage. And according to behavior change research, this window (called habit discontinuity) is one of the best times to introduce new habits. You’re more likely to succeed at forming new routines when your environment is already shifting.

So instead of delaying your goals, try asking:

What new habits actually make sense in this new routine?
What time of day would feel best for workouts now?
What’s realistic for meals or tracking in this season?

🧠 Real talk: Change is uncomfortable—but you’re not starting from scratch

Even if your schedule is shifting, you’re not new to this. You’ve likely already built some foundational habits—you just need to adjust how they look in your new normal.

For example, one of my 1:1 coaching clients (a teacher) recently faced this. She was tempted to hit pause during the first week back to school. But together, we mapped out a flexible routine that allowed her to stay consistent—without all-or-nothing thinking.

So if you’ve been wondering how to stay on track with your goals during a big life transition, this podcast episode is for you!

Whether you're navigating back-to-school, starting a new job, or just feeling overwhelmed with routine changes, this episode will help you see why now is a powerful time to reset and rebuild.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: In under 20 minutes, we’ll cover: