Summer Challenge 2024-
Start a Home Yoga Habit

Welcome! Are you ready to start a home yoga habit? I truly believe that doing a little bit of yoga everyday can be transformational… but it can feel a big step to find the time and energy to practice yoga each day, right? That’s why I’m going to encourage you to start super small and easy…. with just 2 minutes a day!

Inspired by the book Atomic Habits by James Clear , I’ll be using his tips to help you start, and sustain, a home yoga habit. Your body and mind will thank you!

I know many of you will be going away from home too over the summer but you’ll be able to create a “holiday yoga habit” too as the daily commitment is so small… just adapt the tips and tools below.

The key yoga sequence is at the top of this page so you can find it easily. I suggest you save this page, or a link straight to the video, on the home-screen of your phone or laptop and make it as OBVIOUS & EASY to find as possible. Then read on for the tips about creating good habits - these really will make the difference between you sticking to this and giving up too soon!

Can you practice yoga every day over the summer? I believe you can!

GOOD LUCK.

Your Daily Yoga Sequence

  • A habit must be established before it can be improved. The first thing is to make sure we show up! So we need to start small and easy.

  • James Clear has a Two-Minute Rule… when we start a habit it should take a maximum of 2 minutes to do. So that’s why I’m suggesting you start with just 2 minutes of yoga a day. You can find 2 minutes, right?!

  • There are 6 weeks of the summer holidays so in Week 1 you only need to do 2 minutes of yoga a day. In Week 2 it will be 4 minutes and so on, so that by Week 6 you are doing 12 minutes a day. Of course you can do more if you like but give yourself a minimum first and STICK TO IT.

  • The sequence below is designed in two minute increments. You can stop the video at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 minutes and have still DONE YOUR YOGA PRACTICE.

  • I strongly recommend 30 sec stillness at the end of your practice - this is the quiet space where the magic happens! You don’t have to time it, just sit for 3-6 slow breaths. Or of course add savasana if you like :-).

  • The practice includes movements that focus on the following…

    • 0-2 mins - spine

    • 2-4 mins - hamstrings

    • 4-6 mins - outer hips

    • 6-8 mins - hip flexors and quads

    • 8-10 mins - core

    • 10-12 mins - shoulders

  • I’ve ordered the practice in this way to prioritise the parts of the body that many students ask about and want/need to move! However, of course you can freestyle, re-arrange the order, or do more. The key thing is to get on your mat, commit to at least 2 minutes and then see where you want to go.

  • Remember that I also have more videos on my YouTube channel if you want to change it up, including twelve more 10-minute sequences . You can also sign up to access longer videos if you’d like, maybe adding one full-length class per week (see below to sign up).

  • Decide if you are going to practice everyday or, if you think practicing Mon-Fri or Mon-Sat would suit you better, make that decision at the start then stick to it! If you miss a day, get back on track the next day.

  • NOTE: In the first week you might feel keen and want to do the whole 12 minute video. That is fine of course! But the moment you feel ANY resistance to getting on your mat, any concern about finding the time AT ALL, then go back to a 2 minute commitment. Get the habit established first!

This yoga practice is designed to help you create a daily yoga habit... starting with just 2 minutes a day! Over 6 weeks, build up your daily practice, from 2 minutes a day in Week 1, 4 minutes a day in Week 2 and so on, until by Week 6 you are doing the the full 12 minute practice (plus 1 minute of stillness at the end). If you can't resist doing the whole practice every time then see that as a bonus!!

The practice works through our spine, hamstrings, outer hips, hip flexors and quads, core and shoulders - in that order. The full practice will leave your body feeling greeeeeeat. Save this video so you can find it super easily. ENJOY.

(Note - I forgot to verbally mark the 8 minute point in the video. It's just before the section on the 'core'.)

Habit Tracking

A habit tracker is a simple way to keep a record of your progress. Every day that you do your yoga practice (remember, 2 minutes counts!) you mark an X in the box. Habit tracking provides a visual cue to remind yourself to act, so put your tracker somewhere you will see it… in a daily diary or on the fridge for example. A tracker is not only a way to keep yourself accountable and visually see your progress, but it’s inherently motivating and satisfying in itself. It feels good to keep up your “streak”. I’ve used a tracker for various habits since January last year and it really works!

Try not to miss a day but if you do, get back on it. One of the Atomic Habits rules is “Don’t miss twice”.

An example tracker is below. You can download and print a Habit Tracker From the Atomic Habits website here, or find another on the web that you like (there are loads!) or create your own if you’re arty and that will inspire you! Some diaries (like my Moleskin diary) have habit trackers at the beginning of each month so if this tool works for you, you might look out for this in future diaries.

Habit Tracker Template

Tips for Creating your Yoga Habit

Find your why - shape your identity

This is perhaps my favourite tip from Atomic Habits and one that I think is key - to make our habits identity-based. Start by focusing on WHO you want to become, not what you want to achieve. Why do you want to do yoga everyday? What kind of person does yoga everyday? e.g.

  • I practice yoga every day because I’m a healthy person who looks after their body.

  • I practice yoga every day so I stay strong and physically capable as I age and can continue to do all the activities I love for as long as possible.

  • I practice yoga every day because I want to manage my stress-levels and stay calm at work and home.

  • I practice yoga every day because I prioritise my self-care so I can be of use to others.

Write down your “why” somewhere you can see it or refer back to it, especially if your motivation wanes. Every time you do your yoga practice is a vote for the type of person you want to become. You will not only feel the physical results from a daily yoga practice, you will change your beliefs about yourself.

Where and when - get clear

Make a plan and be clear about where and when you are going to do your yoga practice. e.g.

I will practice yoga at [TIME] in [LOCATION].

This is called an implementation intention and stops you being a bit foggy about how you’ll fit in your yoga practice. For example I do my home yoga practice at, or before, 7am in my bedroom. I know that 7.30am is the latest I can start getting my kids ready for school so if I don’t do it before then, it’s not going to happen! If you need to set a daily alert on your phone then do it.

Regards timing, you could also use "habit stacking" and add your practice to a daily habit you already have e.g. While my morning coffee is brewing, I’ll do my yoga practice. After I clean my teeth in the evening, I’ll do my yoga practice.

One thing that can be tricky at home (or on holiday if you’re away) is to find a space that works. Think laterally, shift furniture around if you need. Ideally you’d find a calming quiet space, but any space big enough for your yoga mat will work! Just make sure you find your WHERE in advance (even have a back up spot if you’ve got a busy household!) so this is not an impediment to doing your practice.

Design your environment

Make the cues for your habit obvious and visible. e.g. Roll out your mat the night before. Put yoga clothes next to your bed (although you can also do yoga in your pjs!). Put a Post-It Note on your phone when you go to bed that says, "Do yoga" and you're not allowed to take off the Post-It Note and use your phone until you've done it!

Be creative and think of ways to help design your environment to influence you in a positive way. Maybe you have a picture of someone doing yoga that you stick in an obvious place - at home, in your holiday home or on your camping tent (!), to trigger you to do your practice.

Also think about how to reduce friction and decrease the number of steps between you and your yoga practice. e.g. If you store your yoga mat downstairs but want to practise upstairs, you’re immediately creating an extra step that might put you off. Or, if your kids might interrupt to ask for breakfast, make sure you’ve fed them first or laid the breakfast things out in advance.

Make it attractive

Pair your yoga practice with something else you know you want to do. So maybe after your yoga practice you have your morning cup of coffee or tea, or after your practice you allow yourself to scroll social media for 5 minutes! Dopamine is released not only when you experience pleasure but also when you anticipate it. So knowing we’ll get a reward after our yoga practice will motivate us to act in the first place.

One of the most effective ways to build a good habit is to be part of a culture where our desired behaviour is the norm, or the kind of behaviour that will get approval and respect from our tribe! So if you have friends that do a lot of yoga or are really into their health and wellbeing, maybe tell them what you’re doing. And of course if you join the WhatsApp group for this year’s challenge you’ll have a support tribe ready for you!

I’ve shared my top tips but if you want to learn more about how to build good habits (and break bad ones!) then you can obviously find a lot more detail, tips, science and examples in the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear.

GOOD LUCK!

Finally, just remember that we all know how hard it can be to break bad habits, and it can be just as hard to create good habits! So if you’re struggling at any point over the 6 weeks, don’t be hard on yourself. Check back in with James Clear’s Four Laws of Behaviour Change…

  • OBVIOUS - if you find it hard to remember to do your practise, make it obvious (set a reminder).

  • ATTRACTIVE - if you don’t feel like starting, make it attractive (pair it with something you want to do).

  • EASY - if the habit feels too difficult, make it easy (go back to just 2 minutes).

  • SATISFYING - if you don’t feel like sticking with it, make it satisfying (reward yourself afterwards).

I’m really excited to hear how you all get on! Have a wonderful summer!

Laura xx

Want to upgrade your challenge and practice some full length classes?

At any point during the challenge you can upgrade for just £15 and get access to:

  • 12 x 40-50 minute practices and 12 x 20 minute practices to do where and when it suits you. You can do each class as many times as you like!

  • You can pick and choose the class you want to do or follow the programme for one of my three previous Summer Challenges, each of which has been designed with 6 weeks of summer in mind:

    • Peak Pose Challenge - 6 x 45 min classes

    • Functional Movement Challenge - 6 x 40 min classes

    • Strong, Supple & Serene Challenge - 12 x 20 min classes

  • You will have access to the videos for 6 weeks of summer plus 1 extra week (ending 8th Sept 2024).

  • I put a ton of work into creating these Challenges, and they previously cost £25 each. So £15 for all three is a bit of a bargain, if I do say :-). Enjoy!

  • To upgrade send me an email, or pop your email in the form below and I’ll get back to you.