What’s More Important Than Motivation? Part 1: Your Environment

You don’t always need more motivation. Sometimes, you need a better environment.

Think about the last time you tried to make a healthy change.

Maybe you wanted to exercise more, eat healthier, or sleep more.

You started strong. You were excited. You had a plan.

Then life happened.

Work got busy. Your schedule changed. You got tired. Before you knew it, you were back to your old habits.

Sound familiar?

Most people think they need more motivation to get back on track.

But what if motivation isn’t the problem?

What if your environment is making change harder than it needs to be?

Your Environment Matters More Than You Think

Your environment includes everything around you that influences your daily choices.

It’s the food in your kitchen, the people you spend time with, your schedule, and your workplace.

Think about it.

If you want to eat healthier but your kitchen is full of junk food, you’re making things harder.

If you want to exercise but the nearest gym is 30 minutes away, that’s another obstacle.

If you want to move more but spend eight hours sitting at work, staying active becomes a challenge.

Now imagine changing those surroundings.

You keep healthier foods nearby. You find a convenient place to exercise. You schedule walking breaks during your workday.

You haven’t become more motivated.

You’ve made the healthy choice easier.

Make Healthy Choices Easier

One of the best ways to build healthier habits is to remove the obstacles that stand in your way.

Want to exercise in the morning? Lay out your workout clothes the night before.

Want to drink more water? Keep a water bottle on your desk.

Want to walk more? Invite a coworker to take a 10-minute walk during lunch.

These small changes can make a big difference.

Instead of relying on motivation every day, you create an environment that supports your goals.

Your Workplace Plays a Role, Too

Think about how much time people spend at work.

For many employees, their workplace influences how active they are, what they eat, and how they manage stress.

If an organization wants healthier employees, simply telling them to make better choices isn’t enough.

The workplace should make those choices easier.

Imagine employees having access to fitness classes, walking groups, wellness challenges, or an on-site fitness center.

Imagine leaders encouraging movement breaks and creating opportunities for employees to connect.

These programs don’t guarantee change, but they can make healthy habits easier and more enjoyable.

That’s the difference between telling people to change and creating an environment that supports change.

Start With One Small Change

You don’t need to change everything overnight.

Look at your surroundings and ask yourself:

Does my environment help me reach my goals or make them harder?

Identify one obstacle you can remove today.

Maybe it’s preparing your gym bag before bed, keeping healthy snacks at work, or finding a coworker to exercise with.

Start small. Make it easy. Keep going.

Motivation Gets You Started. Your Environment Helps You Keep Going.

Motivation comes and goes. Your environment can provide support even on days when you don’t feel motivated.

At Glad Health & Fitness, we help organizations create workplaces that support healthier habits through Fitness Center Management, On-site Fitness Classes, and Virtual Wellness Challenges.

Because lasting change takes more than motivation.

It takes an environment that makes success easier.

Is Your Workplace Supporting Healthy Habits?

Receive your Wellness Program Audit report by email.

What’s More Important Than Motivation? — A Glad Health & Fitness Educational Series

Gladimir Simeon

Founder & President, Glad Health & Fitness