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Hacks to help those habits happen

by Ellen Hart, LiveLighter Campaign Senior Coordinator


Want to start some fresh habits this new year? Set yourself up for success with our tried and tested hacks for home and work.

We get it. Starting (and keeping up) a new habit can be hard. And don’t let anyone say ‘you just need more willpower’. Motivation and willpower can help get you started, but these only go so far. So what can you do once that “new year” energy has run out and the goals you set for yourself are feeling harder to achieve? A very helpful strategy is to set up your home, work and other places you spend a lot of time to make the goal behaviour the automatic and easy choice.

Here are some of the LiveLighter team’s tried and tested hacks to help turn those 2026 goals into 2026 habits.

Goal: Don’t let that gym membership go to waste

  • Want to go to the gym before work? Set a permanent alarm for the days you want to go.
  • Does the fitness class you like always fill up before you get a chance to register? Set an alarm for just before the class bookings open up so you’re first to the post. It’s an excellent strategy for securing both fitness classes and Taylor Swift tickets. 😉
  • Do the chances of you going to the gym plummet once you’ve gotten home from work? Take your gym clothes with you to work so you can go on the way home. Or pack a ‘just-in-case’ gym bag for days you might be on the fence or unsure if you will have enough time.

  Woman standing on a treadmill looking determined

Photo by Julia Larson from Pexels

Goal: Add more movement to your day

  • Lay out exercise clothes somewhere visible before bed so you see them when you first wake up.
  • Make exercise equipment like light weights, a yoga mat or a skipping rope accessible. If it’s tucked away in a cupboard, you’re likely to forget about it.
  • Wear joggers or active wear when you go to the playground with your kids so saying "yes" to chasey is easier.

Goal: Snack more mindfully

  • Practice mindful treating by picking one treat to go in the trolley when doing your weekly shop – something you really enjoy rather than auto-pilot picking whatever is being promoted at the end of the aisle.
  • Online grocery shopping makes it easier to avoid the "specials". It can be hard to go past a bargain or ignore all the SALE stickers even if it’s things you wouldn’t usually buy.
  • Keep the snacks you want to have only as an occasional treat OUT of eye level in the fridge or pantry. I keep my block of chocolate on the top shelf of the pantry. The extra bit of time it takes me to stretch and reach up for it gives my brain a chance to make an active decision that I want to have chocolate; I’m not just grabbing it because it was the first thing I saw on a middle shelf.
  • Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter for an easy to reach for healthy snack.

Man sitting at a table reaches forward to pick up a piece of fruit off a fruit platter in front of him.

Goal: More home cooking, less takeaway

  • I am a big believer in doing the hard thing first to make life easier later. Batch cooking is a top example of this! If cooking healthy meals every night sounds unrealistic (I hear you on that), do it all on ONE day instead – it saves time and it will also reduce the steps between you and healthy eating because the meal is already cooked and ready to go in the fridge or freezer. Don’t forget about brekkie - these breakfast biscuits freeze well for a quick grab and go breakfast.
  • Have a list of "quicker than takeaway" meals written on the fridge. It’s so easy to forget what we usually eat when faced with cooking another weeknight meal. These are some of the things that made it to LiveLighter dietitian Anne’s fridge door:
    • Roast chicken + salad rolls
    • Ravioli + peas + pesto
    • Microwave spuds + beans + cheese
    • Rice + frozen peas, carrots and corn + egg
    • Wraps + beans + salsa + cheese
    • Tuna + pasta + passata 
    • Tofu + noodles + frozen vegies (or whatever veg are in the crisper)
  • Keep a notepad on the fridge where you can write the fresh foods you have and their expiry dates (think bagged salads or other vegies). This keeps them top of mind so you don’t forget to use them.

Goal: More water, less sugary drinks

  • Keep your water bottle by the door or next to your keys so you remember to take it when you go out. Taking a water bottle with you means less chance to buy a sugary drink, and (bonus!) less plastic waste.
  • Keep a couple of flavoured sparkling waters in the fridge so there's always a refreshing non-alcoholic option available.

Woman holds a bottle of water. She is out in the bush with a hat, sunglasses and long sleeve top. The sun shines through the trees behind her.

Goal: Bypass the greasy canteen lunches

  • Turn your work drawer into a pantry! Keep it stocked with packet rice, cans of beans or tuna, almonds, grainy crackers and other long-lasting lunch items. Then just build out with fresh salad on the day. LiveLighter have a lot of information on this particular topic.

Goal: Eat more fruit and veg

  • Chop up vegies and store them in a tub in the fridge next to a container of hummus. Often when we’re feeling snacky we’ll reach for the first easy thing we see – why not make that a tub of fresh veg!
  • Buying a watermelon? Cut it into pieces and store in a container in the fridge for your next snacky moment.
  • Put chopped up vegies or salad out on the table and accessible while the rest of dinner is cooking.

This year, instead of trying to “get more willpower”, set yourself up for success by making some simple changes to your environment that make healthy behaviours easier!

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