This article is in our series featuring pain management techniques to help you decrease and cope with pain. It’s your at-home pain management class!

Sometimes it’s hard to do things that will help yourself, even if you know they’re good for you. An intriguing suggestion comes from Haider Al-Mosawi. He writes that committing to a new habit – say, using your skills every day – doesn’t need to be a decision between zero commitment and 100% commitment. You can try 1/2 habits.

What does that mean?  Rather than commiting fully to a new habit, you simply take a step in its direction. Why is this better? Your focus then turns to the progress that you’re making instead of the times you don’t succeed. Here are some examples:

• Commit to using your pain management skills every other day instead of every day
• Meditate for 10 minutes instead of 20
• Try to modify 1 favorite activity so you can still do it instead of all 5 of your hobbies

Your assignment:  Try 1/2 a habit