A New Perspective: The WOOP Method
What if learning to learn is the first step for building healthy habits?
Traditional health talk can focus on what we eat, but just as important can be the circumstances around our eating, that is the when and the how. Specifically, why we’re eating the way we do, and any poor habits which might be occurring that we aren’t even aware of!
By the way, have you met our close friend, accountability? We may start a healthy habit, but do we continue with it?
It’s different to set goals when days are peaceful when we can predict with crystal clarity, versus the reality of our days in which time may be limited, or competing priorities may arise. They say the only thing constant is change. To reference a mathematical term, our days may not be linear!
Sometimes convenience outweighs nutritional benefits, and no one makes good food choices when they are hungry. Nor, when they are frustrated or sad, a state of minimal hope.
Similar can be said for exercise as knowledge may be one thing. We know going for a run or engaging in physical activity can benefit our endurance, but creating success around that knowledge in terms of a strategic way to think about acting on and maintaining that knowledge is another.
“Creating success around that knowledge in terms of a strategic way to think about acting on and maintaining that knowledge.” – Zest Wellness
This isn’t about adding years to your life; it’s about building habits to add life to your years.
We can support our healthy habits, act on and maintain knowledge, and try the WOOP method (created by Gabriele Oettingen). The WOOP method stats for wish, outcome, obstacle, and plan. It’s is based on the reality of our days not necessarily being linear or predictable, as aforementioned, but that is okay because we can plan for change. We can adjust our perspective to expect change, to help overcome the [inevitable] change. Here is a WOOP Method worksheet so that you can act on the WOOP method for your healthy habits.
When using the WOOP Method, you can ask yourself the following questions for effectiveness and efficiency for developing healthy habits:
Wish:
Is this wish dear to you?
Do you think you can achieve it?
Is it challenging for you?
Did you summarize it in 3-6 words?
Outcome:
Is it a truly fulfilling outcome?
What is the good, better, best outcome?
Did you summarize it in 3-6 words?
Obstacle:
Is your obstacle an inner obstacle?
Did you summarize it in 3-6 words?
Plan:
Did you find an effective action to overcome your obstacle?
Ensure the structure of: “If [obstacle], then I will [action].”
Did you summarize it in 3-6 words?
You can even create a personal WOOP Method card, (found on the second page of the handout) create for placing in your workspace, or within items that you access daily, such as a wallet or purse.
With the WOOP method, we can be hopeful to integrate healthy habits such as nutrient-dense foods into our complex lives and be more likely to stick with it. That said, what may be just as important as the specific healthy habits you develop is your ability to be accountable and consistent over time. Rather than making radical changes to your diet that will last only a few weeks, concentrate on developing healthier food behaviors that you can continue for the rest of your life. This expands on simply the single word of “diets” to “dietary patterns.” As with nutrient-dense foods, the kind of exercise that will most elevate your life and health outcomes is the one you’re most likely to do over the long term. The point of a first experience is to put yourself in a positive situation and overcome obstacles.
Reference: Gabriele Oettingen, WOOP
