Why This Might be More Important than Willpower.

One thing clients often tell me is, “I just need more willpower.” But guess what? Relying solely on willpower can actually hold you back.

When we think we lack willpower, it feels like we have no choice but to either work harder or give up—and that’s exhausting. 

Sure, willpower and motivation are important, but creating a supportive environment can be a game-changer especially on those days when we’ve hit rock bottom and motivation is nowhere to be found. 

The Power of Your Environment

Have you ever decided to start a new habit, say a 15 minute walk after lunch, but the end of the day arrives and you’ve forgotten all about it.  

Events took over and it didn’t cross your mind. We’ve all been there!  

And it’s usually nothing to do with willpower. 

Our actions are heavily influenced by our environment, often without us realizing and we need to harness this to help us move forward.   

Imagine walking into the kitchen and seeing chocolate biscuits on the table. Our attention is grabbed by the sight of them and we’re likely to pick one up, even if we hadn’t had cravings beforehand. 

The visual prompt leads to the action and its often over in a flash before we realise what’s happened. 

Food smells can work in a similar way (think fish and chips or bacon!). 

By intentionally designing our environments, we can make healthy actions more visible, easier and more likely to happen and less desirable habits much harder thereby increasing our chance of success 

So if we put a water bottle on our desk, we’re much more likely to drink simply because it’s within arm’s reach 

Or placing trainers somewhere obvious, say by the door or table, there’s a greater chance we will put them on. 

These can be simple yet effective reminders to do the action we had planned.

Its also helpful to have more than one visual prompt per action (so several water bottles dotted around a room/s) so the likelihood of seeing a prompt are greater. 

Let’s say I have a habit of mindlessly snacking in the car on my way home from work, especially when I’m stressed, and I’m trying to do it less. 

When I flop into the car after a difficult day and see empty fizzy drinks bottles or crisps packets my kids have left, my brain will immediately think food, even if I wasn’t before. 

If by some miracle I can persuade the kids to use bin in the back of the car I won’t be prompted in the same way. 

If I declutter and remove empty packets and half eaten bits of food, add a nice air freshener and have favourite podcasts or relaxing music available, my car becomes a more helpful, calming space. 

Once we recognize the power of these strategies and how our environment can be changed to support what we’re trying to achieve, we can begin to look at our own spaces through fresh eyes. 

Are they set up in a way that makes the healthier choice obvious, appealing and easy while making less healthy habits more difficult, less enticing, and less accessible?

Small Changes Add Up

It can be tempting to think these changes are too small to make a difference. 

While it’s true that optimizing our surroundings won’t solve all challenges (we all know it’s not that simple, unfortunately), when used consistently and in combination with other behavioural approaches progress begins to happen. 

As with all things related to changing our habits different approaches work for different people and some of us may be more affected by our surroundings than others. 

If putting tempting foods out of sight isn’t helpful or a priority, maybe look at other spaces. If sleep is challenging, optimizing the temperature, lighting, and ambiance of the bedroom may be more important.

Incorporate Your Environment into Your Plans

So, it’s helpful when we’re planning specific changes to think about how our surroundings can make things easier or harder. 

Consider:

• Is the change obvious and easy to reach with your current setup? 
• Can you place multiple reminders in different areas to keep you on track?
• Are there any distractions that are sapping energy and focus? 
• Can the space be organized better so your choices will be supported and less effort will be needed to stay focused

Ideas to Inspire 

Let’s look at some general ideas to optimize your home and work environment and support your goals. 

Your Home

Pause and Assess How Spaces Are Set Up

Before making any changes, it’s helpful to look around and ask the following questions. 

Take one room at a time to make it manageable or prioritize the ones you feel are most important:

1. Are the spaces set-up so the healthier choices are easily visible, appealing, and within easy reach?
2. Are the less healthy choices out of sight, made less appealing, or more difficult to access?
3. Where are improvements possible?

Here are some examples to spark ideas that may help in organising your spaces in a helpful way. 

We don’t need to use all of them and it’s important to be realistic and kind to yourself as you work through this. 

Be aware of any critical inner voices 

The Kitchen

Consider:

• Organization:
  • Clutter can be distracting so limit if helpful and ensure there’s enough workspace for food preparation.
  • Organisation tools like drawer and cupboard dividers, transparent storage jars, can risers, lazy Susans, drawer storage racks, and stacking baskets can be helpful and make healthier options easier to find.

• Accessibility of Healthy Foods:
  • Keep colourful fruits in serving dishes on tables and work surfaces.
  • Store dried herbs and spices in drawers or spice racks close to food prep areas.
  • Grow fresh herbs in pots on the windowsill.
  • Place healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and Greek yogurt at eye level in the fridge. 
  • Store seeds, raw nuts, and whole grains in clear containers at eye level in cupboards or on shelves.
  • Keep less healthy foods on higher shelves, in opaque containers and harder-to-reach places.

• Cooking Tools & Appliances:
  • If you use a slow cooker, air fryer, or steamer leave on the work surfaces or in an easily accessible cupboard.
  • Empty the freezer of any out-of-date foods (we all have them!) and stock up with frozen vegetables, fruits, and vegetable mixes. Put them at eye level as you open the freezer if possible. 
  • Consider the size of serving dishes, spoons, bowls, and plates, as larger ones may encourage bigger servings.

Meal Planning:

Meal planning can be a game-changer, and there are things you can do to make it easier:

• Creating a Meal Planning Space: This could be a physical space in your kitchen with a blackboard and recipe books where you jot down weekly meal plans, shopping lists, and recipe ideas. Or it could be a folder on your phone or computer with meal plans, recipes, or apps.
• Prepping Ingredients: Chop vegetables, cook grains, or prepare proteins in advance and store them in clear containers in the fridge or freezer. This makes it easier to throw together a quick, healthy meal, even on busy days.
• Using Labels: Label containers with meal prep items and expiration dates. This helps you keep track of what’s available and reduces food waste.

Revamping Your Dining Room/Eating Area

Eating on the go or in front of the TV or computer is more likely to lead to mindless eating so creating an inviting calm space to sit down at a table without screen distractions can be really helpful.

• Keep the kitchen/dining room table free of clutter (hard I know) and try to use this space specifically for meals or begin a routine of clearing and setting the table before the meal.
• Enhance ambiance with calming elements like flowers, candles, or soft lighting to make your eating area inviting.
• Minimize distractions from TVs, computers, or phones.
• Encourage family-style eating.

Creating a Restful Bedroom

Prioritizing and protecting sleep is so important during menopause for all sorts of reasons, including the impact it can have on weight gain. Again, these changes won’t instantly improve sleep, but having a bedroom with lighting, temperature, and ambiance that encourages sleep can move things in a helpful direction. 

For more information on all things sleep check out The Sleep charity websitethis helpful website 

• Minimize clutter in the bedroom to create a calm, serene space. 
• Bedding & Comfort: Light, breathable bedding layers to support restful sleep.
• Keep the bedroom cool (around 60-65°F (16-18°C) is ideal) This is important as it helps the body’s core temperature drop before sleep, helping the sleep process. 
• Manage light—dimming lights as part of our wind-down routine before bed is important for melatonin production. Consider blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out disruptive light during the night and early morning.
• Create a tech-free zone—keep electronics out of the bedroom to reduce distractions. Charge your phone away from the bed to minimize interruptions.

Conclusion

Remember, setting up your environment to support your goals is more than just a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. By taking small steps to reorganize your kitchen, dining area, and bedroom, you can create spaces that make healthier habits the obvious, easier, and more sustainable choice. These changes may seem small, but when combined with other strategies and spread across different areas of your life, they can add up to significant progress. 

And above all, be kind to yourself—progress, not perfection, is the goal.