# 2/10: Set Sustainable Routines

Written by  
Karin Andrea Stephan  
Entrepreneur, Senior Leader & Ecosystem Builder with degrees in Music, Psychology, Digital Mgmt & Transformation. Co-founder of the Music Factory and Earkick. Life-long learner with a deep passion for people, mental health and outdoor sports.

From the most relevant aspect you picked as your reason for [journaling](https://blog.earkick.com/from-einstein-to-lizzo-journaling-rocks-say-80/), you can derive a clear direction towards goals you want to achieve. If you divide those goals into small steps, tasks or actions, it’ll be easier to inch closer to achievement every day.

[Small changes](https://behavioralscientist.org/good-habits-bad-habits-a-conversation-with-wendy-wood/) can have a huge impact on mood, concentration, productivity, anxiety levels, engagement with life and overall satisfaction.

Selfcare routines and healthy habits: Woman taking time for a healthy snack at work

The Earkick [free AI therapist](/content/ ""/index.html) app supports that process with scientifically backed suggestions, customizable reminders and a gamified experience that continuously visualizes your progress. Ideally you pick less than five goals at a time.

Each goal translates into creating or breaking a habit – that needs your attention. So, make it as easy and enjoyable as possible and reward yourself to stay motivated. This [mini-video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWAOSN24ZIU) shows how set up a simple routine like “take a walk”.

Screenshot of the various goal-setting features in the Earkick app

And if laughing was one of your goals for today, you can check it off easily by watching crazy Tim Urban fight [gratification monkeys and panic monsters](https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator?language=en).

#### Want to dig deeper into why goal setting and habituation is good for your mental well-being? Check out the following sources:

1. [Goal setting improves retention in youth mental health: a cross-sectional analysis](https://capmh.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13034-019-0288-x)
2. [How Setting Goals Can Help and Hurt Your Mental Health](https://thebestbrainpossible.com/goals-mental-health-brain-habits/)
3. [Optimizing Students’ Mental Health and Academic Performance: AI-Enhanced Life Crafting](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01063/full)
4. [Nutritional psychiatry: Towards improving mental health by what you eat](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X19317237)
5. [Mental Health and Healthy Habits in University Students: A Comparative Associative Study](https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/12/2/10)

#### Prefer listening or watching a video to reading? Check out these shows:

1. [The 10% Rule: Small Changes, Big Results](https://open.spotify.com/episode/3XrtgdZbyA8ADrr9oawuIF?si=aa38a49575e64b3c&nd=1)
2. [Good Habits, Bad Habits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4-CnaZllMo)

The Earkick [AI mental health chatbot](/content/site-root.html) is built on four science-based elements. Check out the respective blog post on [why and how](https://blog.earkick.com/smart-selfcare-companion-app-built-on-4-elements/) we designed it.