Each Monday this series of articles will feature pain management techniques to help you decrease and cope with pain.  It’s your at-home pain management class!

I hope you’ve been succeeding with using pain management techniques regularly - or at least making progress in your new habit!  But none of us is perfect, and we can all use a boost, right?

Starting a new habit takes a lot of effort and focus – it takes at least 30 days for something to become easier and more automatic.  And even if we know something is good for us, it’s sometimes hard to keep it up over the long haul.

Today, I’ll share some interesting websites that might just give you that needed lift to start or stop whatever habit you’re focuing on, including regularly using your skills to decrease and cope with pain.

Sites that offer great information about sticking with your habit:

• Health Skills – This article includes “10 thoughts to help people weave new habits into their lives.”  Great ideas!
• Zen Habits – One of my favorite blogs for thoughts on improving your life.  They have a new forum feature to post your goal and track your progress for a month.  2 articles:  habit change tips and sticking to your resolution.
• One Big Health Nut – This article makes suggestions for new year’s resolutions.
• A Winning Life With RSD – This is a site by a pain management coach.  Often individualized feedback can help you achieve your goals.

Websites and products to help you track your habit:

• Walker Tracker:  If your new habit is walking, this site lets you track how many steps you take each day.  You can see how close to the recommended 10,000 a day you are.  They also offer groups to join, to encourage yourself and others.  Over 6 Billion (!) steps have been counted on this site, so far!
• Goal Patrol makes a set of bracelets, 1 for each step or stage in meeting your goal.  When you reach 1 step, you change to another bracelet.  These are helpful reminders to see every day and motivators when you switch to your next-level bracelet.

Please share any other sites, tips or tricks that you’ve found helpful in the comments!

Other articles in this series:

• How to change a habit, part 1
• How to change a habit, part 2
• Breathing exercises, part 1
• Relaxation exercise, part 1
• Breathing exercises, part 2
• Habit-helper websites
• How are you doing with your new habit?
• Try 1/2 a habit
• Visualization
• Feedback on changing habits, part 1
• Feedback on changing habits, part 2
• Guided imagery, part 1
• Guided imagery, part 2
• Stress management, part 1
• Stress management, part 2