Flossing. Here’s how I finally made it a daily habit.
Hey, anyone can slip out of a good habit. Right?
A while back, I slipped out of the routine of flossing daily and that became my new norm. Ugh.
However, as part of my New Year's resetting (and my dental hygienist getting on my case), I've reestablished the habit of flossing daily.
Starting any new habit can be a bit of a struggle, and I thought I'd share what I did.
As one of the co-founder's of Akamai, I dig into important things we all face and share simple, effective solutions.
The stakes are high since flossing impacts not only oral health but overall wellness, too.
Enjoy!
P.S. Already got the habit down? Consider forwarding this on to a friend or family member.
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Here's what I did to make flossing a daily habit. And do now daily. (considering printing this to have as handy reference)
- **Keep the dispenser on the counter as a visible reminder.** A key tip for establishing any habit? Make it visible.
(Above photo is where mine sits —The floss case is all scratched up since I've had it for 4+ yrs and use our refills👍)
- Floss in front of the mirror. Seeing what you're doing is crucial. It helps guide flossing (so you do it well) — and you see how much stuff you’re getting out.
- Use inspiration — "I want to floss" vs “oh man I really need to start flossing.”Inspiration is twofold: I’m getting crud out from between teeth — it’s both disgusting/smells bad, and it can lead to health risks.
I don't want to have this stuff festering in my mouth anymore and it’s easy to remove!
- Slow down & pay close attention to what I'm doing — pull floss tight, carefully moving the floss up and down each side of each tooth with gentle but firm pressure.
Doing it effectively only takes ~ 2 minutes. I know, I've timed it (several times)
- Remind myself that each time I use Infused Black Floss I’m exposing my gums to a powerful blend of oral health-boosting essential oils and fulvic acid.
My gums are absorbing trace amounts of very good things that can help with healing, repairing, and detoxing.
(As with all the products we offer, we make them for ourselves first with exacting precision, and then share them with you.)
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Notes/thoughts:
- Starting the day with this small, but important act of self-care is good fuel to start the day. I’ve added flossing to my health-centric, daily morning ritual that includes the simple act of making my bed (thank you Tim Ferris!)
- Missing a day or two and then noticing more gunk on the floss and gum bleeding reinforces my commitment to daily flossing.
- Every 6 months at dental cleanings, hearing my hygienist rate my gum health a 9 out of 10 (vs the crap news of a 6 or 7 rating when I don't floss) brings great satisfaction for keeping up the good work.💪
Hope this was helpful and be sure to check out our Infused Black Floss — part of our complete Oral Care System.
Please consider supporting the work we do by being a customer and telling your friends.
