Do you have a new habit that you want to form and adopt into your everyday life? Or perhaps a destructive habit you want to put an end to? Our habits have the ability to shape who we are, our happiness, our productivity, and how successful we intend to be. Thankfully, there is a scientific framework that can actually help people to adopt and stick to their new habits.
First and foremost, it is important to acknowledge there are often two main reasons people find it difficult to adopt a new habit:
1. Their misunderstanding of how habits are structured and how to leverage that structure to your advantage, and
2. Setting unrealistic habitual goals or expectations that are not achievable.
In order to overcome these common difficulties, it is vital to break down the structure of how habits are actually formed. Charles Duhigg (author of 'The Power of Habit') recognised that the process of habit building can be divided into three fundamental steps: cue, routine, and reward. This can also be referred to as a habit loop (see below).
Step 1: Cue
This is the cue or trigger that initiates the urge in your brain for the habit to take place. Our minds are constantly analysing our internal and external environment for hints of a reward. Therefore, the brain recognises this cue and initiates a behaviour in order to gain the reward.
Step 2: Routine
This is the routine or action of performing the habit you want to adopt or drop. This routine can be physical, mental or emotional.
Step 3: Reward
The reward helps your brain figure out whether this particular loop is worth remembering and undertaking again in the future. Eventually, this loop will become more automatic as there is an increase in practicing the habit.
The outcome is that both the cue and the reward become associated with one another until a powerful sense of craving emerges and your brain anticipates the cycle of behaviour.
So, how do you change a habit and make it stick?
If you are struggling to form a new habit or make a habit stick, then you are most likely unaware of the actual habit loop itself and will need to consciously recognise and apply the behaviour change.
Recently, I have been making the conscious effort to practice yoga first thing every morning when I wake up. For the purpose of this post, I'm going to use yoga practice as an example to demonstrate how I am going to make morning yoga a new habit of mine.
Author of 'Atomic Habits', James Clear, refers to a framework called the Four Laws of Behaviour Change, which provides a set of rules to follow in order to create good habits and eliminate bad ones.
So, to use my yoga practice as an example of creating a good habit, I must ask myself:
1. How can I make it obvious? Answer: I'm going to set up my yoga mat in a specific place in my bedroom/house so it is one of the first things I see when I wake up and can be used as a reminder.
2. How can I make it attractive? Answer: By setting myself up with a good yoga mat, comfortable active wear, and investing in quality video content that will guide and teach yoga effectively.
3. How can I make it easy? Answer: Having my yoga mat easily accessible and in the comfort of my own home, rather than travelling or attending a yoga class elsewhere.
4. How can I make it satisfying? Answer: By rewarding myself with a coffee and cooking a delicious and nutritious breakfast after I have completed my morning yoga routine.
Slowly but surely, I will begin to recognise the physical and mental benefits of starting my day with a yoga routine. My brain will begin to anticipate and crave the benefits and outcomes of consistent yoga practice and it will soon become habitual to my daily routine.
Habits should be approached in a realistic and progressive manner. Be honest with yourself and use these 5 tips recommended by James Clear:
Don't aim too high
Increase your habit in small ways
As you build up, break your habits into chunks
Never miss a habit twice
Be patient and make your habit change sustainable
GOOD LUCK!
Until next time;
peace and love,
Tina
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