Habits are the building blocks of a meaningful life. They are the particles that make up our progress in the world towards fulfillment. Actually, habits determine 40% of our behavior.
Habits are things we do on a regular basis, to the point where it doesn’t take much mental effort to accomplish them. Having good habits can help us achieve our goals, fill our lives with meaning, and support our working and learning lives. Negative habits can lead us to places of guilt, self-neglect, addiction, and so on. I’m pretty sure you get the point.
Our habits help us shape our behavior to support our intentions and aspirations. Whether it’s business success, good health, creative work, or anything else we strive for.
The ability to form good habits, and learn how to design them, as well as the ability to identify negative habits, and figure out how to get rid of them, are among the most practical approaches to shaping reality. Once we learn to work with habits, our lives become easier in many ways.
In the end, all the fascinating and mind-expanding things I discuss on my blog are based on habits, from how to wean yourself off screens to deep work and productivity – just to name a few.
Now that we understand that habits are important, I have compiled a list of ten tips that will help you start designing your own habits. It’s not easy to get started, but if you approach it in the right way, it will be simple for you to succeed. You just have to try.
Start small (realy small)
Starting small is one of the most critical things when it comes to forming new habits. The importance of this cannot be overstated. People often fall victim to this. If we start by running for two minutes, or meditating for five minutes, we reduce our resistance. In this way, we are more likely to commit to the habit. And we all know that the hardest part is at the beginning, right?
Our biggest challenge is getting started, but once we do, we quickly realize the demon is not so bad after all. Therefore, the leanest version of the habit is: I’ll put on my running shoes. Roll out my yoga mat. Change into sports clothes. Sit for a minute. This will lead to a lasting habit.
When a habit begins, there is already a greater chance that we will be able to perform the action that we desired.
If you are not able to attend practice today, do something
That is another principle around the idea of small steps. When you’re not sure you’ll have time to practice your new habit today, do even an eighth of it. Your conscious mind will remember that you made an effort and it is registered as a positive action. On the other hand, if you do nothing, you are halfway to giving up everything and returning to your old habits.
To establish a new habit, it is best to take the smallest step you can. This will maintain the momentum and sense of motivation that is necessary to firmly establish a new habit.
Remove the choice.
It is crucial to be clear about what you are trying to accomplish and when. If I plan to implement a morning habit, and leave its execution to the mercy of motivation, there is a slim chance that I will succeed. Even morning people have the urge to stay in bed in the morning.
The fact is that I have seen this happen many times. My promise to myself was that I would decide whether or not to run when I woke up. But when I left it open, it didn’t happen.
For an action to become a habit, you must remove the need to make a decision every time. Chaining habits is an effective technique to solve this issue. It involves attaching the trigger to a scheduled time (everyday or every morning) or to an action we perform every day.
Sorry I’m digging about running, but it’s one of my successful habits:
Getting up in the morning –> brushing teeth and washing face –> drinking water –> changing into running clothes –> wearing a running watch –> and putting on shoes.
It’s completely mindless and incredibly efficient.
Share your process with someone
The bottom line is simple: when we have someone to hold us accountable, we are able to motivate ourselves and face challenges more easily. It could be a friend, a group, or even someone who walks the path beside you.
Follow the process
We can track your habits daily whether you have a habit partner or not. It keeps us focused on our challenge and increases our chances of not giving up. In addition, it provides a positive picture of our achievements and encourages us to persist.
The effect is the same with either an application (there are many, you can see here) or a simple Excel table in which you mark V every time you show up to practice.
Make it fun
We can make most things fun, even if we think they aren’t at first. At least more enjoyable than we perceive them when they are difficult. This is why it’s important to think about and put effort into making the habit as enjoyable as possible. In one sense I mean the attention that is directed to the more interesting and beneficial parts of the habit, as opposed to the difficulty and discomfort. In a second sense, I mean the ability to shape habits.
If you don’t enjoy running, you can use headphones to listen to a book or podcast while you do it. If it means consuming more vegetables, you might want to invest time and make a delicious salad, rather than just eating cucumbers (which can be fun sometimes).
Design a supportive environment that encourages good habits
A new habit is much more difficult to implement in an environment that is full of triggers for bad habits. Therefore, as much as possible, it is better to try and implement it in a new environment. For instance, exercise outside your home, rather than in the living room or the office where you might find yourself drawn to other habits (maybe I’ll just check my email for one second).
If it is not possible to create a completely different environment (which is entirely legitimate), then it is worthwhile to invest time and attention to find what things in the environment can trigger our negative habits and simply remove them.
Returning to the vegetable example.
If I’m trying to be more mindful about my diet and eat more vegetables and fruits during the day, but in our home there’s always a box with cookies on the dining table, it would be wonderful if someone dropped a bowl of colorful and tempting vegetables and fruits in its place.
Despite its simplicity and effectiveness, many of us overlook it.
Don’t worry about the outcome
Because we are now accustomed to running, eating, training, or reading, we are tempted to pursue a vision and a goal. We are tempted to imagine ourselves faster, thinner, stronger, or smarter. However, this strategy is problematic.
The more we focus on the desired end result and less on the path itself (the habit, the habit, and the habit again), the more we experience the gap between where we are now and where we dream of being.
The path itself is amazing and full of meaning, and if you persist long enough, day by day, with small and consistent steps, the results will come. That’s the secret – show up every day at the right time and in the right place.
Keep in mind why you are doing all of this
It is not easy to change habits, but it is extremely rewarding. Often when we are faced with a challenge, we forget why we are doing what we are doing to begin with. Therefore, we have difficulty gathering the motivation and inspiration needed to move forward.
While facing a challenge, it is very helpful to remember why we made this choice.
For instance, these days I really want to develop the habit of writing. My goal is to write every day and a lot. But in the meantime, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, and that’s fine with me, because as long as I’m “on it”, I’m sure I’ll succeed. As I continue to read and learn about writing, and find topics to write about that interest me, I gain a deeper understanding of what writing means to me.
Create your private place to contemplate the meaning of what you are doing.
A plan B is always a smart idea.
If there is one thing that is certain about surprises and unplanned events, it is that they are an integral part of life.
In that case, what should you do?
To avoid confusion and help yourself stay on the right track, create a well-defined “if-then” formula in advance. Don’t let an unplanned event delay your progress.
- Even if I couldn’t run this morning, I’ll run when I get home from work (even 5 minutes, remember?)
- When I rush to work and don’t take normal and nutritious food, I prepare myself a nutritious meal in the evening
Got it, right?
A brief summary
It is inevitable that all good things must come to an end, and this article is no exception.
If you’re having trouble with a new habit, each section here can help you along the way. Habits require persistence and small steps. This is everything in a nutshell.
Planning and designing a routine that supports and simplifies the entire process is the key to making it all work.
It is possible, just believe (and keep practising!).
