Habits

A habit is a behavioural routine that is repeated regularly and tends to be carried out unaware, sometimes even almost unconsciously. Typically, the habit is started under a condition called trigger, which can be an event or a situation. The process by which new behaviours become automatic is called habit formation. The primary method of habit formation is repetition, which sometimes breaks old habits. Another method is called transfer. Transfer is not a method of creating a habit, but of reusing and relinking a habit. Success is closely related to good habits, and working with habits is essential for your daily life and your work towards success.

Habits work since humans are habitual creatures. Most of our daily activities are based on habits and are performed unconsciously and automatically. The main reason behind habits is efficiency. Unwanted effects are lack of awareness, unintentionality and uncontrollability. Therefore it is recommended to review ones habits regularly and assess whether they are still valuable given the current situation and goals. It is impossible to live without habits, so the aim will be to select and learn good habits.

Habits are routines which help us to run our life efficiently. Changing them - for good or bad - causes stress initially. Even though you might want to improve your life, by changing your daily routines, you create stress to your body and mind. However this will subside, and after a while, you will take it as your new 'normal', e.g., in the beginning, any training feels strenuous but after a relatively short time you get used to it - the stress will reduce.

Habit formation is the process by which a behaviour, through regular repetition, becomes automatic. The habit seems effortless, while the habit formation is a tedious process, even more so if old habits have to be broken or reversed. You can establish a habit by performing the same behaviour daily for at least 21 days. Often, it is recommended to perform the behaviour for 4-6 weeks. The automaticity increases with the number of repetitions.

The number of repetitions needed depends on the distance of the new habit to already existing habits. A small distance indicates few repetitions while a medium distance indicates many repetitions. Bridging a significant gap is often impossible. The Tiny Habits Method of habit learning advocates to split all new habits into tiny pieces and to learn those within a few days. All the tiny pieces together would then achieve the complete new habit.

It is easier to establish habits if you can link them to a trigger, that is already an established habit, for example, to an existing element in your evening routine. The brain will create a new connection between the trigger and the new behaviour and will strengthen that connection with each repetition. It also helps if you feel positive about the times you perform the routine, and avoid feeling negative about the times you missed the behaviour. The positive emotion connected with performing the new habit to be will reinforce the connection. This process of habit formation can be slow and tiresome.

The easiest method of habit learning is transfer. In this case, you establish a trigger for the new habit that starts an old habit. Then you only need to adapt the old habit to the new situation. For example, when you have a habit of cleaning the table after a meal, then you can transfer it to making your bed after sleeping. You start by comparing the end of sleeping with the end of the meal, making them similar. Then you adapt the cleaning of the table to the "cleaning" of the bed.

Read more in:

• Wikipedia on Habits
• The Tiny Habits Method of habit learning
• James Clear about Habits
• Hacks to create habits
• Zen Habits.

Sample habits

For your inspiration, here are a few habits that might prove valuable for you. Make sure that you take small steps. Do not try to establish more than one habit at a time, and try to establish the habit in its most simple form, with least difference to the current state.

There is a good Mind map for focus at Learning fundamentals that can give some input for good habits.

• check email only once per day
• spend time with your kids and partner daily
• sleep enough every night
• focus on the tasks at hand
• work on 1-3 task towards your goal (essential tasks) every day
• have a break after each finished task
• once per day, say Yes to something you usually would say No to
• once per day, say No to something you often would say Yes to

Apart from these tips, there are two more general ideas you can follow. First, it might be a good idea to find out your ideal daily schedule. What should happen on a perfect day? Once you have such a schedule, you can use habit formation to turn your current schedule into the perfect one.

Furthermore, in the book The four agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz proposes Four habits that will change your life completely. These habits are the following.

• Be impeccable with your word. In other words, speak with integrity. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. Do not gossip or tell lies.
• Don't Take Anything Personally. This statement is not easy to turn into a habit because of its negative formulation. You want to remember that what others say and do is a projection of their reality, and not related to you.
• Don't Make Assumptions. Again, a negative formulation that has to be turned positive. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you want. Put highest priority to clarity in communication.
• Always Do Your Best. Make sure to do your best in the current moment - not more and not less. The best will be different in each situation, for example, when you are healthy as opposed to when you are sick.