Habits Explained
Habits, simply put, are actions we perform regularly. They follow a “habit loop”:
- a cue is the trigger that sets off the habit loop,
- the routine is the behavior itself, and
- the reward is the positive outcome that reinforces the habit
Often, habits are done automatically – over and over – without even thinking about them. That is, habits become so ingrained into your life that you often don’t even realize you are doing them.
The Impact of Habits on Your Life
Habits can either be beneficial or detrimental to our lives, influencing our well-being, relationships, and overall success. Conversely, bad habits can sabotage your efforts, lead to poor health, and cause stress and anxiety.
Both helpful and detrimental habits tie closely to your personal and professional goals. Healthy habits support your aspirations and enhance your life quality, while bad habits can hinder progress and lead to negative outcomes like poor health or stress. That’s why building healthy habits—and perhaps getting rid of some unhealthy ones—is so important for building the life you want to lead.
A Healthy Habit Loop
Cue: Feeling stressed or overwhelmed during the workday.
Routine: Taking a 10-minute break to practice deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.
Reward: Feeling calmer and more focused, and being able to approach work tasks with greater clarity and efficiency.
This habit loop can be effective for anyone facing high levels of stress and pressure in their work. By incorporating this healthy habit into their routine, they can improve their mental and emotional well-being, increase productivity, and maintain focus throughout the day.
An Unhealthy Habit Loop
Cue: Feeling bored or restless during a long workday.
Routine: Scrolling through social media or browsing the internet aimlessly.
Reward: Temporary relief from boredom or restlessness, but no lasting sense of satisfaction or fulfillment.
This habit loop can be detrimental to anyone struggling to use their time effectively. Instead of addressing the underlying cause of boredom or restlessness, the behavior becomes a mindless habit that reinforces the cycle of negative behavior.
Tailoring Habit Loops to Your Needs
Habit loops vary for each individual. Identify your unique cues and experiment with healthy routines that suit you best.
Habits are Your Ability to Create Lasting Change
Habits are formed through a process called habituation, where our brains create neural pathways that make it easier for us to perform a specific behavior. The more we repeat a behavior, the stronger these neural pathways become, and the more automatic the behavior becomes.
By making a behavior a habit, your brain goes into “autopilot mode”, skipping the decision-making process, and just keeps doing what you’ve done simply because it is what you have done before.
This works well if the habits you are automatically engaging in are healthy habits, but when you are repeatedly engaging in unhealthy habits without even thinking about it – not so good! Luckily, you have the power to take control!
Building Healthy Habits
Building healthy habits can have a significant impact on your success as an entrepreneur. By taking several steps, you can build healthy habits that will help you achieve your goals and succeed in your business (and your life).
Building healthy habits is not always easy, but it is achievable with the right mindset and approach. In fact, when you try to adopt new habits, your brain initially resists change (even if it is positive!) and prefers to stick with familiar routines. So, do not give up! As you learned earlier, these changes will eventually become routine.
Strategies for Developing Healthy Habits
1. Start Small: Don’t try to change everything at once. One of the keys to creating healthy habits is to start small. Trying to make significant changes overnight can be overwhelming and lead to failure. Instead, break down your goal into small, achievable steps and build from there. For example, if your goal is to start eating healthier, start by adding one serving of fruits and vegetables each day. Starting small can help you build momentum and make it easier to stay committed.
2. Make it Convenient: Convenience is pivotal for making healthy habits stick because it removes barriers and makes it easier to incorporate healthy behaviors into your daily routines. When healthy habits are convenient, they become more sustainable and more likely to be adopted over the long term. For example, keep healthy snacks on hand, schedule time for exercise, and remove unhealthy temptations from your environment.
3. Set Realistic Goals: Identify the habit you want to build and set a clear goal. Be specific about what you want to achieve and set realistic goals that are achievable. For example, if you want to exercise more, start with a goal of 20 minutes of exercise three times per week. Make sure your goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
4. Be Consistent: Another essential aspect of creating healthy habits is consistency. Habits are built through repetition, so it’s crucial to practice the behavior regularly. Consistency is key when building a new habit. Make a commitment and stick to making the new habit a part of your daily routine, so it becomes automatic and second nature.
5. Stay Accountable: It’s essential that you find ways to hold yourself accountable. Find a way to track your progress, such as using a habit tracker, and share your goal with others. This will help you stay accountable and motivated.
6. Learn from setbacks: It’s normal to have setbacks when building new habits. Instead of giving up, learn from your mistakes and use them as opportunities to grow and improve.
7. Celebrate your successes: Celebrate each success along the way to keep yourself motivated and engaged. Rewarding good habits makes them stronger. So when you’re starting to build a new habit, it can be helpful to celebrate the progress you are making along the way, rather than only waiting to achieve the outcome.
Start Building Your Own Healthy Habits
The journey to building healthy habits is unique to each individual. What works for one may not work for another. The key is to remain patient, persistent, and adaptable. Healthy habits are key for helping you reach your goals, manifest your dreams, and get what you want in life. Cultivating healthy habits can improve your well-being and quality of life and help you achieve success!
Remember, building healthy habits takes time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it. With dedication and persistence, you can achieve your goals and live a healthier, happier life. With consistency, motivation, and support, you can develop healthy habits that last a lifetime.
In the next blog: Transforming Negative Habits into Positive Actions, we delve deeper into the nuances of defeating bad habits and how to replace them with more productive behaviors.
