Habit Cycle.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
I've been reading 'The Power of Habit' by Charles Duhigg and in it he explains how habits work, and how to change them. He explains that you can't get rid of old habits, but you can replace them. How? By recognizing the cues that trigger your routines and the rewards that make you crave those habits. Say you have a habit of snacking, why do you snack? What's the cue? Are you bored? Are you stressed? Are you looking for a break? Find your cue, then replace your routine. If you snack when your bored, figure out something else to do when boredom strikes, something that will give you the same fulfillment/reward that snacking does. Then stick with it long enough to crave it, and you'll have changed your habit.
I'm in the finding my cues stage. I haven't thought much about the WHY behind my habits, so that's my new focus. What drives your habits? What reward do you get from them?