When we think of habits, we automatically think of the bad ones. Whether it be smoking, drinking excessive alcohol consistently, being late, not exercising, or drinking twenty coffees a day (okay, maybe I exaggerated slightly on the last one, just nineteen coffees for me).
We all have habits and we all know how hard it is to change them. These habits may stick with us for years, eventually becoming so instinctive that we don't even realise they're happening.
In this post, I’ll explore the role of habits, why we naturally organise our lives around them, and how we can change them to drive success.
What Are Habits?
Habits are the automatic routines that we perform daily without much conscious thought. They are the building blocks of our lives, formed by repeated behaviours that become ingrained in our brain over time. Charles Duhigg, in his book The Power of Habit, describes the habit loop, a model that explains how habits work (drawing from the research by Graybiel). According to Duhigg, every habit consists of three components: a cue, a routine, and a reward. The cue is what triggers the behaviour, the routine is the behaviour itself, and the reward is the benefit we gain from the behaviour.
Understanding this loop is key to realising just how much of our lives are governed by habits, whether it’s the way we start our morning, how we approach work, or even how we interact with others. The majority of our actions are habitual, which can be beneficial, depending on the nature of the habits we've formed.
Some of the habits that benefit the workplace may include: being punctual, planning a work day/week in advance, not procrastinating, and/or being positive. Doing the opposite of these will often decrease the overall likelihood of success.
Why Do We structure Our Lives around habits?
Habits allow us to conserve mental energy by automating routine tasks, freeing up brainpower for the more complex decisions.
Think about your morning routine, whether it's making coffee, checking your phone, or brushing your teeth on autopilot with little to no thought, enabling you to start your day without feeling overwhelmed.
We may also rely on ordering our lives to give each day a sense of purpose. As mentioned, not all habits are bad. You might go to the gym multiple times a week, or read each night, or attend a weekly art class. These micro-habits we accumulate week-by-week all add up to long-term building blocks that help us to develop as people.
When considering Malcolm Gladwell's ideas around reaching mastery in an area, dedicating one hour daily towards a habit eventually equates to reaching 10,000 hours in 27 years. This may sound like a long time (because it is!?), but this is just an example, especially if this was increased to two hours daily, which would cut this timeline down by half.
However, the downside is that when these habits are unhealthy, they can keep us stuck in routines that no longer serve our goals or offer growth. Recognising the importance of habits is the first step towards understanding how they influence our success, both positively and negatively.
How Do We Change Habits?
Changing habits can seem daunting, especially because they are so deeply ingrained. But it’s not impossible. The structure of the habit loop provides a roadmap for transformation. By identifying the cues and rewards associated with a habit, we can begin to change the routine.
For example, if your goal is to improve your health by exercising more, start by identifying the cue that triggers your current habit of avoiding exercise. It could be something as simple as feeling tired after work, which could be combatted by exercising before work, going with someone else who will hold you accountable, or simply cutting down the length of the session (a little bit of exercise is better than none).
'Cravings are what drive habits. And figuring out how to spark a craving makes creating a new habit easier.' - Charles Duhigg on habit formation in 'The Power of Habit'
Once you've identified the cue, the next step is to experiment with different routines, for example, having an unhealthy snack when stressed may be replaced with a healthier option (fruit, nuts, etc). In this scenario, the reward is the same, as you're still snacking, just in a healthier way.
When referring to the habit formation process, one highly cited study highlighted that it can take up to 66 days for a simple behaviour to become a habit. Taking this long for a habit to be formed, makes it difficult to sustain over a long period of time, unless following a structured approach of deciding to take action, planning (this might be setting reminders), and repeating the good habit consistently.
If you've read more than one of my posts, you know I often advocate for a more realistic view of life; appreciating that we're not all robots that can do the healthiest of habits daily for the entirety of our existence. A break from a 'healthy habit' is a part of our lives, which (in moderation) provide us with an escape from everyday routine.
The recognised time for taking a break from a habit is three days, after this point, it will be difficult to maintain the habit. The difference between forming (66 days) and breaking a good habit (3 days) highlights the importance of maintaining these habits, as it will be much harder to make the habit automatic again.
Academic research by Wendy Wood, a psychologist specialising in habit formation, supports the idea that consistency is key when it comes to changing habits. It’s about starting small and repeating the new behaviour until it becomes automatic. Patience and persistence are essential, as change takes time. It is important to understand that setbacks are part of the process can also help in maintaining motivation during the transition period.
Conclusions
Habits are powerful tools that can either propel us towards success or keep us tethered to mediocrity. By understanding what habits are, why we naturally organise our lives around them, and how we can change them, we unlock the potential to transform our routines into pathways for success.
Whether you’re looking to break free from unproductive habits, or establish new ones that align with your goals, the journey starts with awareness and a willingness to change. Remember, transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort, your habits can become the foundation for a more successful and fulfilling life.
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