2. Habits, why we do, what we do
A framework for understanding how habits work
A guide to experimenting with how they might change
Change your habits, change your life
A routine, when you wake up
Habits run your life
3. Habits
What habits are
Why and how they form
How to change habits
Brain wants to save energy (20% of the body energy)
Cerebrum : a part of the brain is used when we learn something new
Basal Ganglia : when same actions are performed, this part of the brain
takes over.
Basal Ganglia activities are reactions , not responses. Difficult to dislodge
Turn behaviour into habit, How ??
Habit loop
5. Habits, definition
Something you do regularly, often without thinking
Habits emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways to..
1. Save efforts
2. To fully participate in decision making
3. Divert focus to other tasks
Habit is the choice we deliberately make at some point, and then stop
thinking about, but continue doing, often everyday
7. Cue > Routine > Reward
Phase 1 : Cue
First, there is cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic
mode and which habit to use
Phase 2 : Routine
Then , there is routine, a behaviour or pattern, which can be physical,
mental or emotional
Phase 3 : Reward
Finally, there is reward, which helps your brain figure out if this
particular loop is worth remembering for the future
Cravings make habits stick
8. Habit loop
Cue : Get up in the morning
Routine : Drinking coffee
Reward : Caffeine, feeling fresh
9. Create new habits
Tie it up, something you already do
Cue : Get up in the morning
Routine : Drinking water
Reward : Feeling fresh
10. Changing bad habits
Same Cue & Reward
Change the routine
Quit smoking..
Eat something you love (chewing gum), when feel like smoking
Believe that change is possible
Make public commitment
Think short term & long term rewards
11. Keystone habit
A habit which changes lot of other things
Eg Exercise
Be healthier, perform better at work
The habit which will impact all other habits > Keystone
Use journaling to shortlist the keystone habit
Stress is the cue, routine is alcohol, reward feel relaxed with friends
AA is successful because of this
Alcohol Anonymous
Make a list of habits which you want to change
Make a list of obstacles
Make a plan to handle those
Start small / Use willpower with strong Why / 21 days formula
Which habits are not serving me ?
12. Framework for diagnosing & shaping habits
Which behaviour you want to change ?
List all the steps involved in the behaviour
At the moment of the urge, switch the routine, so it delivers a
different reward
As you test 4/5 different rewards, ask yourself, Do I still feel the urge
for ?
Determine the reward you are craving