The Science of Habit Formation: A Practical Guide to Lasting Change
“The chains of habit are so weak that no one can feel them until they become too strong to break.” – Samuel Johnson
This succinct statement accurately summarizes the entire phenomenon of habits. They are so deeply engrained that they become part of our very nature, good or bad. The productivity they determine in life, the health they ensure, the relations they make, and even the general happiness in levels depend on them.
Understanding the science allows self-liberation from self-destructive repetitive patterns and the forming of good, empowering patterns. This post goes through the fundamental principles underlying the mechanics of formation habits, providing actions for making such change last, including expected uproots along the way.
The Habit Loop: Analyzing the Cycle of Habit
Now, at the very core of every single habit, quite simply, is a loop with three components, called the “habit loop.” The three major ingredients are as follows:
Cue: The cue is what initiates the behavior. It may be time, a place, a feeling, or sometimes another behavior. The sight of a coffee shop triggers the habit of ordering a latte.
Routine: The “routine” is the actual behavior-the act that a person performs due to the cue. Now in our example, ‘to order and drink the latte’ would be a routine.
Reward: It’s the benefit from the behavior that encourages repetition of that behavior. It could be the taste of the latte, caffeine boost, or social encounter at the coffee shop.
The habit loop, a powerful mechanism in driving our behavior, could be manipulated when we understand it since we could identify the cues that trigger our habits.
Key Principles of Habit Formation
It is not always easy to develop new habits and break the old ones, but with these few principles, one can increase the odds toward success: for example,
Start Small: Try to avoid doing everything at once. Set small and simple goals in the beginning. For instance, start exercising for 10 minutes a day; once it becomes easy, increase it gradually in time or intensity.
Build Consistency: Consistency brings about habit formation. Develop a consistent daily or weekly approach rather than power sessions now and then. Even the smallest, regularly repeated changes can become great over time.
Use Existing Habits: Anchor new habits to established behaviors. “Habit stacking” makes it easier to integrate new behaviors into your routine. For example, if you know you already brush your teeth every day, you could stack to it flossing or putting on a face serum.
Create a Supportive Environment: Your environment actually shapes your habit. Remove temptations and create cues that prompt positive behaviors. So if you’re trying to eat healthily, don’t keep junk food in the house. Stock your pantry and countertop with healthy snacks and fruits.
Track Your Progress:
Five Products to Help You Build Habits
Here are five products you can find on Amazon that can help you build and track your habits:
- Habitica: Gamified To-Do List & Habit Tracker
- Strides: Habit Tracker & Goal Setting
- Productive: Habit Tracker & Calendar
- The Momentum Planner: The Productivity Planner to Achieve Your Greatest Goals
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
