Tricks for habits - and the best kind of shakes

Is there a new habit you’d like to cultivate, but struggle to put into practice? Here are three science-based approaches to try out. 

However you choose to cultivate a new behaviour, celebrate when you do it. It helps. And when you don’t do it, just notice what got in the way and learn from that. Then shake it off and try again, like a dog shaking off water before joyfully jumping in again. 

Life can be challenging and it takes effort to rewire your brain to steer it into new ground. Don’t add to the pressure by judging and punishing yourself. Be more dog - shake it off instead. 

Three ways to explore for new habits:

1.     WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) Gabriele Oettingen’s very simple but powerful tool, which involves visualising the outcome you wish for and anticipating what will get in the way. I wrote a post on WOOP here: https://lnkd.in/eCC-87dU?

2.     BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits method – attach a small dose of a new habit to something you’re already doing: “After I brush my teeth, I will do 15 seconds of deep breathing” (https://tinyhabits.com/)

3.     James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits’ framework – how can you make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying (or the reverse, to break bad habits)?(https://lnkd.in/eqgcMThZ)

What moves us forward will be individual to each of us. These methods are science-backed, but no research study has 100% positive results. We differ. That’s ok. Try things out and stick to what works for you. More than anything, stick with the shaking and getting back in. 

Photo by Rebecca Campbell on Unsplash