Simple Helpful Strategies to Develop New Habits
Forcing yourself to break a bad habit is like building a wall across a river to stop its flow. As the river flows on, water will build up and either destroy the bank or overflow and keep running.
In fact, we can send that power to a different channel we want and need if we make a new way for the river to run. That means this energy can be used to start a new habit.
So, what methods can we use when we decide to focus on making new habits instead of breaking old ones?
With this method, you tell yourself, "After this habit, I will do this new habit." You can use an old habit as a tool and make a connection point for the new habit on this way.
You can get used to relaxing after reading if you already do it often. Say something like, "I will write at least one paragraph for my master's thesis after making my morning tea."
An experiment about "choice architecture" by Thorndike shows how much our surroundings can affect our habits and choices.
He had them put water bottles in the vending machines in the canteen next to the cash register as part of an experiment. Also, new water cabinets are being put in different places in the restaurant.
So, there is a lot more water available, along with soft drinks in the vending machine and in different parts of the cafe. The study's results show that sales of soft drinks will go down by 11.4% over the next three months, while sales of water will go up by 25.8%.
You can change the way your kitchen is set up and the foods you buy to change the way you eat. Making changes to your room or house that make you want to exercise might also help you start a new habit.
A software student who is also learning electrical engineering really enjoys Netflix. In spite of this, he knows he needs to do more sports and is looking for a way to do both by making software.
He makes a programme in this software that stops him from watching Netflix unless he pedals really hard.
He makes himself start a new habit so that he can get his Netflix prize. We could say that habits need to be praised at some point in order to last.
We could ask, "How long does it take to make a new habit?" That's not the question. The real question should be, "How long does it take to make this a habit? How many times do I need to do it before it become second nature?"