Change your habit with these 15 steps

Change your habit is what you must have always heard from your elders, friends, siblings, etc. Why do people speak so? Don’t they like the way you are? How to change yourself? Is it possible? Can you be better? For all those questions in your mind, here is the answer. Be calm and read it.

You are aware that some activities are conscious, and some are involuntary. Do you ever wonder why we do things repeatedly, even after knowing it is harmful to us? It is because the little things we continuously do has become our habit. Habits are dominating, and being subconsciously present it becomes automatic and uncontrolled. Some habits are unhealthy physically or mentally. When habits control us, it is a red flag. Just Stop. Do you know if you change your habit, you can bring a significant change in your life?  

What is a habit?

Habit is a set of actions repeated regularly, due to which it becomes subconsciously automatic and uncontrolled. It can be good or bad. Habit that is beneficial for us is a good habit. Whereas, habit that impact us negatively is a bad habit.

What is a habit loop?

I came across this habit loop concept in the book The power of habit. The habit loop consists of three elements the cue, routine, and reward. Cue is the trigger that reminds us to perform a definite set of actions(routine) for the reward. The reward can be the satisfaction of being virtuous, feeling good, learning something new, meeting someone new, etc. Reward enforces you to repeat that thing.

To simplify, let’s take an example. Suppose you have a friend who calls you every day at 9 o’clock after you finish your dinner. You love talking to that friend. You will wait for the call, and when you don’t get a call, you will make a call. It became your habit to talk over the phone with that friend. In this example, 

Cue- Finishing the dinner

Routine – Talking on the phone with your friend.

Reward – Happiness that you get after talking.

See how easily we incorporate habits in our daily lives by repeating a set of actions. After understanding this habit loop concept, I prepared a strategy to discard the unhealthy habits in me. It is only a 15 step easy procedure. 

Change your habit with these 15 steps.

1.Focus

The main focus is to break the habit loop. You can change any habit if you break the loop.

2.Determination

You cannot change yourself if you don’t want to. You are the primary person who will lead the entire mission. Therefore the first move in this direction is the determination of changing your habit.

3.Being mindful

Mindfulness is intentionally being in the present moment. Being aware, you will be watchful of your doings. You watch your actions, emotions, feelings, etc. Once you are determined, being mindful is necessary.

4.Observation

Being mindful helps you observe your actions vividly. It gives you a clearer picture of yourself. Observe your daily activities.

5.Write it down

After observing all your actions throughout the day. In the night, write the unhealthy habits of the day. Do this for at least a week or a month.

6.Report making

Make a report of how many times in a day you repeat those unhealthy habits. Compile the list and write the frequency against each habit.

7.Start with the lowest frequency

Pick an unhealthy habit with the lowest frequency. It will boost your confidence on achieving your goal. Example – In a weekly report, you have skipping exercise- 2 times a week, eating junk – 4 times a week, waking up late – 5 times a week. Start with the skipping exercise.

8.Find the root cause

Once you have picked up the target unhealthy habit, you should find the root cause of its occurrence. Question yourself, What are the situations that force me to adopt that unhealthy habit? What is the pattern of my behavior? Answer such questions to go deep into the root cause. Identifying the trigger solves the rest of the problem.

9.Divert the mind

Divert your mind when it gets dragged towards that habit. Be conscious and keep the temptations of the bad habit away.

10.Look for alternatives

See how you can replace an unhealthy habit with the best healthy substitute. Try to reward yourself with these alternatives. These replacements are the tiny changes capable of fixing the problem.

11.Reduce the frequency

Try to reduce the frequency of unhealthy habits. It is not possible to permanently finish it at once. You have to start reducing frequency by one or two.

12.Be realistic

A complete transformation in one go is a dream. Be realistic. To expect overnight success is impractical. 

13.Maintain continuity

Any action becomes a habit when repeated. Repeat healthy alternatives continuously. If anyway you skip because of your ill health, workload, vacation, etc give yourself relaxation. Repeat till you start believing you have incorporated it into your daily life.

14.Self motivation

Throughout the journey, keep yourself motivated. You might feel like giving up. But never give up. Recharge yourself daily with positive thoughts and affirmations that you can do it. Don’t compare your progress with the people around you.

15.Final change

Expect the final change in few months. It will take a good time. Once achieved, celebrate. Restart the cycle again for another unhealthy habit in you. We can’t say there is only one bad habit in us. There are multiple small habits still developing. Target that and enhance your personality.

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.

–John Dryden

It is aptly said, by John Dryden, that habits make us. If you want to improve yourself, change your habit. Adopt good habits and discard bad habits. Never lose hope and try until you succeed. You will come a step closer to a better version of yourself. Follow these 15 steps to change your habit.