Well hey there! I'm glad you found this post. We're gonna have some fun today, and you're probably gonna see a different view on habits.
Since your reading this, then you were probably looking for ways to acquire some good habits that you can be proud of, and maybe squash some that you're not so proud of. Well, I have good news for you. Because I believe I have found the secret to making those dreams of perfectly honed in habits and routines, reality.
Grab a cup of coffee or tea, a cozy seat, and a pad of paper, as we discover the habit system, steps to craft your perfect habit system, and how to include those habits into your daily routine.
I have always been a software girl. I love a good software that automates manual tasks. To me, manual tasks just seem so inefficient and error prone (but this might just be my Type A personality). But your probably wondering what automated systems have to do with habits. Right?
Well, in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, he talks about how habits are part of a system. And when I heard that, it was like a light bulb came on. What? A System? My brain immediately thought of an automated system. Finally, it all made sense.
I had been struggle for years to hone in on the habits I wanted to build, but couldn't figure out how to make them work. I have built automated systems for work that I could tweak and prefect as they processed, but couldn't figure out how to build a routine, because it wasn't something I could see. He goes on to explain how little habits are part of a larger system and that building them, one by one, is how you change your overall life.
You'll probably be hearing me talk about Atomic Habits often, I am loving this book. It's hitting all right notes in my geeky brain. Here's a link for the book if you would like to check it out.
But enough about the book for now, I want to highlight some more fun facts about habits that I have discovered along the way.
Habits are like the autopilot mode for our brain. They help us save mental energy for the bigger stuff. They allow us to perform tasks without having to think about them. Which frees up our brains resources so that we can focus on more important things. But watch out! If your habits don’t align with your goals, they can quickly derail your plans. Causing you to waste time and energy on things that are not part of your plan.
Unlocking the secrets of building habits can turn us into productivity queens.
Habits are created through repeated actions, that reward us in some way (and not always a good way). This means that the more we repeat a behavior, the stronger the reward becomes. This makes it easier for our brains to perform the habit with out thinking (Enter Automation system). By tapping into this natural magic, we can build habits that serve us and make us happier in life. This involves finding the cues that trigger our habits, the routines we follow, and the rewards we receive, allowing us to design and create habits that support our goals and mental wellness.
We start by playing detective. Here are the steps I've taken for this process.
1. Spend a week playing Sherlock Holmes with your daily activities, jotting down every moment and every action. Spend a few moments every day to identify what reward you receive for that action. This will help you see your routine as it unfolds and shine a spotlight on the actions that are not serving you. For Example: a habit of drinking a glass of wine every night could give you a reward of relaxation. Or, a habit of watching TV every night for hours might give you the reward of escaping.
2. With your data in hand, channel your inner analyst. Highlight, star, or circle the actions that make you feel alive or are aligned with your goals. Cross off the ones that don't, and leave the neutral ones alone. This newfound awareness is your secret weapon for deciding which habits to keep, tweak, or toss. For Example: Having the glass of wine every night might reward with relaxation but may not be aligned with your goals if you are trying to loss weight. Or, those hours of binge watching might give you the reward of escaping, but may not be aligned with a evening routine goal for better sleep.
3. Once you have identified the habits you want to change, then make a list of the habits you would like to have. These are the little thing you know you want to do to improve your health, wellness, home, what every it is your working on. Craft out your Ideal day, including those habits. What does it look like? What do you want to improve?
Now that you have mapped out your current habits and routines, identified areas of improvement, and crafted your perfect life, it's time to get to work.
Start with one habit. It doesn't really matter which one, but I would suggest one that you struggle with the most. Work on focusing your attention to making sure you do that one thing every day.
Consistency is your best friend here. Repetition builds the master autopilot system, making the habit stick. To make this process easier, because all know life gets busy, and forgetfulness creeps in, use reminders like alarms or sticky notes to help trigger an action. And for an extra boost, pair the new habit with an existing one—also known as habit stacking. For example, if you are horrible at remembering to wash your face, do it first thing in the morning. You're most likely already in the bathroom, so put a sticky note on the mirror to help your remember to wash your face. For an even bigger boost, washing your face every morning helps you wake up faster, which is a nice little reward for that habit.
Once you’ve got your habits in check, keep them in check and tweak as needed. Regularly review your habits to ensure they’re still your productivity allies. Life changes, and what worked yesterday may not work today.
Stay flexible and ready to adapt. If a habit’s no longer pulling its weight, swap it out for one that aligns better with your current goals. Continuous improvement is the secret sauce to staying productive and hitting those long-term success milestones.
To recap, Habits are part of a brain system to simplify your life and automate tasks so that you can focus on other things. We craft our habit system by taking account of our current daily structure. Than identify what can stay and what needs to go. We identify what we want our daily life to look like. Then we put it into play, while being consistent.
I'm so glad you stayed till the end. My Whole mission is to bring what I'm learning about life and creating the life I want, into your hands.
If you found this helpful, or have questions, please reach out to me at Deanna@seasonsfromthehart.com.