Development of habits and how to change them

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Do you know that more than 80% of your behaviour is run by our autopilot— we call them habits or patterns that we have strengthened over repetition and time. Basically most of which goes unnoticed, unless our attention is brought to it.

In short, more than 80% of you is your habits.

A habit is any thought, feeling or behaviour pattern which, with repetition over time, gets encoded into the neural network of our brain.

This was designed so that the brain conserves energy in thinking about the act, every time we do a repetitive act, so yes, the stronger the habit the less we think about it.

The glitch though, is that the brain can’t identify between a good or bad habit while it does this.

As Charles Duhigg mentions in his book, The Power of Habit, a habit is just a choice that we deliberately make at some point (how to eat, how often to drink, when to go for a jog, etc.), and then stop thinking about, but continue doing — often every day.

If you look at it, from a neural perspective, it is a pathway which your brain takes in the backstage.

So, how does one change their habits?

Now, I know we all wish that we could change our habits in a jiffy, but we tend to forget the effect of time & repetition on our brain.

For example, the way you write your alphabets. It has become so automatic in us that we don’t even notice or think about it. It’s almost like second nature. Changing a habit requires conscious attention and effort.

I must point out that every habit and individual is different. So each one might need a different approach to bring about change. As some of our habits are quite deeply rooted and entangled with other programs in our mind and there is no one formula to do it.

But here are some important points that you can customise towards what works for you!

A. HABIT LOOP

Every habit has a habit loop, which it follows.

Duhigg talks about this loop in which there is a cue, routine & reward. Once the brain gets the cue, it craves the reward, thereby putting us into the routine behaviour which gives the reward. With time, the cue starts craving the reward more and more, making the routine behaviour more often.

Now to be able to change one’s habit , one needs to understand this loop.

Step 1: Identify the routine.

This is the most obvious part. It is the behaviour that you follow quite often & can be easily pointed to. This is what you want to change.

Let’s take an example. Everyday at lunch time, during work hours, I have a habit of raiding the fridge and having something sweet.

Step 2: Determine the craving

Now in my example the obvious craving looks like a sweet craving. To confirm this, try changing the sweet item with another (maybe salty) food. Check how you feel after this, if you still feel content with it.

Maybe it isn’t really a sweet craving, it can just be a distraction from work. So try doing some other activity instead of raiding your fridge.

The objective here is to try different hypotheses to understand the craving. It might take a while. But it will definitely give you a better idea of what your brain is craving for.

Step 3: Determine the Cue

The cue is the trigger that, based on some craving, shifts your brain into autopilot and initiates the routine. The cue can be identified by noting down a few details about the routine behaviour.

Journal  the location, time, emotional state, environment, other people & immediately preceding action. As you do this more often, you will start to see something in common, and that is your cue.

I noticed that my cue was the time between 2-3pm where I crave a distraction from work.

B.GOLDEN RULE OF HABIT CHANGE

A habit is a program encoded in our brain circuit. This can’t be eradicated, but it can be changed. What can be changed is the routine behaviour- the golden rule of habit change. This is also why understanding the habit loop is important, as it helps us replace the routine for the same cue and reward.

C. MAKE A PLAN

Once you have identified the habit loop, the next step is to implement the new routine for the same cue and reward.

Various techniques can be used for this. Conscious effort is required here.

Examples: Keeping reminder alarms, notes, journaling, having a buddy, etc.

This sounds easy but can be difficult for some habits– having a plan in mind always helps.

D. BELIEF

Belief is key to implementing this new routine, especially in times of stress. Studies have shown how having a belief in something has helped individuals bring about change.

This is how most support groups like Alcoholic Anonymous work. A community of belief, helps keep one going. It helps stick through the most difficult times, especially in habits which have severe neurobiological effects on their body.

It is also why we have gym buddies, someone to keep up your spirit when your old patterns don’t let you do so. Belief in one’s self or something else (religion, your buddy , etc.) is important here.

E. KEYSTONE HABITS

Another fact, seen in various studies, is the importance of keystone habits. A keystone habit is a foundation habit which helps various other habits flourish. They play a key role in changing an old habit or developing a new one.

For this, it’s essential to get your priorities straight about your purpose.

My complaint is that I have no time for exercise or a healthy life. Developing a keystone habit of waking up early, can help promote the habit of exercising in the morning, which in turn can act as another keystone for me to eat well and get better sleep.

F. ONE STEP AT A TIME

Try not to change all habits at once.

Like I mentioned, habits are encoded in our neural network. There is electrochemical activity happening in the brain when it is being changed to a new neural pathway.

Too much change in this neural pathway can get exhausting for the brain to take (Imagine multiple detours all happening at once, in your brain). This gets difficult and hence one gives up on the change.

My advice– start with one habit change and then slowly move to another.

So all you lovely ones, who want to bring about change in you. Start by observing your habits. The answers are right there in front of you. All you gotta do is pay attention and take the initiative to bring about the change.

I believe in you.