Productivity Tips ~ Bonus Material

How to Change a Habit

 

If you want to change a habit, start with your RESPONSE.

Let’s take the habit of hitting the snooze button as an example.

Cue

• • Understand the trigger for the current habit.  What is the sensory input (i.e. audible or visual cue) for this habit?  In this example, it would be the morning alarm.

Response

• • Understand the typical response to the cue.  What are your thoughts and feelings when you receive the cue?  In this example, it might be “I am too tired to get up”, or “I just need 15 more minutes of sleep”.

Routine

• • Understand the typical behaviours that follow your response.  What are your actions as a result of the thoughts and feelings in your response?  In this example, when I tell myself that I am too tired to get up or that it is ok to hit the snooze button, I then sleep past my intended time to get up.

Reward

• • Understand the benefit(s) from the routine.  What is the immediate gratification benefit (seek pleasure, avoid pain, or conserve energy) of the routine?  In this example, I receive the pleasure of sleeping in and avoid the discomfort of getting up.  I may also be telling myself that it is too much effort to get up earlier.

Questions to Ask Yourself

What feeling is your current thought creating for you?

What are some other thoughts that would create a different feeling for you?

What are thoughts that normally create action for you?

On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you to achieving a new result?  What would be required to make it a 10?

Once you have identified an alternate response, experiment with it for 5 days.

Keep track of how long it takes to retrieve the new response from your brain, your level of belief in the new response, and whether the new response triggers a new action.