Make it obvious - build a new habit 1

I shared 3 motivating facts about habit-building with you in the last newsletter.

Habit-building is easier if you take small steps, build systems and learn its principles.

Here are the 4 principles of habit-building.

Make the cue obvious (or to break a habit: make it invisible) - TODAY'S FOCUS
Make the craving attractive (or to break a habit: make it unattractive)
Make the response easy (or to break a habit: make it difficult)
Make the reward satisfying (or to break a habit: make it unsatisfying)

Let's break down the 1st principle: make it obvious.

Make the unconscious obvious

What habits do you currently have? Making a list of your habits, and marking each as positive, negative or neutral, is a simple way to create awareness. It's exactly the 'undercover' nature of habits that makes them powerful - powerfully working for or against you. An inventory like this sheds light on them. From here, you decide which habits to improve, leave alone or break.
Another way to make habits obvious: pointing-and-calling. Metro conductors in Japan point to and call out a green light or an empty platform. It may look silly, but it has purpose: it's to point attention to what you might otherwise miss as part of your routine.

So, let's say your negative routine is to doom-scroll on social media. Point and call attention to it: ‚I am picking up my phone, opening up Instagram and starting to scroll‘

Start a new habit by being specific

Set an Implementation intention: "I will do BEHAVIOUR at TIME and PLACE". Most intentions fail because they are too vague: "I will meditate more" - time and place are the most obvious cues, so be clear about the when and where, and that will be the cue for your behaviour.
Habit stacking: "After CURRENT BEHAVIOUR, I will do NEW BEHAVIOUR". Make your current behaviour a cue for a new behaviour. When you're regularly closing your laptop for lunch that could be a cue for a new behaviour.

Use your environment as cue

Motivation is overrated; our environment is often more important.

Shape your environment to create the cues for the habits you want. Have dedicated spaces for specific tasks/areas of life.

Entirely new environments can often help build new habits. It doesn't have to be a new flat or office; can you find a dedicated spot in your room for a new behaviour, a spot that is not already linked to another activity (like binging Netflix).

Would you like more bite-sized habit-building insights? Let me know below with 👎 or 👍.

🎙️ My latest podcast

🚀 NEW Episode. Knowing your values really is a super-power. 5 benefits: clarity, confidence, conviction, convincing communication, conflict resolution.

I break these down and share exercises & materials in the latest episode 👇