,A few months ago I read Atomic Habits by James Clear (see footnote).
We all have habits – some are good habits and some not so good. Some are neither good nor bad – waking up in the morning for example, it’s just our daily routine and is necessary!
One of the first exercises that is suggested is just to name (he calls it pointing and calling) all our habits. Just identify them and write them down.
The mere act of recognising and “pointing at” a habit that we want to break – or encourage – is a powerful first step. Awareness – and bringing things into conscious thought helps us to address any issues – or foster the good habits we want to keep.
So start first thing in the morning and note everything down and for extra bonus points – say out loud “eating biscuit”.
Go back through your list – how many are “good” – eating an apple, how many “bad” eating a whole bag of Doritos and how many are “neutral” – so eating one small biscuit might be neutral or even good depending on how it fits in with your overall goals.
Who is it you want to be – what role have you assigned yourself? A runner? A good parent? A fantastic business owner? Then what habits do you need to cultivate and/or get rid of to step into that role? Then whenever you are tempted to stray, stop and ask yourself “What would a runner do?”. It works for me when it’s cold and I don’t fancy tennis practice – What would a tennis player do? Go to practice, of course!
Being mindful (bit of an overused term sometimes) is half the battle, so don’t find yourself eating the biscuit (or half the packet!) absentmindedly.
The next stage is to notice what happens around the same time as the habit, and then how you can cue up good habits or avoid the bad ones.
If putting on your running shoes means you go for a run in the morning then put them where you will trip over them as you get out of bed.
If a cup of coffee means you “need” a biscuit then change the drink or the location or the cup you drink from – but all of it mindfully!
Let me know in the comments below what you have discovered by naming out loud your habits – and what good habits you want to encourage. What role do you want to step into?
Get in touch if you would like to discuss further.
Visit the James Clear Atomic Habits website