Habits

Estimated Time: 1 hour

Why Habits Matter

One of the key messages from this video is that habits can help your brain become more efficient!

As this quote suggests, being able to be consistent in your actions, especially when you don't feel like it, is one of the keys to success. But always being disciplined can be really challenging and mentally draining. Habits can help you put important actions on autopilot, so that you keep doing them without having to constantly summon up the motivation and discipline.

Goals, Habits, and Systems

Habits and Learning

Atomic Habits by James Clear

If you want to use habits to improve the way you live and learn, I would recommend reading James Clear's book, Atomic Habits. Below is a detailed video summary of the main ideas from the book.

  • Cue: The cue is a trigger or a signal that prompts your brain to initiate a specific habit. It can be an external cue, such as a specific time of day, a location, or a visual reminder, or it can be an internal cue, like an emotion or a certain thought. The cue serves as a reminder to perform the habit.
  • Craving: The craving is the motivational force or the desire that arises in response to the cue. It's the anticipation of the reward that the habit will bring. The craving creates a sense of longing or anticipation, which pushes you to act on the habit.
  • Response: The response is the actual behavior or action that you perform in response to the cue and the craving. It's the habit itself. The response can be a specific action, a series of actions, or a routine that you engage in.
  • Reward: The reward is the positive reinforcement or the benefit that you gain from completing the habit. It satisfies the craving and provides a sense of satisfaction or pleasure. The reward can be intrinsic, such as a feeling of accomplishment or relief, or extrinsic, like a tangible reward or recognition.

Building a Good Habit

Here are the key steps of James Clear's habit-building process:

  • Make it obvious: The first step is to make the habit obvious. This involves creating cues or triggers that remind you to perform the habit. You can use visual cues, set reminders, or place items in your environment that prompt the desired behavior. The idea is to make it easy to start the habit and remove any barriers or obstacles.
  • Make it attractive: The second step is to make the habit attractive. Find ways to associate positive feelings or rewards with the habit. You can do this by linking the habit with something you enjoy or by creating a sense of immediate gratification. For example, if you want to develop a habit of reading, make sure you choose books that genuinely interest you.
  • Make it easy: The third step is to make the habit easy to perform. Break the habit down into smaller, manageable actions that require minimal effort. Start with a small version of the habit and gradually increase the difficulty over time. The key is to reduce friction and make it as simple as possible to get started.
  • Make it satisfying: The fourth step is to make the habit satisfying. Create a sense of immediate satisfaction or reward when you perform the habit. This can be done by tracking your progress, celebrating small wins, or creating a sense of accomplishment. The idea is to associate positive emotions with the habit to reinforce its repetition.

Here is an example of how you can use James Clear's approach to form a good habit around programming:

  • Step 1 - Identify the habit

    • Determine the specific habit you want to build. e.g., Practicing programming consistently.

  • Step 2 - Create a Cue [Make it obvious]

    • Set a specific time and place for your programming practice. For example, designate 7:00 PM as your programming time and choose a quiet spot in your room.
    • Place your programming resources, such as your laptop, coding materials, or textbooks, in your designated spot as visual cues.
    • Place a visible reminder or sticky note on your desk or computer screen to prompt you to start coding. Or set a reminder on your phone or calendar.

  • Step 3 - Create a Craving [Make it attractive]

    • Reflect on the benefits and value of practicing programming consistently. Visualize how it will improve your coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and confidence.
    • Create a desire to learn and progress by reminding yourself of your long-term goals or projects you're passionate about.
    • Find coding exercises or projects that align with your interests or career goals.
    • Join coding communities or study groups to connect with like-minded peers and make the habit more enjoyable.

  • Step 4 - Create a Response [Make it easy]

    • When the cue prompts you to start programming, sit down at your designated spot, open your coding environment, and prepare to work on programming exercises or projects.
    • Set a timer for your desired practice duration to ensure you stay focused and committed.
    • Break down the habit into smaller actions. Start with a specific coding exercise or a manageable portion of a project.
    • Use online platforms or coding websites that offer pre-designed coding challenges or exercises to save time in finding resources.

  • Step 5 - Create a Reward [Make it satisfying]

    • After completing your programming practice, reward yourself with something enjoyable or satisfying. It could be a short break to relax, a treat, or a small personal reward.
    • Track your progress and celebrate milestones. Use a habit tracker or journal to record your daily coding sessions and mark off completed exercises. Give yourself rewards or small treats after completing a week or month of consistent coding practice.

  • Additional Actions

    • Repeat and reinforce:
      • Commit to practicing programming consistently at the designated time every day. Consistency is key to building the habit.
      • Use a habit tracker or calendar to mark off each day you successfully complete your programming practice. Seeing your progress visually can reinforce your commitment.
    • Overcome obstacles:
      • Identify potential obstacles or distractions that may hinder your habit, such as social media, procrastination, or competing priorities.
      • Minimize distractions by turning off notifications, setting boundaries, or using productivity tools to stay focused during your programming practice.
    • Create an accountability system
      • Share your habit goal with a classmate or friend who is also interested in coding. Check-in with each other regularly to ensure you're both staying on track.
      • Consider participating in coding challenges or competitions with others to foster accountability and friendly competition.

Breaking a Bad Habit

The model for breaking a bad habit, as outlined by James Clear in his book "Atomic Habits," involves four key steps:

  • Make it invisible: Remove or minimize the cues or triggers that prompt the bad habit. For example, if you have a habit of snacking on unhealthy foods while watching TV, make the snacks inaccessible or replace them with healthier options. Modify your environment to reduce the visibility or availability of cues associated with the bad habit. Rearrange your space or remove objects that remind you of the habit.
  • Make it unattractive: Highlight the negative consequences or downsides of the bad habit. Educate yourself on the harmful effects it has on your health, productivity, or well-being. Associate the bad habit with negative emotions or outcomes. Visualize the negative consequences and create a mental aversion to the habit.
  • Make it difficult: Introduce barriers or obstacles that make it harder to engage in the bad habit. For instance, if you have a habit of mindlessly scrolling social media, remove the apps from your phone or use website blockers to limit access. Increase the effort required to perform the habit. Create additional steps or processes that discourage you from engaging in the habit impulsively.
  • Make it unsatisfying: Remove or minimize the rewards or positive outcomes associated with the bad habit. Identify the underlying needs or desires that the habit fulfills and find healthier alternatives to meet those needs. Reflect on the negative feelings or regrets that arise after engaging in the bad habit. Keep a journal to track how the habit makes you feel afterward, emphasizing the dissatisfaction it brings.

Here is an example of how you can use James Clear's approach to break a bad habit:

Phase 1: Awareness

  • Step 1 - Identify the bad habit (i.e., the response)

    • Recognize the specific bad habit you want to break, e.g., Scrolling on social media instead of studying.

  • Step 2 - Identify the Cue

    • Identify the cues that trigger your urge to carry out your response, such as certain times of the day, specific locations, or emotional states.

  • Step 3 - Understand the Craving

    • Understand the underlying reasons or desires that drive your craving to carry out your response. For the scrolling social media example: It could be a need for distraction, entertainment, or social connection. Or it could be some underlying anxiety about the assignment you are avoiding.

  • Step 4 - Understand the Reward

    • Determine and interrogate the perceived reward for your bad habit. E.g., relief from anxiety.

Phase 2: Change

  • Step 5 - Modify the Cue [Make it invisible]

    • Modify your environment to minimize these cues. For the social media example: turn off notifications, keep your phone out of sight, or use apps that limit access to social media during study hours.

  • Step 6 - Change the Impact of the Craving [Make it unattractive]

    • Create a negative association for the craving. For the social media example: You can decide that spending too much time on social media is a sign of laziness.
    • Find alternative ways to fulfill those needs or reach out to the community for help. For the social media example: You can check Discord instead and post a question about what you are studying in the help channel.

  • Step 7 - Change Response [Make it difficult]

    • Make it more difficult to flow through with your usual response to the cue. For the social media example: You can put your phone in another room when you are studying.
    • Replace the habit of scrolling on social media with a positive response, which in this case, is studying.

  • Step 8 - Change the Reward [Make it unsatisfying]

    • Create a negative consequence for carrying out the typical response. For the social media example: every time you stop studying to check social media, you need to do an activity that you dislike as a consequence.
    • Create a replacement reward for not engaging in the bad habit. For the social media example: If you are able to study for 30 minutes instead of scrolling on social media, you could reward yourself with a short break to engage in a preferred activity, a healthy snack, or a moment of relaxation.
    • Associate the new reward with the feeling of accomplishment.