18 SHARES Share Tweet



One of the biggest obstacles in “self improvement” is trying to change habits. We are what we repeatedly do, this is why it’s so important to be aware of our habits – and change them when they are leading us down a bad path.

Because ultimately, your daily routine is what decides where you are going in life and where you will find yourself in the future.

Do you have any habits you’re currently trying to change? Do you need some help in making this habit change easier and smoother? Here are 3 smart rules to follow when changing habits of any type.



1. Try to substitute your habit with another one

When we want to stop a certain habit, it often leaves a gap in our lives that needs to be filled by another habit.

Therefore, it’s smart to have another new habit ready to go to replace the old habit. After all, changing our lifestyle is all about consciously finding alternatives to our old patterns and responses.

Before you start changing habits, you should try to think of an alternative habit. For example, instead of eating potato chips as an afternoon snack, have a salad. Or instead of watching TV after work, choose to read a book instead.

Having an alternative will greatly help the process of changing habits. And the other 2 rules also build off of this main one.



2. Try to choose a habit that takes up an equal amount of time

When changing habits, another smart rule to follow is to replace your old habit with one that takes roughly an equal amount of time and frequency.

So if your old habit is something you do once a day for 1 hour, the new habit should also be something that takes 1 hour. But if your old habit is something you do 10 times a day for 10 minutes, then it should also take 10 minutes.

For example, if you smoke 7 cigarettes a day for about 10 minutes each – try choosing a habit you can do 7 times a day for 10 minutes, such as doing push-ups or jumping jacks every time you’d normally smoke a cigarette.

When you fill your gap, you want it to fit in your schedule similarly to how your old habit did. Because if it doesn’t, it’s probably just going to disrupt your routine and just make you snap back to your old ways.



3. Try to choose a habit that gives you a similar reward

The last rule to follow when changing habits is to choose a new habit that gives you a similar reward.

Every habit follows a structure of “cue” → “routine” → “reward.” This is known as a habit loop. And once you identify your habit loop, it becomes much easier to change that habit.

The reward is the driving force behind why you do the habit. It’s the answer to the question, “What do I get out of this old habit?” Is it pleasure, relaxation, entertainment, or something else?

Every habit fulfills a certain need. So once you identify that need, you can choose a new habit that fulfills that same need and doesn’t leave you still craving your old way.



Conclusion

Changing habits can be really difficult, but following these rules can make the process a little bit easier. Most importantly, try to be patient with yourself and don’t beat yourself up over small mistakes.



Stay updated on new articles and resources in psychology and self improvement:



