We believe that we are the Captain of our own ship but the reality is that much of our day is ruled by habits and not conscious decision-making.

This is both good and bad. Good in that we can avoid spending too much head space on small things and bad in that we can at times give over too much of our decision-making to mindlessness.

Those who work with me know that I believe that you should create routines that are aimed at becoming habits so that we free up head space to focus on other things.

But over-reliance on habits has a downside.

First popularised by Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, our brains operate off a created cycle of cue, routine, and reward. We embed different cues (which switch our brains to automatic mode, telling us which habit to activate) into our day so they trigger the associated routine (mental, emotional, or physical) without us having to even think. Or make a choice. Our brains then decide whether the outcome (reward) is worth repeating this loop. If it is then it becomes ingrained over time.

This may be old news to you but

We’ve got five tips to help you build habits in any area of your life.

5 Facts About Lasting Habit Loops

There’s a reason why so many people fail at keeping their New Year’s resolutions. Creating lasting habits is tough work. But understanding how habits are formed can take the mystique away from building healthy, lasting habits.

#1 – Cravings Drive Habits

Find a craving you are currently satisfying (or looking to satisfy), then create a routine to deliver the reward. That sounds too easy but it’s really not more complicated than that.

Think about what you want to achieve more than anything in your life. Now think of something related that you don’t enjoy doing, but is necessary to satisfy your long-term achievement. Maybe it’s reviewing the budget, workout routine, or TV viewing schedule.

Consider the task you dislike as an integral part of reaching your reward.

Also, it may help to cue the desired behavior by triggering it after a good habit you already have locked down. And don’t forget to actually reward yourself after completing the task.

Christopher Bergland, the author of The Athlete’s Way, describes how he implemented this technique:

“For example, the smell of Coppertone sunscreen reminds me of bright blue, sunshine-filled skies and is energizing. On cold, gray mornings, if I feel the urge to stay under the covers instead of going outside for a jog, I’ll force myself out of bed and immediately spray on some Coppertone. I’ll also cue up a song like “Summertime, Summertime” that makes me feel like it’s August—even in the dead of winter—and puts me in a headspace capable of facing a freezing-cold workout. If there is specific music or smells that inspire you, condition these cues to become triggers that get you psyched up for a workout.”

#2 – Shifting Habits

Shifting your habits can sound daunting, but any habit can be changed if the cue and the reward align. Think about a bad habit you want to change (we all have them).

Now, this part requires some self-inspection. What typically cues your bad habit? For instance, do you eat that bowl of ice cream late at night whenever you watch a movie? You may need to spend several weeks tracking the bad habit to figure it out.

Now think about how you can shift that cue to the new habit, and what type of reward will you give yourself for completing the new habit? Again anytime you are shifting habits it helps to also track. Tracking is crucial to installing new habits.

If your goals were exercise-related, we’ve got the platform to take your habit shifting to the next level. If it’s a habit to help your business or a personal habit, create your own habit tracker. Research has consistently shown that those who keep a food journal lose more weight, but we believe this is true for any habit you’re looking to form.

#3 – Keystone Habits

Ever get overwhelmed with the many bad habits you have and decided to change them all at once? People who are successful with this method are rare. Chances are piling on too many habit shifts at one time will only cause failure. It’s hard to make a habit stick when change is happening too fast and in too many areas.

Small wins will allow you to build momentum. Start with something small. Build that habit. Now, something more challenging. As you keep piling up wins, your confidence will grow to provide success for the bigger habits you want to shift. Think about it like a snowball moving downhill that picks up speed and grows as it moves.

#4 – Willpower

Nothing is achieved without willpower. "Willpower is a muscle, and it needs to be worked out before the resource goes out." John Ohman, Exercise.com CFO/COO is fond of saying,

“The people who succeed in life are the people who are willing to do what they don’t feel like doing. They are not mastered by their moods.

How can you start exercising your willpower now? Dr. Cummins, the author of Good Thinking, suggests these seven steps:

1.   “Don’t keep yourself in a constant state of willpower depletion”

2.   “Use your imagination”

3.   “Think about something else”

4.   “Build good habits; you’ll need them when you’re stressed”

5.   “One step at a time”

6.   “Be yourself”

7.   “Don’t put yourself in temptation’s way, or if you do, have a plan”

#5 – Emergency Overhaul

Winston Churchill in the aftermath of World War II said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” A crisis shouldn’t always be immediately resolved. When you find yourself in crisis, you may also find yourself more willing to change. During a crisis, you may be more willing to examine all parts of your life and, finally, call out that bad habit or catapult yourself into a habit shift.

Let the crisis make you feel uncomfortable and ask yourself Why am I uncomfortable? What caused the crisis? and What can I do to prevent a similar crisis in the future? The key is to be honest when answering these questions and evaluating the situation. It may also be helpful to bring someone in whom you trust to help you take stock during the crisis.