Knowing the key structure of habits (what they are and how they work) will make it so much easier to create new healthy habits and shift away from old unhealthy ones.
Watch the full episode below or continue reading….
According to the latest research, every habit consists of three parts; a cue, a routine, and a reward also known as the Habit Loop. (I touched on this a little in Episode 16 on Habit Stacking…watch that one here if you missed it)
The cue is a trigger that tells your brain which habit to use.
The routine is the action taken following the cue and is often done automatically without thinking.
The routine is followed by a reward that tells your brain that this action is worth remembering.
For example let’s look at the simple habit of brushing our teeth. You don’t often have to put much thought into it, it just happens. The cue can be several things (feeling the ‘fuzz’ on your teeth, or finishing a meal). The routine is the act of brushing your teeth and the reward is smooth teeth and fresh breath. The more you go through this loop the more ingrained and automatic the habit becomes.
Another example of a habit loop is the evening snacking routine I got into when my kids were little.
I’d put the kids to bed after a long day (that was the CUE). Then I’d come downstairs and crave something sweet. I’d grab a piece of chocolate from the pantry and eat it as my husband and I chilled out on the couch watching TV (that was the ROUTINE). The reward was the sweetness of the chocolate and the feeling of ‘treating’ myself after a long day.
This habit loop can be applied to every habit we have. Once you are aware of this loop, and start to recognize the pieces (cues, routines, and rewards) you are halfway to changing it.
This also is proof that it is extremely difficult to quit a habit.
Habit Change
It takes an enormous amount of strength and willpower to resist a cue altogether. Often so much willpower that at some point we give up and revert to the old unhealthy routine to receive the reward.
Well my podcast is called Willpower Not Required for a reason. By understanding the habit loop, we can change habits without requiring willpower.
We either change the cue or the routine but (and here is the key) the reward needs to remain.
In my case of the evening chocolate habit, the cue of putting the kids to bed remained (obviously). However I had to find a healthier routine that would provide the same reward (unwinding on the couch with a sweet treat). The new routine had to provide the same reward or I would not be motivated to keep it up. For me, I couldn’t switch the act of eating chocolate in front of the TV for a bubble bath. While a bubble bath is relaxing, it just doesn’t provide the same reward that the chocolate did.
What I did was switch out the chocolate for a pot of Bengal Spice Tea.
The cue remained the same (putting the kids to bed after a long day). My routine changed to brewing a pot of tea and drinking it on the couch while I chilled out watching TV. The reward remained the same (the natural sweetness of the tea satisfied the craving).
In the beginning, when I was working on this habit, it took a little work to not revert to chocolate instead of tea. I had to make sure the chocolate was removed from the pantry, so it didn’t tempt me. And I always had to have a full stash of tea. Over time it became easier and easier and before I knew it the habit was changed!
Uncovering the cravings and rewards we seek that drive our behaviours can be challenging. Lasting change does require a little work, self-discovery and understanding.
So take a look at those New Year’s Resolutions. What habits need to be created or changed in order to achieve them?
1.Create New Habits
Identify the keystone habit (watch episode 81 here to learn more) and break that habit up into its parts – the cue, the routine and the reward.
What will ‘cue’ you to perform that healthy routine and what will the reward be that pulls you to keep that routine up over time.
OR
2.Break Old Unhealthy Habits
Take that unhealthy habit that you’ve already established, identify the cue and switch out the routine for something that not only moves you closer to achieving your goals but also gives you that short term win or reward.
Remember it’s the little habits that you do each day, not the big sweeping changes, that lead to lasting change.
Use the habit loop, the keystone habit and habit stacking to help you create new healthy habits that will allow you to finally achieve those New Year’s Resolutions – willpower not required.
Are you looking for more tips to keep you motivated and on track to reach your goals, willpower not required? Listen to the podcast! Episodes are uploaded every Monday, Wednesday & Friday and are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and RadioPublic
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