5 myths that hinder us to form good habits

Only 8%Just 8% of People Achieve Their New Year's Resolutions. Here's How They Do It people manage to execute their own New Year's resolutions. Although it gives them approximately every second. To change for the better - to lose weight, start to engage in sports or in self - it is important to create new healthy habits or get rid of old and harmful. This is not always easy. Partly because of the work around the habits there are many misconceptions that make the task even more difficult. We understand with some of them.

1. The habit is formed 21 days

You probably have heard this statement. For the first time it was made back in the 60's in the book Maxwell Moltz "Psihokibernetika". Later this idea rastirazhirovali psychologists, experts in personal growth and in general all and sundry. You may come across the book "A world without complaints"In which the author Will Bowen suggested that three weeks without criticism, complaints and whining to radically change the world and human life.

The idea of ​​21 days sounds very tempting and inspiring: less than a month you can become a different person - a productive and successful, play sports and read for an hour a day.

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But according to research for sustainable form a new habit or get rid of old requiredHow are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world from 18 to 254 days. For example, the habit of doing sports is formedExercise habit formation in new gym members: a longitudinal study after six weeks of regular training. Sounds are not so optimistic. But it is better to know this than illusions.

2. Forming new habits - a matter of discipline and willpower

Willpower at all give too much importance. Ostensibly simply tighten and force yourself some time to do exercises or do without sweets - and everything will turn out. Not able to get? Well, then you limp rag, he is guilty.

In fact, the habit just need to do without willpower. After all strength of will - exhaustibleWhat Is Ego Depletion? resource. It's like a muscle that does not get to swing endlessly on it one will not go far.

To achieve success, you need to create a so-called loopHacking Habits: How To Make New Behaviors Last For Good habits, which consists of a trigger action and reward pattern. For example, you hear the alarm clock, get up out of bed, drink a glass of water - a trigger point in time or event that reminds you of your task.

Then perform a certain sequence of actions: put on sweat pants, spreads a mat doing yoga. After necessarily get a reward - feeling of lightness throughout the body, a good mood, the joy of victory over oneself, a tick in the diary, a delicious cup of tea or coffee.

Reward - perhaps the most important element in the formation of habits.

That it helps to deceive the dopamine system, to make her believe that morning exercise or memorization foreign words - this is a very nice and easy and should, of course, to repeat it often. Be sure to think about what may be your reward: praise yourself, pamper the amenities and small gifts, looking at each task is something that brings pleasure.

Combine hard case with those that give joy: for example, activated during jogging podcast or audiobook. Lead Tracker habits: ticking or brushing cells on the calendar - it is also a kind of reward.

3. Applications and services to help shape the habits

Another attractive idea which is actively exploiting the creators of all kinds, often paid services. Download the app, follow the instructions, including thousands napominalok - and you are good habits, successful and happy life.

Alas, programs and services themselves do not helpWearable Devices as Facilitators, Not Drivers, of Health Behavior Change develop habits. And many even prevented. For example, in gaming applications that make work on a MMORPG in similarity with earning points and competition between the parties, you risk to spend all the time that could be paid to sports, reading or foreign languages.

And yet researchers have foundBeyond Self-tracking and remindersThat reminders that are in each of the first application to work with the habits in the long run just let their formation.

4. Missed day - all is lost

Surely you have heard this theory. Repeat some action is important every day, with no gaps. And if you interrupt the chain at least once, all the previous achievements are impaired and need to start again. It sounds very harsh and not very motivating. Therefore, many, missed just once jogging or an English lesson, upset, come to the conclusion that to no avail, and quit their jobs over habits.

And very much in vain. The regularity is very important - and for the habits and skills. When we repeat something all the time, then helpActivity-Dependent Neural Plasticity from Bench to Bedside to form neuronal connections, so that every time a new action will be given easier. And yes, for the purity of the experiment, after missing all the checkboxes that you put down in the tracker habits are reset, and counting begins anew days.

But this does not mean that all efforts in vain.

Your brain is still all started to change, to absorb new knowledge, learn previously unknown skills. Knowledge, experience and neuronal connections will not disappear in a day or two. On the same say researchers who foundHow are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real worldThat the one-time pass did not interfere with the formation of good habits.

5. The main thing - to change yourself

There is about the same as that with willpower. We think the key to change lies only in our behavior. Change it - for example, you will start to get up early and cook porridge - change and habit.

At the same time we are completely ignoring the role of the environment, and it is also quite significant.

Get at least a healthy breakfast: You can blame themselves for something that does not have enough enthusiasm to cook porridge in the morning, and it is possible to analyze what is actually a catch. Maybe you do not like oatmeal - then you should consider other options wholesome breakfast or make sure that the house has always been nuts and fruits that will make porridge tastier.

Or maybe you do not like to stand at the stove in the morning. Then it is necessary to buy or do multivarku "lazy oatmeal"The evening: pour cereal fermented baked milk or yogurt, add and leave overnight fruits and berries. It is the same with the sport: it is possible, you will be easier to go for a jog, if you buy the beautiful shoes and you will be in the evening to cook their own clothes. In short, you should not rely solely on their own discipline - be sure to take care of that, to work on habits was nice and comfortable.