Forming good habits: 3 Simple Steps

Bad habits do appear, but require good effort. Ironically, the successful formation of good habits we are only three steps.

Imagine a very productive person, whose life is full of good habits. On Wednesdays after lunch (if there is no work involving all hands at work), he plays tennis or floats. He always comes to the office by 8:30, politely thanked the people for any help, and before you start writing the text always makes a plan. He reread the message before sending, checking them for stupid mistakes, always backs up important documents on receipt and after work on them. And in his schedule there are days when he goes through all the files.

Many believe that such are born, not made. No one comes to mind even learn something from productive people - we only admire them!

But the acquisition of habits is actually natural for any human being. Just under the influence of socio-cultural factors, the formation of habits has become something of a mediocre and uninteresting. Sometimes the word "habit" even gets an unpleasant connotation, meaning something very boring. It instantly draws a person in front of us in the house slippers, sitting by the fire, puffing a pipe, always read the same newspapers, and in the same time incorporating

From the success in the formation of habits, we are only three steps.

First: Be a better opinion about the habits

Do not take the habit of closing the prison door or the triumph of mediocrity over individuality. Some habits are negligible, it is true. But the fact that unusual things for you become ordinary, and therefore simple and easy, can not be bad. Ideally habits are effective if by themselves are beneficial to you.

Second, assign a time

English Romantic poet William Wordsworth wrote often about the beauty of the moon.

Look how the sky the moon
Floats - a happy lot,
And often it is hidden
From the dark look of death,
But will scatter the clouds -
And once again shines the face!

Translated by BUT. miller

He firmly believed that other people are imbued with his impressions and the next time, walking at night in the street, raise your eyes and maybe look at the moon. However, Wordsworth could not get us to look at the moon all the time, because it does not aim to shape our habit of doing this. Our interest in the beauty of the night luminary - a simple coincidence and fleeting impulse.

In contrast, the Japanese ritual of admiring the moon, called Tsukimi, held at certain dates: the 15th day of the eighth month, and 13th day of the ninth month of the solar calendar. You do not need to wait for the right mood or the occasion when the eyes will fall on the book of poems about the moon. All this will take care of the calendar, and you somehow look at the night sky to admire the moon.

This approach seems to be less romantic, but it is more consistent with the needs of human nature. To do important things, people usually need and tips reminders.

If random events will occur regularly enough, they will become a habit. After six weeks or so, the need to look at the calendar disappears, and every time to repeat everything necessary to put less effort. Our behavior becomes more natural and automatic.

Third: Take responsibility

Ultimately habits become second nature: we can easily repeat certain actions and did not think about it. However, achieving this level of automaticity requires effort. We need to overcome internal resistance: force yourself to get up early or to work without being distracted by the Internet. At such times, the temptation to give yourself some slack.

The role of the permanent control and responsibility in the formation of habits has long been used in the military. At first, you are reluctant to Iron-on transfer trousers and hope that you will go away with not highly polished shoes, but is always someone who will check it. However, the test does not last forever, because most people learn a lesson and change their behavior. After years of service, they continue to wear trousers with a perfect arrows and sparkling clean shoes.

Simple responsibility to someone else gives us the necessary motivation to stick to the plans in those moments when we are ready to give up. And that means we have more chances to still develop the habit.

Process habit formation It looks a little strange, but that's okay. This is evidence that we are leaving in the past wrong, but very common idea of ​​how to get my affairs in order. In a world where unproductive considered the norm to become a productive person, should be used, even such methods, which at first sight seem strange.