For good and bad, habits are the invisible architecture of daily life. Research suggests that about 40 percent of our behavior is repeated almost daily, and mostly in the same context. (p.7)
Better than Before, by Gretchen Rubin
The Power of Habit
I’ve finished reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and it was fascinating. There used to be a time in my life when I would have thought of habits as dry and boring. The opposite of habit would have been carefree, spontaneous, and fun to my younger self.
Nowadays though, I’m painfully aware of the internal and external chaos that can fill ones life when there is a lack of order to ones day. I’m also joyfully aware of the peace that can come from carefully choosing good habits that make our lives richer.
Cue – Routine – Reward
Our lives are full of habits – both good and bad. This book breaks down the science behind habits. It is full of the stories behind all of the research. Essentially – there is a three-step loop behind every habit:
This process within our brains is a three-step loop. First, there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use. Then there is the routine, which can be physical or mental or emotional. Finally, there is a reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering or the future:
Over time, this loop – cue, routine, reward; cue, routine, reward – becomes more and more automatic. The cue and reward become intertwined until a powerful sense of anticipation and craving emerges.
When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision-making. It stops working so hard, or diverts focus to other tasks. So unless you deliberately fight a habit – unless you find new routines – the pattern will unfold automatically. (p. 19)
Examples of movement cues
As I read the book, I was thinking through my own cues – routines – rewards related to healthy movement. These were habits that I didn’t necessarily consciously choose to make a habit, but they have become healthy habits that keep me moving.
My established cues and routines are: Work, Stairs, Wednesdays
- Everyday I am scheduled to work, I automatically put on my tennis shoes and walk to and from work. Each way is about 1.5 miles so I can fit in 3 miles each day that I work.
- When I’m at work and I need to go up or down floors, I take the stairs. I’ve made this a non-negotiable, as Gretchen Rubin writes a lot about. I started by making going down the stairs a non-negotiable, then gradually added going up at least once a day. Now, every time I need to go up or down, I take the stairs.
- Every Wednesday I go to yoga. My workplace has free yoga classes every Wednesday. I love yoga, but haven’t necessarily found a studio or class I love in particular. This yoga class is convenient and free so now it’s become a habit.
My established rewards to the above cues and routines:
- I wrote before about 3 reasons why I love my Fitbit. At the time, I didn’t realize that the Fitbit acts to reinforce the healthy habit of movement. I can monitor how active I am, and it gives me the reward of the vibrations and lights when I hit 10,000 daily steps.
- When I take the stairs, I allow myself to take them slowly and will scroll through my Facebook feed or read an article. I know, I know, I should be more mindful of safety – but it really does make the stairs go by quickly.
- The peace that I feel after yoga is the reward itself. The intentional deep breathing and movement, as well as the last pose – savasana, or corpse pose – when you lie still on your mat are all rewards for attending.
What kind of cues-routines-rewards habit loops do you already have? How can you look for daily cues to add in daily movement?
I exercise 30 minutes a day, and have kept it up for several months now. I have a complicated set of rules for what happens when I miss a day, which my husband thinks are hysterical. However, I know that if I skip a day or two, I’m well on the way to stopping exercising – as has happened many times before.
That’s great Christy – it sounds like exercise is an engrained habit in your day. It really is true that if you stop – it’s so much harder to start up again. I’m intrigued by your rules for what happens when you skip a day!
Super helpful! I really need to develop habits of exercise in my day too. Thinking of what cues I can introduce is a great tip.
I’m so glad it was helpful Lisa! It’s a great book and an easy read if you’re looking for another book!
Perfect timing! I’m enjoying my laid-back postnatal healing time, but I’m also ready to establish some healthy movement habits, too. I love the cues-routines-rewards concept!
Hey Abby! I remember that postnatal time and not having any regular habits! I hope it helps you find some cues in your baby filled days. Enjoy those laid back days mama!
I loved The Power of Habit – this is a great reminder for me to revisit it! Have you read Gretchen Ruben’s Better than Before? I saw you mentioned her name – if you haven’t read this book of hers, definitely add it to your list!
I haven’t successfully formed a habit loop for exercise. Even though I’m generally a disciplined person, this is one I’ve struggled with! My mom is gifting us a treadmill next month, so I’m going to make walking in the evenings part of my weekly routine.
Duh, just saw your link to the book at the top of your post – for some reasons my eyes skimmed right over that the first time 😉
No worries! Thanks for reading and commenting Pia!
Hi Pia! Yes I really enjoyed Rubins book – especially about the four tendencies. That sounds like a great gift that will make moving in the evenings a lot more convenient – just tie it to a daily cue!
This is fascinating. I agree -the Fitbit does reinforce getting up and moving. If I’m at my desk all day and look down & have less than 2K steps, it motivates me to get up & move around. Thanks for linking with #overthemoon
HI Cathy! It’s so hard to get those steps in when you’re working from home isn’t it? I’ve made it a cue to go for a run or a walk on days when I’m home all day- that seems to help!
What a great post! I couldn’t agree more! Singing my song!
Another tip: I stretch my neck at red lights and stand on one leg (balance training) while brushing my teeth…. Just little ways to incorporate helpful things in our routine… 😉
I am a new visitor to your blog– very nice!
Hi Kimberly! Thanks for visiting. I love that tip about standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. I’m going to try to implement that!
I need to do better getting back into my morning routine/habits after vacation. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday Linkup last week. Pinning to our linkup board and hope you join us again this weekend.
Hi Tanya! I agree that it’s hard to maintain a routine when you’re on vacation – and harder still to get back on the wagon after your vacation. We’re going on vacation in about a week and I’m SO looking forward to it! 🙂
Great tips! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday. 🙂
Thanks Dee!
Making daily movement a daily habit has been a real challenge for me. I am very busy working at a computer for many hours a day plus I am a caregiver and a wife, so I find that I often make plausible excuses for not exercising. although I know I should. This is still one of my greatest goals! Thanks for sharing this helpful post. I am featuring it on this week’s Healthy Living Link Party and pinning it too!
Thanks Deborah! Days when I’m at the computer at home are the most challenging for me as well. It takes a lot of intentionality on those days to get above 2,000 steps!