Habits are routines practiced regularly. 40% of your actions are not conscious decisions but habits.

A 3-step loop is the process of a habit.

Cue is any trigger that tells your brain when and which habit to use. (The traffic light turns green.)
Routine is an activity, emotion, or behavior. (You drive through the intersection.)
Reward is how your brain determines if a loop is beneficial to you or not. (You get closer to your destination.)

You need to know this process to change a habit or create a new one. There are 5 cues to trigger a new habit.

Time factor – In the morning, I take a shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, and eat breakfast.
The location - Every time I am at the gym, I use the same location for my warm-up.
The preceding event/occasion - Before having dinner each night, I first think of one thing that I was grateful for during that day.
The emotional state - When I realize I am stressed, I use the emotional state to trigger a habit of breathing deeply (3-1-5 x 5).
People around you - I am normally not a drinker, but each time I spend time with my friends I have a drink or two.

What habit do you want to change? Do you know what the cue is that starts it?

Self-awareness is critical to the change process.

Sources: The World Counts, Brain Speak, and Charles Duhigg who wrote The Power of Habit

#habits #leadership #changemanagement #humanresources #changeyourlife