Have you ever wondered why after planning and building up a ‘reinventing my life’ plan that it just dies off by March? It does not have anything to do with the planning or the wanted results of the goals rather it is akin to the method to execute the plan that allows it to succeed in the long run, on how you tackle adding new positive habits in your life. Referencing the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear to give you some direction for this upcoming year.
Basic of Habits
Every habit can be broken down into four parts. It begins with a cue which causes a craving, eliciting a response that results in a reward. Firstly, the cue is any piece of information that predicts a reward which triggers a behaviour within us. Secondly, the craving is a motivation or desire to change something. Then, the response is the actual action or habit to perform. Lastly, the reward is the end goal. Each step is necessary when carrying out a habit. An example this would be:
| Cue | Craving | Response | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening assignment document | Energy and focused | Grabbing energy drink or coffee | Temporary alertness |
Over time, grabbing a caffeinated drink becomes the default response to starting an assignment. Which to some people, may be a bad habit they are trying to break.
How to make good habits
Based on that understanding of habits, we can make a new habit by altering each step.
- Make it Obvious
Habits are more likely to stick when the cue is clear and hard to ignore. When it is visible, it is less likely to forget to do the habit. For example, if the goal is to read 10 pages of a book everyday, placing the book by your bedside table (somewhere you will see everyday) makes the habit noticed at the moment it should occur. Another effective strategy is habit stacking. It involved following a new habit after a current habit. It will be useful to say “After I brush my teeth [current habit], I will floss [new habit]”. By using a familiar routine as the cue, the brain will recognise a pattern making the new habit done instinctively over time.
- Make it attractive
Habits also become easier to maintain when they have a strong craving to satisfy. When the habit feels appealing, it is easier to choose it consistently. One easy way is to join a culture where the habit is a norm. For example, in a book club where reading two books a month is expected, reading becomes a shared activity rather than an impossible new habit. Creating a motivation ritual is another tactic that signals the brain to prepare for action. Athletes often stretch before a sports game, and by the end of the warm-up (even if they weren’t ready before it) their body and mind are in ‘game mode’. In the same way, associating a habit with positive emotions or routines makes it more desirable, increasing the likelihood of a habit being repeated.
- Make it easy
When the required response feels simple and achievable, the habit has a higher chance of sustaining. When a habit demands too much effort, the brain resists starting it, even if the goal is meaningful. David Allen, a productivity expert, came up with the 2 minute rule. It states that when forming a new habit it should take less than 2 minutes to complete. For example, instead of checking emails, it should be to read subject lines first. Or instead of doing math practice worksheets, doing 1 question instead. By creating a ‘gateway habit’ first and eventually building it up, it lowers the barrier for starting. Another method is by priming your environment so the action requires minimal effort. Going to a gym that is on the way to school requires less work than travelling out of the way. Even though it may only cost you 5 extra minutes to walk further, even that can be enough to discourage the habit.
- Make it satisfying
Because people are wired to prefer immediate satisfaction over delayed satisfaction, it is important for habits to feel rewarding in the moment. Many good habits offer long-term benefits over delayed outcomes which explains why bad habits often persist. Bad habits often have immediate outcomes that feel good, even though their long- term consequences are harmful. To counter this, it is important to attach an immediate reward to positive behaviours. For example, washing hands with a pleasant- smelling soap makes the habit more enjoyable. Or transferring twenty dollars into savings each time you skip buying yourself coffee gives instant gratification and visible progress. Lastly, it is important to avoid an all or nothing mindset. James Clear, states to never miss twice. Missing once may be an outlier and doesn’t ruin your progress but by missing twice it is the start of a new bad pattern.
With this information, it can help you to plan for a more successful year in positive habit building to turn your life around with tried-and-true methods to make 2026 a year of happenings. Even if the process is never smooth-sailing all the way if you keep at it surely a good helpful habit would be built up.
Written by: Caelyn Tan & Grace Lim
Edited by: Sarah
