Our environment has a huge influence on our actions. It’s the universal cue that we’ve become desensitized to, because it’s always there, like the taste of water, or the smell of air. We’ve forgotten the desires that our environment triggers. Realizing this, we have to reform our environments to constantly serve our good habits, and never… Read More »Adjusting the Environment in Anticipation of Future Actions
Articles
Ever find yourself not motivated to engage in the habit you know you should be doing? Try temptation bundling. It’s putting two habits together – one of which you already like doing (i.e. watching Netflix), and another habit you should be doing (i.e. exercising). You can do this in two ways: either by performing the two habits at… Read More »Temptation Bundling – Taking Advantage of Activities You Like to Do
Temptation Bundling – Taking Advantage of Activities You Like to Do
Guilty after an unproductive day? Start your day off right by setting a productive tone for yourself. First, begin with a positive routine without putting things off. Second, follow through on your tasks by setting reasonable checkpoints. And third, try not to insert too many rewards after you finish a habit. Instead, hold onto your momentum by habit stacking – after completing every habit, immediately complete another habit, and… Read More »Tips on Establishing a Productive Morning Routine
Tips on Establishing a Productive Morning Routine
Do you find it challenging to get started on a habit? Motivation rituals are simple behaviours you can do before your habit that will motivate you to complete your intended habit. It must be an easy action and you must do it consistently. The simplicity of the action will ensure that you… Read More »Motivation Rituals – A Substitute for Natural Motivation
Motivation Rituals – A Substitute for Natural Motivation
What if you see a friend or another loved one struggling with their habits? Receiving the right support can be difficult, as well as giving it. However, there are many ways to lend your support to someone without hurting them or harming your relationship. A strategy in helping your friend or loved one feel supported… Read More »How to Help Someone Struggling with Bad Habits
How to Help Someone Struggling with Bad Habits
What are the consequences of your everyday actions? We make decisions all the time that have great effects on our health and habits without even realizing it. Should you eat that banana or the chocolate bar? Whenever you choose to take a particular course of action, it is easy to choose based on the immediate consequences. But remember to also consider the… Read More »Decisive Moments – The Value of Our Actions
Decisive Moments – The Value of Our Actions
When we think about treatments for mental illness, our minds tend to drift towards biomedical approaches and other conventional methods. However, expressive and creative writing has been long utilized as a complimentary treatment towards medical conditions such as clinical depression. It can include personal journaling, poetry, fiction, autobiographies, and memoirs. Writing may not be a “cure-all”, but it can certainly help alleviate symptoms and serve… Read More »The Benefits of Expressive and Creative Writing
The Benefits of Expressive and Creative Writing
Are you able to think about the exact way you brushed your teeth this morning? Like most of us, your answer is probably no. This is because your habits are repeated so frequently that they become automatic – which is the true goal of forming a habit. To make your habits automatic, take advantage of what… Read More »Automating Habits
Automating Habits
What kind of challenges do you run into while trying to form new habits? Staying organized, prepared, realistic, and having a good environment are all common challenges in the journey for habit formation. Remember the 3 Rs (reminders, routines, rewards), implementation intention, the Goldilocks rule, and the Paperclip strategy to fight against each of them. There are… Read More »Four Barriers of Habit Formation & Tips for Overcoming them
Four Barriers of Habit Formation & Tips for Overcoming them
Have you ever taken a week off from your habit and felt that it was too challenging to continue? Try the one-day off rule! The one-day off rule is exactly what it sounds like – taking a day off but never missing a habit twice in a row. Maintaining a habit routine is understanding life’s unpredictability. By adopting the… Read More »The One-Day Off Rule