I am listening to Atomic Habits. I really like it so far. It has me thinking a lot about the good habits I’ve created, and the good habits I have never been able to stick to, despite numerous attempts over many years. It also has me thinking about the myriad bad habits I would like to break.
I really like how the book frames habits, not as necessarily good or bad but just the answers we found for problems over the years. I was lucky enough to realize many years ago (my sophomore year of college) that I needed to exercise regularly to manage my depression and anxiety. I had a problem (a tendency to be depressed and anxious) and I found a solution (if I exercised I felt less depressed and anxious). Since then I have exercised 3-4 a week, except due to injury or illness. I am very lucky that I made the connection between exercise and improved mental health. If not, I would probably not make exercising the priority it is today.*
I also must have made a lot of other decent habits, because I made it into a competitive university, graduated, got a teaching credential and a job, then got a graduate degree. I also managed to find someone who was willing to marry me and have kids.
But there are so many good habits I still want to create. I want to make it a habit to pick up around the house every night for 5-10 minutes. At this point I think the best way to do that would be what the author calls “habit stacking” (plan to pick up the house for 5-10 minutes before brushing my teeth – which I do every night). I could also tell myself that I can’t do another thing I want to do until I have picked up the house. I think setting an alarm on my phone for the first week would help me with this, especially since I’m not eating after 7pm so I’ve been brushing my teeth early to ensure I won’t eat again (there are few things I hate more than having to re-brush my teeth). I wonder how many weeks with the alarm I’ll have to complete before this becomes a habit? Hopefully the reward of having a neater house will motivate me. It would be even better if I could remember to have the kids help too, before they brush their teeth but that feels like a much loftier goal at this point.
At the beginning of the book the author talks about 1% gains and how over time they add up to something incredibly significant. I am definitely someone who wants to see improvement, and the idea of striving for 1% gains feels difficult for me. But I also know that I am very motivated to maintain something I have achieved (another reason I am so good about maintaining my exercise regimen despite my busy schedule – I don’t want to lose the definition it’s taken me years to achieve). I don’t know why keeping the house neat is a habit I’ve never been able to maintain – probably because organizing my stuff is especially challenging to me and I’m lacking some of the skills that would make this habit easier to implement. But if I work on it every day maybe I’ll make some head way.
I could write a whole post about the many “bad” habits I want to break, but not today. 😉
What is one habit you are happy to have? Do you have any new habits you hope to form?
I am not sure it is a habit or not but I made a conscious decision at a young age to become vegetarian. It has done more beneficially for my health than any other decision I have ever had and at this point I just am, no thought required. I used to make exercising a better habit than I do now. Currently it is low on my priority list and I need to move it up. I am a much HAPPIER person when I exercise regularly.
Thank you so much for this post about habits and for the reminder of their neutrality and also that we form habits for reasons and sometimes re-evalutating the current need makes sense.
Habits in last 12 months: I get more gas when my car drops to 3/4 full. With PG&E fires and now possible blackouts I may need, without notice, to drive several hours to have power/be safe. Used to keep it 1/2 full.
Last 6 months: When use clicker to lock car when leaving it in public I check to ensure the doors actually locked. I never leave my garage door opening clicker in my car when parking in public. (Local police advice.)
In last month: I park my single car in a 2car garage with an automatic opener. I generally used to parked in the middle. I now carefully park to one side or other so at all times I can access the manual opener cord.
I am interested to read that book. The wait list for it at my local public library is ridiculously long.
Like you, I figure I must have made some decent habits over the years, as I’ve been able to complete both a bachelors degree and a law degree, several years apart, and remain employed in various professional positions over the years. I’ve also been able to manage marriage and parenthood and be reasonably successful (so far) in those endeavors.
One habit I’m happy to have: I am pretty good about talking time to decompress, in whatever form that is. I have a lot of habits I would like to form, and I’m currently working on one of them, which is regular exercise.
Ooh, I thought of a very good habit I have that I didn’t mention: I am diligent about keeping to roughly the same sleep/wake schedule nearly all the time and ensuring that I get 7.5-8 hours of sleep per night.
One habit that I’m glad I have is exercising at least 4x a week. It isn’t easy to juggle but so necessary as you said, mental health definitely is better when I keep it up. I wish I had a more consistent meditation practice.
I would also say exercise. It used to be more for the sport I competed in and also to stay in shape, but over the last few years I have really realized how important it is to my mental health and relieving stress. And it also helps keep me in shape and allows me to eat without starving…
New habit: I wish I could be more disciplined about going to bed earlier. I was very good at going to bed early when I had my babies since sleep was at a premium, and even after they were sleeping through the night I kept it up for a while since I had gone without for so long. But I’ve slipped into the bad habit of staying up later than I should. The current news cycle—really the past 3 years – – has not helped.