After a wonderful nudge from my intelligent and driven friend, Elisabeth, I find myself returning to my blog after an excessively long absence. I am currently reading Charles Duhigg’s book, ‘The Power of Habit’ which visits how habits are formed (both on a personal and professional level) as well as how we as individuals can alter those habits and ultimately improve their lifestyle. Duhigg, an investigative business reporter for the New York Times, really digs into the scientific side of how our brains are hard-wired and with that understanding gives readers insight into how to harness the science and emerge with new (ideally more positive) habits. The anecdotal references and real-life stories help to create a deeper look into the science behind many of the theories presented.
The cyclical, loop-like nature of habits means that often times people will continue performing the same task until they either reach a breaking-point or find the ability to consciously enact change. I (and many others) operate mostly on auto-pilot – I wake up every morning, do the same series of events to get ready, and hop on the same train to work. The rest of my days is largely similar and adorned with thousands of daily habits. Many of these habits ensure that I do my job effectively (and thus don’t get fired) and exercise well (and thus don’t gain a 100 lbs) but other habits may have counter-productive end results.
As Duhigg reads, “The Golden Rule of Habit Change: You can’t extinguish a bad habit, you can only change it.” The snack room at my office is plentiful – one could say beyond plentiful. When I want a break from my computer and demanding clients, I often find myself scooting over the kitchen for a social break and inevitably end up grabbing a few M&M’s or some trail mix. I am usually not hungry, I am simply operating on a habit cycle. In the past week, I have attempted to change that habit by having tea or a glass of water in place of the unnecessary sugar I was previously consuming.
My biggest takeaway thus far is the following: the first step to modifying your behavior is simply noting and acknowledging that behavior. It sounds simple but as depicted by Duhigg, it is not. The book is chock full of inspirational stories and impactful life changes people have made – it brings (at least a bit of) sense to both my everyday life as a 24-year old and many of the practices going on in my work environment.
I will end with a final quote from the book – “Good leaders seize crisis to remake organizational habits.” Sometimes a major life change seems daunting and overwhelming but can lead to radical and positive change!
