Name: Making Habits, Breaking Habits
Rating: 4.1 (570 reviews)
Author: Jeremy Dean

What’s in it for me? Take control of your habits – both good and bad.

No matter how straightedge or in-control you think you are, your life is dominated by habits. The thing is, these habits can be good! They can be part of your morning routine, or constitute your mannerisms during conversations. Such habits should be celebrated, or even fostered, like when you want to start cooking more at home, or reading more.

However, not all habits are good. Many people know they should quit smoking or maybe lose a few pounds, but they don't think about quitting their more invisible habits, that is, their negative thought habits. These habits can be very dangerous.

These blinks start at the very beginning by explaining what habits really are, and then explain how you can take control of your habits and transform your life for the better.

In these blinks, you’ll discover

why your family always sits in a certain order at dinner;
how to make happy habits; and
what merely trying to quit smoking does to your self-control.

Habits are repeated behaviors with little to no conscious intention.

What happens when someone throws a ball to you? In all likelihood, you catch it before you consciously realize what’s going on. This is a habit – an action repeated so frequently that it’s done unconsciously.

This first aspect of a habit involves automaticity, that is, not being aware of the execution of a given action, such as flicking on a light while entering a room.

Also, since repetition decreases enthusiasm, the act of performing habits is emotionless.

Consider your morning routine: Does it conjure up strong emotions for you? Or imagine looking out upon a mountain range for hours from your office window every single day. It’s wonderful and breathtaking at first, but, over time, the pleasure of seeing it greatly decreases.

In addition to automaticity, context also defines habits because of the associations you form between your surroundings and your behavior. Remember what it was like to be a student? The freedom of almost zero obligations and the beers you enjoyed with your friends? You may well connect the pleasures of socializing with the habit of drinking alcohol because of these early experiences, so now every time you socialize, you want to drink a beer.

But how are habits actually formed? Take a look at the following:

First, intentions create habits. For example, you want to have healthy, white teeth, so you start brushing them regularly.

Another way habits are formed is through explaining random past behavior by adding an intention later on. Say you always sit in the same place in your friend’s kitchen because it was the only free spot when you first visited her. Now, however, you tell yourself it’s your favorite place because the light is just right and the chair is comfy.

Finally, you can combine both the intention and explanation behind your habits. Perhaps you started biking to work because you were dieting, but you continue doing it because you enjoy being out in the fresh air.

Habits are omnipresent, and when they’re bad, they can be very bad.

What habits play a role in your life? Perhaps dieting and smoking spring to mind. But our lives are actually full of many different habits.

A minimum of one-third of our waking life is powered by our unconscious, where we operate on auto-pilot, not fully cognizant of what we’re doing while we’re doing it. It’s not surprising, then, to find you have many more habits than you might think.

Breaking habits is hard but you can do it.

Nearly all of us have bad habits we want to kick. Perhaps we’re overweight or want to rid ourselves of nicotine addiction. For many of us, though, it’s hard to change.

One survey, conducted in the 1980s, at the University of Scranton, found that out of 213 people, 60 percent weren’t able to stick to their New Year's resolutions. So what can we do to break free of these habits?

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