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صنع العادات كسر العادات : لماذا نفعل أموراً ولانفعل أموراً أخرى وكيف نجعل أي تغيير يدوم
ما مقدار الوقت الذي يتطلبه الأمر لتشكيل عادة جديدة؟ تخيل أنك تريد الذهاب إلى صالى الألعاب الرياضية بانتظام أو تعلم لغة جديدة أو اكتساب أصدقاء جدد أو ممارسة العزف على آلة موسيقية أو استخدام وقت عملك بصورة أكثر إنتاجية.
فما مقدار الوقت الذ يجب أن يستغرقه الأمر قبل أن تصبح هذه الأمور جزءاً من روتينك بدلاً من شيء يجب أن تجبر نفسك على فعله؟
توجد الإجابات غير المتوقعة في هذا الكتاب، الذي يعد فحصاً كاشفاً أجراه أحد علماء النفس بخصوص واحدة من أكثر عمليات المخ فاعلية. فاعتماداً على أحدث الأبحاث، يشرح جيرمي دين كيف أن تشكيل عادات سهلة على ما يبدو، مثل تناول تفاحة واحدة كل يوم، قد يتضح أنه أمر صعب، وكيفية تولي مسئولية الطيار الآلي الموجود في مخك لجعل أي تغيير يدوم.
هذا الكتاب الذكي، والجذاب، والمثير، والعملي، يظهر كيف يعد السلوك أكثر من مجرد منتج لما تفكر فيه. فمن الممكن أن تشكل العادات وفقاً لإرداتك - وتصبح أكثر سعادة، وإبداعاً، وإنتاجية.
فما مقدار الوقت الذ يجب أن يستغرقه الأمر قبل أن تصبح هذه الأمور جزءاً من روتينك بدلاً من شيء يجب أن تجبر نفسك على فعله؟
توجد الإجابات غير المتوقعة في هذا الكتاب، الذي يعد فحصاً كاشفاً أجراه أحد علماء النفس بخصوص واحدة من أكثر عمليات المخ فاعلية. فاعتماداً على أحدث الأبحاث، يشرح جيرمي دين كيف أن تشكيل عادات سهلة على ما يبدو، مثل تناول تفاحة واحدة كل يوم، قد يتضح أنه أمر صعب، وكيفية تولي مسئولية الطيار الآلي الموجود في مخك لجعل أي تغيير يدوم.
هذا الكتاب الذكي، والجذاب، والمثير، والعملي، يظهر كيف يعد السلوك أكثر من مجرد منتج لما تفكر فيه. فمن الممكن أن تشكل العادات وفقاً لإرداتك - وتصبح أكثر سعادة، وإبداعاً، وإنتاجية.
262 pages, Paperback
First published December 25, 2012
277 people are currently reading
6090 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Dean
3 books29 followersJeremy Dean has two advanced degrees in psychology and is currently a psychology researcher at University College London. He is author of the acclaimed website 'PsyBlog', which describes scientific research into how the mind works.
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November 29, 2015
Things I learned, with my notes in parenthesis:
Habits are often formed not from intention, but from sheer repetition of the first coincidental occurrence, for instance driving a specific route. (Just another reason to be intentional in every action we do, especially new ones.)
Friendships are mostly activity-based, not attitude-based. Therefore, your habits create your social circles and the extent of your socializing. (So join some clubs and get some friends!)
Habits are contextual. (So to break a habit, take yourself out of that context. For instance, want to replace your Starbucks latte with a smoothie? Take a different route to work and stop by the smoothie cafe.)
Habits can take up to 50% of our daily life. (So, they're a serious force to be reckoned with in your life. Control your habits and half of your day is set.)
The first step to changing a habit is noticing what your currently doing.
Since habits are contextual, the best way to create a new habit is to create an if-then intention—if I reach an elevator, I will take the stairs. Another way to create a new habit is to link it to a regular event, say arriving at work, or lunchtime. Or, link it to another habit that's already ingrained.
Coping planning—identify scenarios where you will be tempted to abandon your new habit and plan your behavior now.
Research shows that rewards do not work in creating a new habit. A habit should be performed for its intrinsic value for the best sticking power.
To get rid of existing bad habits, thought suppression works initially, but will eventually make it harder to break the habit, since it constantly reminds you of the thing you're trying to avoid, for instance smoking.
The best way to break an old habit is to replace it with a new one, mapping the old situations you performed that habit to the new habit.
Ways to make your new habit stick:
- pre-commitment: make plans or restrictions for your future self, for instance leaving a game console at a friend's (to reduce gaming) or signing up for an exercise class
- think positive: think about the reasons and benefits for changing and the positives of your new habit
- self-affirmations: thinking about your good traits has been scientifically shown to increase levels of willpower, even if the traits have nothing to do the new habit
- change the situation that cued the original habit
- environmental cues: like notes or moving the alarm click out of reach
Creativity is the escape from habitual ways of thinking. (thinking outside the box.)
Creativity can be increased by:
- introducing constraints.
- spending time pondering the problem ahead of time
- cutting out details and replacing with general words, images or concepts in order to see the larger problem
- create spatial or temporal distance from the problem to get in a different frame of mind
Happiness habits, such as a favorite hobby or gratitude journal, can lose their effect over time, since we adapt quickly to new emotional changes or new life situations. A solution is variety within that habit, for instance a new biking route, or doing the habit at different times or days.
Savoring is an important way to fight happiness numbness. Ways to savor:
- show you emotion
- celebrate achievements with others
- being present in the moment
- positive mental time travel
Other ways to produce happiness:
- committing acts of kindness
- working out how to use personal strengths
Some happiness habits can lead to new experiences and open new potential. Some lead to dead ends and merely become habitual. The trick is figure out which is which.
Habits are often formed not from intention, but from sheer repetition of the first coincidental occurrence, for instance driving a specific route. (Just another reason to be intentional in every action we do, especially new ones.)
Friendships are mostly activity-based, not attitude-based. Therefore, your habits create your social circles and the extent of your socializing. (So join some clubs and get some friends!)
Habits are contextual. (So to break a habit, take yourself out of that context. For instance, want to replace your Starbucks latte with a smoothie? Take a different route to work and stop by the smoothie cafe.)
Habits can take up to 50% of our daily life. (So, they're a serious force to be reckoned with in your life. Control your habits and half of your day is set.)
The first step to changing a habit is noticing what your currently doing.
Since habits are contextual, the best way to create a new habit is to create an if-then intention—if I reach an elevator, I will take the stairs. Another way to create a new habit is to link it to a regular event, say arriving at work, or lunchtime. Or, link it to another habit that's already ingrained.
Coping planning—identify scenarios where you will be tempted to abandon your new habit and plan your behavior now.
Research shows that rewards do not work in creating a new habit. A habit should be performed for its intrinsic value for the best sticking power.
To get rid of existing bad habits, thought suppression works initially, but will eventually make it harder to break the habit, since it constantly reminds you of the thing you're trying to avoid, for instance smoking.
The best way to break an old habit is to replace it with a new one, mapping the old situations you performed that habit to the new habit.
Ways to make your new habit stick:
- pre-commitment: make plans or restrictions for your future self, for instance leaving a game console at a friend's (to reduce gaming) or signing up for an exercise class
- think positive: think about the reasons and benefits for changing and the positives of your new habit
- self-affirmations: thinking about your good traits has been scientifically shown to increase levels of willpower, even if the traits have nothing to do the new habit
- change the situation that cued the original habit
- environmental cues: like notes or moving the alarm click out of reach
Creativity is the escape from habitual ways of thinking. (thinking outside the box.)
Creativity can be increased by:
- introducing constraints.
- spending time pondering the problem ahead of time
- cutting out details and replacing with general words, images or concepts in order to see the larger problem
- create spatial or temporal distance from the problem to get in a different frame of mind
Happiness habits, such as a favorite hobby or gratitude journal, can lose their effect over time, since we adapt quickly to new emotional changes or new life situations. A solution is variety within that habit, for instance a new biking route, or doing the habit at different times or days.
Savoring is an important way to fight happiness numbness. Ways to savor:
- show you emotion
- celebrate achievements with others
- being present in the moment
- positive mental time travel
Other ways to produce happiness:
- committing acts of kindness
- working out how to use personal strengths
Some happiness habits can lead to new experiences and open new potential. Some lead to dead ends and merely become habitual. The trick is figure out which is which.
October 16, 2015
Every once in a while you come across a book that changes your life. This is one of those books.
It calmly and clearly lays out what research says about habits and then systematically explains how to incorporate this research into improving your life. I found several gems that I immediately incorporated into how I operate.
In particular the section about recognizing what cues will prompt you to break your habit and creating "if...then..." statements that prepare yourself to respond to that cue in a way that supports your desired change. Instantly useful for me!
What I most appreciated was the tone. That is captured in this quote; "“The true aim of personal change is to turn our minds away from miracle cures and quick fixes, and adopt a long-term strategy. Habit change isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The right mindset is to wake up tomorrow almost exactly the same person, except for one small change—a small change that you can replicate every day until you don’t notice it anymore, at which point it’s time to plan another small change . . .”
There are excellent chapters on a variety of habits that research indicates people find rewarding such as, creativity, eating better, exercising. He references "The How of Happiness" in the happiness chapter, which is an astoundingly helpful and well written book as well.
There is an excellent chapter on depressive thinking habits. Yes depression is heavily based on habitual thinking. It was so clear and precise that I typed out notes to help myself internalize it. They are below.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their lives, and understanding how to realistically plan and carry out that process.
- There is a very consistent process to depressive thinking habits.
- It is much more efficient to replace a depressing thought or obsessive action with a different thought or action. Just trying to stop has a very low success ratio. Instead replace.
- Negative thought loops take specific events and extrapolate them into the following conclusions:
- This is all my fault
- It will never get better
- I can’t do anything about it
- These kinds of thoughts are exactly what I want to be aware of as soon as they arise. They can be replaced.
- Stuff happens sometimes. It’s one of those things.
- This is only temporary
- I can learn from this
- Rumination on problems is strongly linked with insanity.
- Overthinking patterns - illusion of fixing but not really going anywhere
- Black and White thinking: If I’m not perfect, I’m a failure. Thinking of all the things I’ve done wrong and ruminating on how I should’ve done better.
- Personalization: Bad things that happen are all my fault. Thinking of all the ways I made poor decisions that led to this point.
- Catastrophizing: Little evidence to draw huge conclusions about self value or ability. I always do this wrong. I’ll never get things right. Etc.
- Talking rationally to the self is a good technique to combat rumination. Are these thoughts realistic? Are they helpful?
- Decide how to take action to make improve the sitatution and set the action in motion. Action removes the rumination.
It calmly and clearly lays out what research says about habits and then systematically explains how to incorporate this research into improving your life. I found several gems that I immediately incorporated into how I operate.
In particular the section about recognizing what cues will prompt you to break your habit and creating "if...then..." statements that prepare yourself to respond to that cue in a way that supports your desired change. Instantly useful for me!
What I most appreciated was the tone. That is captured in this quote; "“The true aim of personal change is to turn our minds away from miracle cures and quick fixes, and adopt a long-term strategy. Habit change isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The right mindset is to wake up tomorrow almost exactly the same person, except for one small change—a small change that you can replicate every day until you don’t notice it anymore, at which point it’s time to plan another small change . . .”
There are excellent chapters on a variety of habits that research indicates people find rewarding such as, creativity, eating better, exercising. He references "The How of Happiness" in the happiness chapter, which is an astoundingly helpful and well written book as well.
There is an excellent chapter on depressive thinking habits. Yes depression is heavily based on habitual thinking. It was so clear and precise that I typed out notes to help myself internalize it. They are below.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their lives, and understanding how to realistically plan and carry out that process.
- There is a very consistent process to depressive thinking habits.
- It is much more efficient to replace a depressing thought or obsessive action with a different thought or action. Just trying to stop has a very low success ratio. Instead replace.
- Negative thought loops take specific events and extrapolate them into the following conclusions:
- This is all my fault
- It will never get better
- I can’t do anything about it
- These kinds of thoughts are exactly what I want to be aware of as soon as they arise. They can be replaced.
- Stuff happens sometimes. It’s one of those things.
- This is only temporary
- I can learn from this
- Rumination on problems is strongly linked with insanity.
- Overthinking patterns - illusion of fixing but not really going anywhere
- Black and White thinking: If I’m not perfect, I’m a failure. Thinking of all the things I’ve done wrong and ruminating on how I should’ve done better.
- Personalization: Bad things that happen are all my fault. Thinking of all the ways I made poor decisions that led to this point.
- Catastrophizing: Little evidence to draw huge conclusions about self value or ability. I always do this wrong. I’ll never get things right. Etc.
- Talking rationally to the self is a good technique to combat rumination. Are these thoughts realistic? Are they helpful?
- Decide how to take action to make improve the sitatution and set the action in motion. Action removes the rumination.
November 24, 2018
Jeremy Dean é inglês, formou-se direito, mas a sua paixão foi sempre a psicologia, o funcionamento da mente humana, terminou o terceiro doutoramento em Psicologia na University College London. Fundou um blog o PsyBlog que lhe valeu o prémio MERLOT Award por excelência como plataforma pedagógica.
Porque fazemos o que fazemos é um livro que aborda os hábitos humano, como surgem os hábitos, como reage a nossa mente à formação dos hábitos, porque é que é tão difícil acabar com um hábito enraizado, como criar hábitos e hábitos criativos.
Ao longo do livro o autor fundamenta as suas palavras na investigação em psicologia. É certo que tudo o que nos vai transmitindo não é nada que nós já não saibamos, ou seja, tudo o que está dito não é mais do que senso comum, nós já o sentimos no dia a dia. Todos nos habituamos a fazer determinadas ações, ou por necessidade ou por prazer. Umas simplesmente porque herdamos dos nossos progenitores, outras porque nos dão prazer executá-las. Já sabemos isso, não necessitamos de investigação para nos provar isso mesmo.
O livro traz inúmeros exemplos de erros humanos cometidos devido à força do hábito, isto é, erros humanos cometidos pelo homem, devido à tendência que a nossa mente tem para automatizar as ações e muitas vezes não se apercebe de pequenas alterações que nos obrigam a pensar e refletir antes de agir. Alguém que conduz centenas ou milhares de vezes pela mesma estrada tem tendência a “não ver” pormenores que um condutor que passa pela primeira vez naquela estrada vê. E isto acontece com frequência.
A nossa mente automatiza as nossas ações quotidianas o que nos leva a agir por impulso, sem reflexão do que estamos a fazer.
Porque fazemos o que fazemos é um livro que aborda os hábitos humano, como surgem os hábitos, como reage a nossa mente à formação dos hábitos, porque é que é tão difícil acabar com um hábito enraizado, como criar hábitos e hábitos criativos.
Ao longo do livro o autor fundamenta as suas palavras na investigação em psicologia. É certo que tudo o que nos vai transmitindo não é nada que nós já não saibamos, ou seja, tudo o que está dito não é mais do que senso comum, nós já o sentimos no dia a dia. Todos nos habituamos a fazer determinadas ações, ou por necessidade ou por prazer. Umas simplesmente porque herdamos dos nossos progenitores, outras porque nos dão prazer executá-las. Já sabemos isso, não necessitamos de investigação para nos provar isso mesmo.
O livro traz inúmeros exemplos de erros humanos cometidos devido à força do hábito, isto é, erros humanos cometidos pelo homem, devido à tendência que a nossa mente tem para automatizar as ações e muitas vezes não se apercebe de pequenas alterações que nos obrigam a pensar e refletir antes de agir. Alguém que conduz centenas ou milhares de vezes pela mesma estrada tem tendência a “não ver” pormenores que um condutor que passa pela primeira vez naquela estrada vê. E isto acontece com frequência.
A nossa mente automatiza as nossas ações quotidianas o que nos leva a agir por impulso, sem reflexão do que estamos a fazer.
May 28, 2014
This was an interesting book. Written by a psychologist, it looks at how people form and reshape habits, without the rose-colored glasses of a self-help book. By not sugar coating the truth about how the human mind actually works while carrying out habitual activities, and how difficult it is to create new habits and get disentangled from old ones, it gives you information you can actually use instead of platitudes and feel-good advice that won't work.
In addition, it's always interesting to hear about how the mind works. This book is well worth a read for anyone who enjoys books habitually (see what I did there?)
In addition, it's always interesting to hear about how the mind works. This book is well worth a read for anyone who enjoys books habitually (see what I did there?)
November 24, 2014
I'm getting a little tired of books that tell you why you do bad things but don't tell you how not to do those things, and I have absolutely no patience for books that do the opposite. This book is a nice combination of both of those. Does that make any sense? No? Ok.
January 18, 2021
I always enjoy reading about habits and this was no exception. A great mythbuster about the old 21 days to creating new habits. Sorry, all! It taken much longer then that.
March 5, 2013
The author of this book, Jeremy Dean, is a psychologist which would make you think that this would be very scientific and theoretical, written in language to confuse the lay person. But that is not the case. Although this is a well-referenced book, backed up by a multitude of studies, it is also a very well-written, thoughtfully-constructed book which is not dry in the slightest. Sprinkled with witticisms it brings a smile to your face when you recognise the situations he is describing.
Dean explains what a habit is, how they form, what benefits (healthier lifestyle) and problems (addiction) they can result in. He also tries to explain in plain English how we can all try to break bad habits and form new ones. He highlights a few strategies that can help (backed up by studies of course) but doesn’t overpower you with the science behind them.
Overall this is a very interesting book. It will appeal to scientists and lay people alike. There is plenty of background that can be investigated if you want, or just enjoy his easy writing style.
If this is your sort of book, then check out Jeremy Dean’s psyblog on www.psyblog.co.uk. It is full of psychological studies and is written in the same witty style.
Dean explains what a habit is, how they form, what benefits (healthier lifestyle) and problems (addiction) they can result in. He also tries to explain in plain English how we can all try to break bad habits and form new ones. He highlights a few strategies that can help (backed up by studies of course) but doesn’t overpower you with the science behind them.
Overall this is a very interesting book. It will appeal to scientists and lay people alike. There is plenty of background that can be investigated if you want, or just enjoy his easy writing style.
If this is your sort of book, then check out Jeremy Dean’s psyblog on www.psyblog.co.uk. It is full of psychological studies and is written in the same witty style.
May 10, 2013
In a word- Yes! This book has all of the latest research and delivers it in a useful way. I think it's a good follower for Willpower Instinct and Now Habit. It makes MasterMind:How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes look really bad. It's less technical than Duhigg's Power of Habit and way less annoying than coach Meg on Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life.
December 3, 2013
Not particularly well written. A better editor could have helped smooth out a number of instances of odd sentence structure and word choices (and no, this criticism is not due to the author being British). The same ground was much better covered in the book The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It.
December 28, 2013
Solid information presented clearly. I especially liked the bits about smartphones, Twitter, and Facebook. In my own life, I have some concerns about my behaviour around these things. The images of rat pressing levers for random, unpredictable rewards resonated in my own rodent-like brain. I also like how Dean presented some strategies for keeping habitual behaviours fresh, and how planning can be helpful. I hope I can put some of these tricks to work and stop pressing the Facebook treat lever obsessively.
September 21, 2020
This is a very readable overview to the current thinking. There is nothing novel here, but it seems very sound and agrees with other accounts I have read. I love that it is not a motivational book. The sections on how to make changes stick are slim, but they are really all you need.
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May 31, 2022Making Habits, Breaking Habits (2013) provides an overview of exactly what habits are and how we form them. Using this knowledge, it reveals how to create healthy habits and tackle the bad ones so that we can experience lasting, positive change in our everyday lives.
The main evidence-backed time frame for habit breaking comes from 2009 research , which suggests it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days. This study looked at 96 adults who wanted to change one specific behavior. One person formed a new habit in just 18 days, but the other participants needed more time.
If you’ve ever wondered why you do the things you do or wished you knew the secret to quickly and effectively revamping your habits, this is the book for you! Making Habits, Breaking Habits (2013) unlocks the science behind the daily habits which control our lives and how they’re formed. Through this critical exploration, Jeremy Dean sheds new light on our choices, revealing our tendency to become habit zombies and offering empowering suggestions for breaking the cycle through the conscious formation of healthy habits.
The main evidence-backed time frame for habit breaking comes from 2009 research , which suggests it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days. This study looked at 96 adults who wanted to change one specific behavior. One person formed a new habit in just 18 days, but the other participants needed more time.
If you’ve ever wondered why you do the things you do or wished you knew the secret to quickly and effectively revamping your habits, this is the book for you! Making Habits, Breaking Habits (2013) unlocks the science behind the daily habits which control our lives and how they’re formed. Through this critical exploration, Jeremy Dean sheds new light on our choices, revealing our tendency to become habit zombies and offering empowering suggestions for breaking the cycle through the conscious formation of healthy habits.
January 23, 2018
not really what I thought this book was going to be but informative nonetheless
full review to come
full review to come
May 31, 2017
I enjoyed reading about the research done to learn about habits. Some of the advice in this book is common advice we've all heard before, but their is a lot of good tips in this book.
April 11, 2019
There were enough interesting studies about habits to keep going but the book bogged down in parts. The last third of the book had practical advice but I don't think i learned anything life changing that I will use to affect my own habits.
May 3, 2021
The Concept of "WOOP" ,i.e, (Wish,Outcome, Obstacle,Plan) is the main highlight of this book... overall its a good book...
August 15, 2019
Meh self-help book. Ok science / phycology article review book.
June 13, 2021
استفدت كثيرا حول بناء العادات. يستحسن إعادة قراءته و أخد النقاط.
July 19, 2018
Making habits, Breaking habits
"WOOP" exercise: Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan:
Write down your wish: the habit you want to achieve; then the best Outcome of your habit; then, the Obstacle(s) you are likely to face. Finally, you make a specific type of Plan called an implementation intention.
Implementation intention (If-then link):
Instead of saying "I want to to be fitter/I want to be kinder", say: "If I'm about to get in the car for a short trip, then I should walk" or "If I see someone struggling with a stroller, then I will offer them help". This links a particular situation with a response, an action. Once this connection is automatic, we'll have a new habit. The implementation intention has to work for you and for the situations you find yourself in. They will almost certainly require some fine-tuning.
"if"
the situation or trigger for your action. Shouldn't be too specific and shouldn't be to vague. Don't choose a time of day because you'll have to be clock-watching e.g. I'll go for a run at 8 pm. It's far better to use an event. Events are much more likely to work because they don't rely on our memories, which are notoriously unreliable. Researchers have found that the best cue for a new habit is something that happens every day at a regular time.
While setting specific times to perform habits is not recommended, it's important to think about how a new habit will slot into your daily routine. Think about how large portions of your day are habits linked together in chains. What you want to do is add a new link in the chain where there is an open slot. You are looking for a time when you've just finished one regular habit and you're casting around for the next activity. Look through your daily habits for an activity that forms the last link in a chain; then consider adding your new habit on here.
"then"
Should be specific. The simpler it is, the easier it will be to carry out. You can also specify more complicated actions, as long as those tasks themselves are automated. E.g. driving is complicated but for experienced drivers it's so automated that it counts as simple task.
It doesn't have to be just one action. For example, you can give yourself the option of different forms of exercise. "If it's after breakfast and there is time, then I will go for a run or ride my bike". Giving yourself choices might improve your performance.
You can use "if-then" to shield yourself from the vagaries of Everyday moods, fears and temptations.
"If i feel scared of the dance class, then i will remember that everyone is beginner and scared of looking stupid"
"If I feel too tired to practice piano after work, then will first listen to some inspirational music to help motivate me"
After that keep repeating the habit. On average it might take up to 66 days or even more to form the new habit depending on a lot of factors.
Dissatisfaction is a real killer for a new habit. You can get support from a friend and involve them in your habit change.
You can also use implementation intention: ask how are you going to cope with dissatisfaction. You should address the reason for your dissatisfaction (e.g. lack of progress, motivation, tiredness...). It should be directed at what you are feeling and should give you a way to get back on track. Can address perceived lack of progress by trying to think optimistically about how far you've come rather than focusing on how far there is to go. Mental tiredness and motivation can be addressed by using music.
Monitor the self during the day. Be aware of how your new habit is developing. Would it be better to perform at different times of the day or in a different way? What types of temptations do you feel to skip the new habit. Noticing problems or ways of improving and acting on them can all lead to a habit that's easier to practice.
Mindfulness
Increase your conscious awareness of what you are doing right now. The exact opposite of our experience while performing a habit. You observe your own thoughts but you are trying to be generous to them whether they make you feel good or bad. Almost everything can be done mindfully. Practice brushing your teeth mindfully, surfing the net mindfully, even watching sports mindfully. If you can manage this every now and then throughout the day, you'll soon start to notice habits of thought and behavior, some good and some bad. Thus, what you want to change, and why, will become more obvious.
"WOOP" exercise: Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan:
Write down your wish: the habit you want to achieve; then the best Outcome of your habit; then, the Obstacle(s) you are likely to face. Finally, you make a specific type of Plan called an implementation intention.
Implementation intention (If-then link):
Instead of saying "I want to to be fitter/I want to be kinder", say: "If I'm about to get in the car for a short trip, then I should walk" or "If I see someone struggling with a stroller, then I will offer them help". This links a particular situation with a response, an action. Once this connection is automatic, we'll have a new habit. The implementation intention has to work for you and for the situations you find yourself in. They will almost certainly require some fine-tuning.
"if"
the situation or trigger for your action. Shouldn't be too specific and shouldn't be to vague. Don't choose a time of day because you'll have to be clock-watching e.g. I'll go for a run at 8 pm. It's far better to use an event. Events are much more likely to work because they don't rely on our memories, which are notoriously unreliable. Researchers have found that the best cue for a new habit is something that happens every day at a regular time.
While setting specific times to perform habits is not recommended, it's important to think about how a new habit will slot into your daily routine. Think about how large portions of your day are habits linked together in chains. What you want to do is add a new link in the chain where there is an open slot. You are looking for a time when you've just finished one regular habit and you're casting around for the next activity. Look through your daily habits for an activity that forms the last link in a chain; then consider adding your new habit on here.
"then"
Should be specific. The simpler it is, the easier it will be to carry out. You can also specify more complicated actions, as long as those tasks themselves are automated. E.g. driving is complicated but for experienced drivers it's so automated that it counts as simple task.
It doesn't have to be just one action. For example, you can give yourself the option of different forms of exercise. "If it's after breakfast and there is time, then I will go for a run or ride my bike". Giving yourself choices might improve your performance.
You can use "if-then" to shield yourself from the vagaries of Everyday moods, fears and temptations.
"If i feel scared of the dance class, then i will remember that everyone is beginner and scared of looking stupid"
"If I feel too tired to practice piano after work, then will first listen to some inspirational music to help motivate me"
After that keep repeating the habit. On average it might take up to 66 days or even more to form the new habit depending on a lot of factors.
Dissatisfaction is a real killer for a new habit. You can get support from a friend and involve them in your habit change.
You can also use implementation intention: ask how are you going to cope with dissatisfaction. You should address the reason for your dissatisfaction (e.g. lack of progress, motivation, tiredness...). It should be directed at what you are feeling and should give you a way to get back on track. Can address perceived lack of progress by trying to think optimistically about how far you've come rather than focusing on how far there is to go. Mental tiredness and motivation can be addressed by using music.
Monitor the self during the day. Be aware of how your new habit is developing. Would it be better to perform at different times of the day or in a different way? What types of temptations do you feel to skip the new habit. Noticing problems or ways of improving and acting on them can all lead to a habit that's easier to practice.
Mindfulness
Increase your conscious awareness of what you are doing right now. The exact opposite of our experience while performing a habit. You observe your own thoughts but you are trying to be generous to them whether they make you feel good or bad. Almost everything can be done mindfully. Practice brushing your teeth mindfully, surfing the net mindfully, even watching sports mindfully. If you can manage this every now and then throughout the day, you'll soon start to notice habits of thought and behavior, some good and some bad. Thus, what you want to change, and why, will become more obvious.
February 27, 2014
The first two-thirds of the book has a lot of the usual behavioural economics/psychology descriptions of experiments and explanations of why we behave the way we do. If you're completely new to the subject, then it's petty interesting and the author has a readable blog-style of writing.
The last third of the book is the most useful as the author gets more specific about what we can do to break habits and also to create new ones, He points out the common pitfalls and suggests ways that we can avoid these pitfalls. I have personally tried his suggestions (because I've across them elsewhere) and I have found that a number of them have worked for me so I would recommend the methods to others too. Things like visualising the success of the end goal but visualising the problems and issues that would prevent success from happening (partly linked to being a long term optimist and short term pessimist).
A decent book though I wonder how many people would only read it for entertainment rather than put any of the suggestions into practice. The book's breezy style lends itself to be quickly read and forgotten.
The last third of the book is the most useful as the author gets more specific about what we can do to break habits and also to create new ones, He points out the common pitfalls and suggests ways that we can avoid these pitfalls. I have personally tried his suggestions (because I've across them elsewhere) and I have found that a number of them have worked for me so I would recommend the methods to others too. Things like visualising the success of the end goal but visualising the problems and issues that would prevent success from happening (partly linked to being a long term optimist and short term pessimist).
A decent book though I wonder how many people would only read it for entertainment rather than put any of the suggestions into practice. The book's breezy style lends itself to be quickly read and forgotten.
August 19, 2016
This is a pop-science book on how brains work in regards to habits. Interesting at points, but also if you want to use it to learn concrete steps you should to take to give you a better chance of implementing new habits, you better get a pad and paper out.
I don't know what the in-print book looks like, the the audiobook doesn't give you the impression that the print version is organized in a bullet point format, or in that is easy for browsing and ear-marking helpful points, once you've read the thing all the way through the first time.
I definitely recommend using a highlighter if you are reading the paper version, or listening in a place where you can take notes, not in the car or on the subway or something. Yes, I got the general gist of the book, but it's a bit less helpful on audio.
I don't know what the in-print book looks like, the the audiobook doesn't give you the impression that the print version is organized in a bullet point format, or in that is easy for browsing and ear-marking helpful points, once you've read the thing all the way through the first time.
I definitely recommend using a highlighter if you are reading the paper version, or listening in a place where you can take notes, not in the car or on the subway or something. Yes, I got the general gist of the book, but it's a bit less helpful on audio.
May 24, 2014
Was hoping for some hard science on how the brain works when it comes to habits, but unfortunately it was just a lot of repetitive information describing numerous types of habits. I think most of us know when we have a habit that is bad or good I didn't feel like I needed chapter after chapter explaining it to me. Also the author seemed a bit condesending or shaming on the subject of certain habits without giving any personal stories or proof that he himself had ever really tried to break or form a habit. This book was not very well written and often felt repetitive and wordy without having very much actual information about how to curb habits or form them.
August 15, 2017
The book was good. It gives some practical ideas that are backed up by science regarding how to start habits or discontinue habits. However, as interesting as the book was, I always seem to find that books of this sort are too long and this one was no exception. My advice would be to read the chapters that interest you and skip the ones that don't.
January 19, 2013
It read like a truly scientific, reputable psychology book. That is to say, it's a little slow, and actionable takeaways are buried under test results. I was able to create a habit changing action plan that I'm confident in, but it required a lot of work on my part to get there.
dnf
January 19, 2021easy to understand but the writing leaves a lot to be desired. reading passages out loud to my partner i realized it felt like reading a college essay paper, lacking personality, humor, or style unfortunately. some nuggets of interesting info but i couldn't get through it.
February 15, 2023
If you want to learn about all the research done in the domain of making and breaking habits, this is your book. If you are looking to actually make and break habits from a practical stand point, look elsewhere. :)
January 16, 2014
3+ stars.
Very good overview of current habit research. Would have benefited from better book design to call out the actual actions to take, and also from more examples and stories.
Very good overview of current habit research. Would have benefited from better book design to call out the actual actions to take, and also from more examples and stories.
July 29, 2018
I honestly don't remember what I read so I guess it wasn't that good lol.
October 27, 2019
Repackaged research. Just view the original papers and draw your own conclusions, very little original content.
May 30, 2022
As the title, "Making Habits, Breaking Habits" by Jeremy Dean suggests, this book centers around what goes into the creation of our habits and how one may hope to discontinue these behaviors if they are no longer benefiting them.
Habits are defined as repetitive behaviors we complete automatically with little to no conscious effort.
The topic of making/breaking habits seems a bit cliché and done to death, so I was surprised at all the new research, information, and perspective I was able to glean from his writing.
The basics of successful habit formation are essentially the following:
1. Identify your motivation
-Think: what is your ultimate goal?
-Write your desired habit down, along with the best possible outcome, and the obstacles you are likely to face.
2. Set your “implementation Intention”
-Write down “If X, then Y” statements.
-Ex. “If I wake up, I will immediately put on my exercise clothes”
-Keep the statements about things you WILL do, rather than will NOT do (Additive thinking is better than subtractive thinking. )
-The author points out that the Ironic processes theory implies the more you try to NOT think about something, the more you think about it. Therefore, thought suppression does not work. The emphasis is on thought redirection and new habit formation.
3. Repeat the action
-Repetition leads to automatization! This is key.
-Building a habit can be visualized as a dome-like trajectory where the greatest gains are made in the early stages of its development.
-Try “coping planning” (anticipating obstacles and preemptively thinking of
solutions)
-Ex. Of “coping planning” for starting a healthy habit with an obstacle of laziness is: “If I feel too lazy to exercise, I will read a list of my reasons to be fit” or "If I feel like having a snack, then I will have almonds".
-The author highlights the "partial reinforcement extinction effect" in which you continue repeating the same action, even without a reward, simply because you get used to doing it unrewarded (Ex. Checking email every few minutes despite no new emails). Rewarded or unrewarded, repetition is key!
4. Make the habit as enjoyable as possible, so that you’ll want to stick with it
-Dean writes that dissatisfaction is a real "killer for a new habit" and implementation intentions can help combat dissatisfaction. An example of this is that if you anticipate becoming dissatisfied with your progress, or lack thereof, you can set an implementation intention to focus on the progress you have made.
I think the most valuable takeaway for me was Dean's suggestions of coping and implementation planning. Coping planning involves preemptively making plans for when we are inevitably confronted with temptation. Temptations act on our basic desires and are, therefore, sometimes hard to resist. If you plan for these temptations you can prepare to fight them off. How do you spot these tempting old habits? Through vigilant monitoring. Dean challenges readers that "if you can recognize it, you can change it".
Old habits don't go away, but they can be redirected. It is important to remember when trying to develop new habits that outshine old ones, that willpower is like a muscle. Exerting self-control zaps your energy. Self-control is a limited resource and therefore plan ahead by making hard decisions when your self-control is at a high. The more one practices self-control, the stronger this "muscle" will get. Recall the example Dean gives of a study involving Radish eaters vs. chocolate eaters. Radish eaters had less patience with a challenging task, presumably due to exerting so much effort resisting chocolate.
“The true aim of personal change is to turn our minds away from miracle cures and quick fixes, and adopt a long-term strategy. Habit change isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The right mindset is to wake up tomorrow almost exactly the same person, except for one small change—a small change that you can replicate every day until you don’t notice it anymore, at which point it’s time to plan another small change”
“Families that have established good, predictable routines tend to be happier, with both parents and children being better adjusted.”
“The true aim of personal change is to turn our minds away from miracle cures and quick fixes, and adopt a long-term strategy. Habit change isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The right mindset is to wake up tomorrow almost exactly the same person, except for one small change—a small change that you can replicate every day until you don’t notice it anymore, at which point it’s time to plan another small change . . .”
“Three characteristics have emerged: firstly, we perform habits automatically without much conscious deliberation. Secondly, habitual behaviors provoke little emotional response by themselves. Thirdly, habits are strongly rooted in the situations in which they occur.”
Habits are defined as repetitive behaviors we complete automatically with little to no conscious effort.
The topic of making/breaking habits seems a bit cliché and done to death, so I was surprised at all the new research, information, and perspective I was able to glean from his writing.
The basics of successful habit formation are essentially the following:
1. Identify your motivation
-Think: what is your ultimate goal?
-Write your desired habit down, along with the best possible outcome, and the obstacles you are likely to face.
2. Set your “implementation Intention”
-Write down “If X, then Y” statements.
-Ex. “If I wake up, I will immediately put on my exercise clothes”
-Keep the statements about things you WILL do, rather than will NOT do (Additive thinking is better than subtractive thinking. )
-The author points out that the Ironic processes theory implies the more you try to NOT think about something, the more you think about it. Therefore, thought suppression does not work. The emphasis is on thought redirection and new habit formation.
3. Repeat the action
-Repetition leads to automatization! This is key.
-Building a habit can be visualized as a dome-like trajectory where the greatest gains are made in the early stages of its development.
-Try “coping planning” (anticipating obstacles and preemptively thinking of
solutions)
-Ex. Of “coping planning” for starting a healthy habit with an obstacle of laziness is: “If I feel too lazy to exercise, I will read a list of my reasons to be fit” or "If I feel like having a snack, then I will have almonds".
-The author highlights the "partial reinforcement extinction effect" in which you continue repeating the same action, even without a reward, simply because you get used to doing it unrewarded (Ex. Checking email every few minutes despite no new emails). Rewarded or unrewarded, repetition is key!
4. Make the habit as enjoyable as possible, so that you’ll want to stick with it
-Dean writes that dissatisfaction is a real "killer for a new habit" and implementation intentions can help combat dissatisfaction. An example of this is that if you anticipate becoming dissatisfied with your progress, or lack thereof, you can set an implementation intention to focus on the progress you have made.
I think the most valuable takeaway for me was Dean's suggestions of coping and implementation planning. Coping planning involves preemptively making plans for when we are inevitably confronted with temptation. Temptations act on our basic desires and are, therefore, sometimes hard to resist. If you plan for these temptations you can prepare to fight them off. How do you spot these tempting old habits? Through vigilant monitoring. Dean challenges readers that "if you can recognize it, you can change it".
Old habits don't go away, but they can be redirected. It is important to remember when trying to develop new habits that outshine old ones, that willpower is like a muscle. Exerting self-control zaps your energy. Self-control is a limited resource and therefore plan ahead by making hard decisions when your self-control is at a high. The more one practices self-control, the stronger this "muscle" will get. Recall the example Dean gives of a study involving Radish eaters vs. chocolate eaters. Radish eaters had less patience with a challenging task, presumably due to exerting so much effort resisting chocolate.
“The true aim of personal change is to turn our minds away from miracle cures and quick fixes, and adopt a long-term strategy. Habit change isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The right mindset is to wake up tomorrow almost exactly the same person, except for one small change—a small change that you can replicate every day until you don’t notice it anymore, at which point it’s time to plan another small change”
“Families that have established good, predictable routines tend to be happier, with both parents and children being better adjusted.”
“The true aim of personal change is to turn our minds away from miracle cures and quick fixes, and adopt a long-term strategy. Habit change isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The right mindset is to wake up tomorrow almost exactly the same person, except for one small change—a small change that you can replicate every day until you don’t notice it anymore, at which point it’s time to plan another small change . . .”
“Three characteristics have emerged: firstly, we perform habits automatically without much conscious deliberation. Secondly, habitual behaviors provoke little emotional response by themselves. Thirdly, habits are strongly rooted in the situations in which they occur.”
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