#habits

#habits

First, it is wired to conserve energy. When the brain detects repetition, it builds automated shortcut circuits-habits-that allow us to act with minimal effort or conscious thought. Once a habit forms, it is stored in a more automatic part of the brain. A simple trigger can then launch an entire behavioral sequence with very little energy-much like clicking a shortcut on a computer. This is not a flaw. It is an extraordinary efficiency feature.

Are there people you wish you could be more like? You have goals, such as to speak up more, to stop and breathe when you get angry, or to listen with more curiosity before declaring your opinion. You set these self-improvement goals and then find reasons for not changing now, or you simply forget them. Your desire to transform is real, but your brain is sabotaging your goals.

It sells us the idea that joy and celebration are a must; yet for many, it can also be a season of amplified loneliness, grief, and interpersonal conflict. It intensifies the pressure to consume, yet still gives us the possibility of being creative and sustainable in our giving and receiving. It offers us the opportunity for new beginnings, as much as it can remind us of how difficult it is to change, even when we want to.

My father was a Marine during WWII. He was a tough taskmaster in the home and always insisted we be awake and dressed by 8:30 a.m. on weekends, weekdays without school, and during the summer (unless we were legitimately sick). While a bit harsh at times, I've kept this habit as I've aged. It gets you up and moving, productive and prepared in case someone pops by or a service tech is expected. I schedule all my appointments as early as possible. The end of the day is another story. Bring on the soft pants and relaxation!

I have no idea how to make myself do things in the consistent, reliable way that others seem to: work out, get dressed, cook a veg bowl, book appointments. On rare days, I miraculously do them all. Most others, I thumb screens, nap relentlessly and eat neon-colored snacks covered in sugar and salt. After seven years of freelance life, it's gotten dire.

Our mental system constantly generates expectations about what will happen next, including what we ourselves are likely to do, think, or feel. These expectations are often outside of awareness, but they quietly shape our behavior: We tend to act, think, and feel in ways that fit our expectations. As a result, the system becomes self-reinforcing: When our expectations are confirmed, they grow stronger, making the predicted behavior feel even more natural next time.

Why are bad habits so hard to break? Neuroscientist Carl Hart, PhD, journalist Charles Duhigg, and psychologist Adam Alter, PhD explain how your brain wires habits as cue-routine-reward loops that control nearly half of your daily life. They show why willpower alone rarely works, why technology fuels new forms of addiction, and why habits can only be replaced, not erased.

"That's not true. Life is unfair. Things happen to you that you don't deserve," Robbins told us.

I am a creature of habit and of comfort. This is not to say I'm an unadventurous eater; I'll give almost anything a try, so long as it doesn't include goat cheese or Brazil nuts. (The former is a taste thing, the latter a nonsensical allergy.) Left to my own devices, however, I return again and again to the things I know and love: my favorite feel-good movies, the same local coffee shop, the same old hotels in the same old cities.

The lab rats initially struggled in the maze, wandering aimlessly until they learned to navigate quickly to the chocolate, demonstrating the process of learning through repetition.

Your morning routine isn't the secret weapon you think it is-if your night before looked like chaos, doom-scrolling, and falling asleep in a burrito of laundry.

Your habits aren't just what you do. They're who you become. Every action is a vote for the type of person you want to be.

The Pavlok bracelet gives users a penalty of a 350-volt electric shock every time they step out of line. It works for a wide range of nasty habits including smoking, sleeping in, spending too much time on the internet and even sleeping in.

Building an accessibility culture requires small, consistent habits that integrate deeply into organizational processes, rather than solely focusing on achieving final goals.