Opinion: The power of habit
Understand the science behind it and employ strategies like small wins and consistency to build positive daily routines
By Viiveck Verma
Cultivating constructive daily habits is an emerging concept within a society filled with distractions, stress and continuous productivity demands. The science of habit formation, popularised by Charles Duhigg’s ‘The Power of Habit’ and James Clear’s New York Times bestseller ‘Atomic Habits’, underscores the impact that small, consistent actions can have on our lives. Yet, the challenge remains: how can we best utilise such mechanisms in a bid to create beneficial behavioural patterns which positively impact our health, efficiency and satisfaction with life, in general?
Science Behind Routine
By definition, a habit can be defined as an activity that a person performs subconsciously due to its repetitiveness. This automaticity is driven by a neurological loop known as the ‘habit loop’, consisting of three components: the cue, the routine and the reward. The cue triggers the brain to initiate a behaviour, the routine is simply the action and the reward is the pleasure or satisfaction derived from the completion of the action.
Neuroscience research shows that once a habit is formed, it gets stored in the basal ganglia, the brain structure that is responsible for controlling automatic behaviours or habits. This enables the brain to save energy by outsourcing repetitive actions and leaves the brain’s other cognitive abilities for more complex decision-making. But this is also why it is extremely challenging to change bad habits — they become wired in the structure of the brain and part of one’s neuromap.
Role of Small Wins
The most useful approach employed in practising the formation of positive daily habits is known as ‘small wins’. James Clear explains in Atomic Habits that focusing on tiny, manageable changes can lead to significant improvements over time. This approach, often referred to as ‘aggregation of marginal gains’, involves making incremental adjustments that compound to produce substantial results.
A powerful example of this is that of the British Cycling team, which went from being a perennial underperformer at the games to becoming one of the world’s best, by focusing on marginal gains. Under the tutelage of coach Sir Dave Brailsford, the athletes increased their efficiency by 1% in adopting minute details such as adjusting seat positions, tweaking diet plans and refining sleep quality. These minute changes, often considered insignificant on their own, collectively led to their success, including bagging multiple Tour de France victories and Olympic gold medals.
The same principle applies to individuals. Starting with small, achievable goals — like drinking water first thing in the morning, taking a ten-minute walk every day, reading a single page of a book daily — can lay the foundation for possible behavioural alterations. Over time, these small wins build momentum, making it easier to adopt and maintain more complex and more rewarding routines.
Consistency and Environment
However, it is worthwhile to mention that while the principle of small wins is significant, for it shows significant changes, consistency is key. Studies by the European Journal of Social Psychology suggest that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit, with some behaviours taking even longer. The fundamental takeaway is that persistence and repetition are indispensable for embedding new routines into our daily lives.
One way to maintain consistency is to leverage environmental cues. For example, if you’re trying to develop a morning exercise routine, laying out your workout clothes the night before can serve as a powerful reminder. Similarly, placing a book on your pillow can encourage nightly reading. Thus, the environment plays a crucial role in habit formation, as it can either reinforce positive behaviours or even trigger negative ones.
Such is the power of our environment that a study was conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California. They found that students who studied in the same place each day performed better academically than those who changed study locations frequently. The consistent environment, and familiar space each day, helped reinforce the habit of focused study, leading to better retention and understanding of the material.
Accountability, Social Support
In addition to consistency and a steady environment, accountability can significantly enhance the likelihood of habit formation. Sharing your goals with a friend, joining a group with similar objectives or using habit-tracking apps can provide the necessary external motivation, and sometimes even supervision, to stay on track.
A notable case study in the effectiveness of accountability is the success of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Its basic principle is that people are more likely to overcome addiction when they have the support of a community that shares and empathises with their struggles and also holds them accountable in case they falter. This same principle can be applied to building positive habits — whether it’s about exercising regularly, eating healthier or developing a creative skill, it’s easier with company.
Breaking Bad Habits
Building positive habits is only one side of the coin; breaking bad habits is equally important. The first step is to identify the cues and rewards that sustain unfavourable behaviour. Then comes working on replacing the negative routine with a positive one that can satisfy the same craving and bring in similar rewards.
A practical example is the approach taken by those who successfully quit smoking. Often, the cue for smoking might be stress, and the reward is a sense of relief. By identifying this pattern, one can substitute smoking with a healthier stress-relief activity, such as deep breathing exercises, physical activity or meditation.
Role of Technology
Our digital age offers technologies that play a pivotal role in helping individuals build and maintain positive habits and in some cases even provide support during times when it may be unavailable from society. Habit-tracking apps like Habitica, Streaks and Loop have become popular, easily accessible tools for those looking to track their progress and stay motivated. These apps use principles of gamification — such as rewards, streaks and social sharing — to keep users engaged and committed to their goals. Wearable technology like fitness trackers go a step ahead of our smartphones and can provide real-time feedback and encourage users to stay active throughout the day.
The power of habit is undeniable. By understanding the science behind it and employing strategies like small wins, consistency, environmental cues and accountability, we can build positive daily routines that can substantially improve our lives. While the process requires patience and persistence, the rewards are well worth the effort — leading to better health, productivity and a greater sense of fulfilment.
‘Quality is not an act, it is a habit’ – Aristotle
(The author is founder & CEO, Upsurge Global, co-founder, Global Carbon Warriors, and Adjunct Professor, EThames College)
