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Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

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Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#111

Post by DenisM »

semi-extrinsic wrote: post #109
DenisM wrote: post #98

Couple of life-hacks to help you along: - Pay for things. I'm been paying $400/month for fitness classes and rest assured I never missed one. Haven't even been late. - Develop a single meta-habit: check your checklist. I have a morning checklist of things that I need to check off before I feel my morning is complete and my day is off to a good start. I don't forget my vitamins anymore. - Talk things through with some…

> Pay for things Counterpoint: lots of people hold $50-$100/month gym memberships but never go to the gym. In fact, this is the most important part of the business model of most gyms.

In my case the program will end. So I'm paying $400 and if I slack off I will have to start over and that's another $400.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#112

Post by tiler »

kstenerud wrote: post #86
MaxfordAndSons wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with most of your list, but also strongly disagree with this point. Or rather, while I agree that you should try your hardest to keep your routine, I detest the part about making yourself feel bad. There are lots of reasons you might have to break a routine, it's not like every habit one might try to build is going to be the single most important thing in your life. And some people just don't respond well to…

It only makes a difference when you finally face real adversity. I'm a serial entrepreneur. I've had 8 companies, 6 of which have failed. Twice I've been literally reduced to the clothes on my back (actually the second time was even worse: 30 grand in debt, to the government). When shit goes REALLY bad, your ability to deal with the nastiness of reality is put to the test. I fought for a month and a half with a broke…

I mean no offense, but a 75% failure rate isn't exactly a great endorsement of your methodology.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#113

Post by tdaltonc »

Yes! In addition to some of the awesome answers already posted here I wanted to mention how important the schedule of reinforcement is habit formation.

If you're building a product, optimizing when and how it rewards users can double your retention and engagement. I make a tool to help with this: http://useDopamine.com

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#114

Post by majewsky »

tapan_k wrote: post #30
kstenerud wrote: post #26

1. Build a routine. Set a specific, repeating time when you will do the thing in your calendar. Keep that slot clear, ALWAYS. Never let something interrupt this task. 2. Learn to say no. If someone wants you to do something else during this time slot, say no, and tell them why. 3. Never break the routine. Breaking it once makes it MUCH easier to break the next scheduled time. If you do break it, feel bad about it and…

Excellent list. I would like to add a couple of things that have worked for me: 1. Ensure sufficient sleep (varies for each individual) 2. Identify and manage sources of stress 3. Practice mindfulness meditation Doing the above ensures that your willpower is stronger and you are able to stick with new habits.

Ironically, mindfulness meditation is exactly the habit that I'm struggling to build. :)

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#115

Post by bellebethcooper »

I've been focusing on building new habits for the past couple of years and have written about it a lot. Here are some of the things that have made the biggest difference for me:

- Start small. Focus on making the behaviour automatic (the definition of a habit) in its smallest form. It's easier to increase the time and effort spent once doing the behaviour is automatic. - Schedule the habit. My habits almost always fail if I don't figure out in advance when and where I'll do them. - Stack your habits. Using an existing habit (it can be something you didn't build on purpose like brushing your teeth, putting on your pyjamas, putting on your shoes before leaving the house, etc.) as a trigger to remind you to do another habit. This makes it easier to remember and build into a routine you already have. - Make it easy to do the habit and hard not to. If you need equipment, get it ready before you'll need it. Set up your environment to encourage you to do the habit. Keep things out of sight if they encourage you not to do the habit. Context makes a big difference in the early stages. - Build one habit at a time. Only when a habit is truly habitual (you do it without thinking) start focusing on a new one. I've failed at building habits every time I've tried to do more than one new habit at a time.

I've written a lot about habits. I'll link to some articles below that might be helpful. Many of them expand on the suggestions I mentioned above.

I also wrote a four-week email course and a book to help people build habits—specifically habits that will help you be more productive by saving you time and helping you work more efficiently. But the course can be applied to any kind of habits. You can find the course and book here: http://habits.bellebethcooper.com/

http://blog.bellebethcooper.com/pushups.html http://blog.bellebethcooper.com/french-habit.html https://open.buffer.com/building-habits/ https://exist.io/blog/simple-habit-process/ https://exist.io/blog/keeping-up-habits/

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#116

Post by d23 »

mrleinad wrote: post #55
d23 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who got into a regular exercise habit a year ago that has progressively gotten more intense, I disagree with a few of your points. Actually, I guess it's mostly the first 3: > 1. Build a routine. Set a specific, repeating time when you will do the thing in your calendar. Keep that slot clear, ALWAYS. Never let something interrupt this task. > 2. Learn to say no. If someone wants you to do something else du…

> It's this "do it now or feel guilty" stuff that keeps most people procrastinating or avoiding doing the task Couldn't agree more with this. I've tried many times to build habits into my routine, only to abandon them and feel bad about it because I couldn't maintain them for a few days. No more. Now I have them in my list, I keep them consciously present, but I won't punish myself if I don't get them done one day. A…

> Now I switched to calorie counting and drinking lots of water.

Nice! Calorie counting was huge for me. I started using an app for tracking it, and suddenly the weight just started coming off. The quantification and gamification aspect was hugely addicting for me. For the first time I actually felt in control over my body.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#117

Post by dahart »

tiler wrote: post #112
kstenerud wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It only makes a difference when you finally face real adversity. I'm a serial entrepreneur. I've had 8 companies, 6 of which have failed. Twice I've been literally reduced to the clothes on my back (actually the second time was even worse: 30 grand in debt, to the government). When shit goes REALLY bad, your ability to deal with the nastiness of reality is put to the test. I fought for a month and a half with a broke…

I mean no offense, but a 75% failure rate isn't exactly a great endorsement of your methodology.

If 90% of startups fail, 25% success is 2.5x above average. I'll listen to someone who's advice improves my odds. I'll also listen to someone who's tried and failed and admits it honestly and takes responsibility for their failure and knows how to avoid the same mistake next time. Someone who hasn't failed probably hasn't tried. Someone who hasn't failed may have nothing of value to teach me. If you do have or know of better methodologies though, please share, I'd love to get more pointers!

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#118

Post by mindfulgeek »

katzgrau wrote: post #7

Have a read, great book on the topic: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081... Systematic, definitely. Scientific? Not really sure, but I find it extremely effective. If I could boil it down to "what works" for me, it'd be: - Pick a task or thing that you want to accomplish. Let's say running (mine is running/lifting). - Pick a "cue," or something that signals when you perform said task. The mo…

+1 to reading The Power of Habit

Meditate. There are many different ways. Find one that works for you. It is the best way to become more conscious of your habits and less reactive.

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#119

Post by godDLL »

majewsky wrote: post #114
tapan_k wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excellent list. I would like to add a couple of things that have worked for me: 1. Ensure sufficient sleep (varies for each individual) 2. Identify and manage sources of stress 3. Practice mindfulness meditation Doing the above ensures that your willpower is stronger and you are able to stick with new habits.

Ironically, mindfulness meditation is exactly the habit that I'm struggling to build. :)

Perhaps you should start with something less subtle? Like "transcendental meditation", that will have the effect of "making it" and motivate you to dig further?

Re: Ask HN: Are there any systematic and scientific ways to develop a habit?

#120

Post by deskamess »

dahart wrote: post #110
kstenerud wrote: post #26

1. Build a routine. Set a specific, repeating time when you will do the thing in your calendar. Keep that slot clear, ALWAYS. Never let something interrupt this task. 2. Learn to say no. If someone wants you to do something else during this time slot, say no, and tell them why. 3. Never break the routine. Breaking it once makes it MUCH easier to break the next scheduled time. If you do break it, feel bad about it and…

This and other responses all have excellent advice. I'll just add a couple things that have worked for me. - With exercise it's important to not overdo it. Start small, work up at a reasonable slow pace. You don't have to run 10 miles on day 1. Getting injured or sore or even just too tired makes it so much more likely you'll start skipping. - Make doing the activity any given day more important that how much of it y…

Yep start small... not quite a year ago I started with just a Saturday class. About three months later I added another, and a month later, one more. Attend consistently except for the week I am on call. During call week I workout at home to YouTube videos and follow the similar HIIT/cardio-weight mix classes that I do in the gym on the SAME schedule. Strong results (belly smaller but seems to have reached steady state), fat loss else where, but not much weight loss. Resting pulse down by 6 beats/min.

Getting injured... nothing breaks routine and depresses you like this one. I got one earlier on doing jumping jacks - it was the achilles. Fortunately it preceded my call week and I recovered in a quick 3 weeks - which was surprising. So I missed at most 1 week. Never did jumping jacks again and always use the alternatives... in fact I take all the starter options I am given.

To add to your second point. I have more 'bad days' than good... shouldn't this stuff get easier? Some days I cannot finish some routines; just don't have the energy. But I always feel good leaving the gym. Getting to the gym is more than 80% of the battle - there are usually competent people at gym to take you the last 20%. Don't compare yourself with others - concern yourself with your factors.

I did not set out to change my eating habits. However seeing decent gains, I started asking myself if I need that extra item I crave. I often give in to the ask, but it is not without questioning myself. I am not the best when it comes to dietary self control, so, for now, this is my approach. Hopefully down the road I will question myself more, and eventually, give in less.

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