Habits

It is easy to agree with good advice, but not so easy to make a habit of following that advice.

People get used to doing some things to the point where they do those actions almost automatically, and with little mental effort. Without habits, a person would be faced with a constant barrage of choices to make. Should I get out of bed after I wake up in the morning? What next? Do I go the bathroom and brush my teeth? Do I got the kitchen and put toast in the toaster? What is the route I should follow? If someone says "good morning" to me, will I answer back? What will I say?

When you develop habits, you are relegating some of your decision making to your subconscious. This leaves your conscious thought free to pursue other matters. So, for example, as you are brushing your teeth you might be planning your agenda for the day ahead. As you develop habits, you increase your overall capacity to think and act.

There are two main problems with habits: they are hard to form and hard to break.

Every day this program gives you a new "idea for the day." Maybe you discover an idea for a new behaviour you would like to adopt. Suppose, for example, that you are impressed with one of the 7 habits of highly effective people proposed by Steven Covey: "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

If you have this as a habit, you always seek to understand in any conversation. You don't find it sufficient to merely agree with the principle. You don't do it just when you happen to think of it. You do it every time, automatically.

To make any new behaviour into a habit requires work. Here are some ideas to help you adopt a new behaviour that you want to do consistently:

Make reminders for yourself. If a habit can be scheduled, then you can use some sort of timing device (such as an alarm in an electronic organizer). Otherwise leave a note for yourself in a place where you will see it occasionally.
Think it through. Are there any missing pre-requisite habits? How exactly will your behaviour change? What are some scenarios in which it might apply?
Develop a more vivid image of your habit. Rehearse the habit in your mind so that it is almost automatic in its real application.
Don't try to change too many habits at once.
Don't give up the first time you fail; habit's don't form immediately.
Find someone to help you. Recruit a friend or loved-one who can observe you and advise you on how well you are doing. If they aren't in a position to observe, then find someone you can discuss your progress with each day.
And most important of all: Reserve time daily or weekly to reflect on your progress. (Put it in your personal schedule. If necessary, set an alarm so you can't forget.)