The Habit Loop

How to stick to a habit?

Before building a habit, here’s how it works in 3 steps:

1.    Cue
This is the trigger or signal that starts your habits.
For example, stress from a big project might make you avoid it.

2.    Behavior
This is what we do in response to the cue.
For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you might watch Netflix.

3.    Reward
This is what you get from doing the behavior.
In this case, watching Netflix gives you a quick break.
It also helps you forget about your stress.

Now, let’s see how to build a healthy habit.
Let’s say “meditation”.
The three steps are the same.

1.    Cue
First, choose a specific trigger for your new habit.
It’s like setting a reminder to prompt you to start a new routine.
For example, use brushing your teeth as the cue for your meditation.
So, after you brush your teeth each morning, it’s time to meditate.

2.    Behavior
Now, decide exactly what you’ll do when the cue happens.

One thing:
→    Be as specific as possible about the behavior you want to establish.

For example, after brushing your teeth, do this:
→    Sit comfortably
→    Meditate for 5 minutes

Simple as that.
This is your new behavior.

3.    Reward
Alright! It’s time to reward ourselves.
Add a little reward to make the new habit more enjoyable.
This helps keep you motivated.

Well, in our example, after meditating you might:
→    Listen to your favorite song for a few minutes
→    Drink a cup of your favorite tea

Just do something you enjoy.
It’s a little gift for yourself.

So, to recap:
1.    Cue: After brushing your teeth
2.    Behavior: Meditate for 5 minutes
3.    Reward: Listen to a favorite song or enjoy a cup of tea

Or maybe you wanna go with both: a song and tea.