James Clear's Atomic Habits is easily one of the all-time favorites among all self-help books out there promising to up your productivity. The reason for its success is that the ideas work.
The main takeaway from the book is that small improvements lead to success. If you focus on gradual, consistent changes, they compound over time and lead to bigger, impactful changes.
I absolutely recommend this book to everyone—no matter what your field is or what your aspirations are—you will find this book useful.
I have tried to make a list of ideas from the book and the blogs written by James Clear. This is more of a summary for myself, to revisit.
How to build habits
Break habits into steps: Simplify habits into small, manageable actions.
For examples, instead of starting an hour-long workout that you will be unable to keep doing after a week, start with exercising for 10 minutes, consistently.
2-minute habits: Start small with actions that take just a couple of minutes.
Temptation bundling: Pair a habit you want with an activity you enjoy.
Pair something you enjoy, like watching your favorite show, with something you need to do, such as folding laundry. I like to listen to books on Audible while I iron clothes.
Habit stacking: Attach a new habit to an existing one for smooth transitions.
Like, when I do X (which is an established habit), I will do Y (the new habit) immediately afterwards.
Morning routine: Set a positive tone for the day with structured habits.
Keystone habits: Focus on habits that have a positive domino effect.
Avoid multitasking: Focus on building one habit at a time.
Prioritize ripple-effect habits: Focus on habits that improve multiple aspects of life.
Increase difficulty gradually: Challenge yourself to improve as habits grow.
If-then planning: Create conditional plans to prepare for obstacles.
This also helps to avoid excuses to break the habit. Like, “If it rains, then I’ll do a home workout instead of running outside.”
Use rituals: Develop small routines that make challenging habits easier.
Immediate gratification: Design habits to provide instant rewards. Like after a workout, or during it, you listen to your favourite songs.
Make the new habit less effortful
Make habits obvious: Design your environment to trigger positive habits.
I keep my new medicines on my work desk and create a reminder on my phone. The moment I sit down at my desk, I remember to take my meds.
Environment design: Adjust your surroundings to make good habits easier.
Arrange your workspace to minimize distractions, such as placing your phone out of reach while working.
Limit triggers: Reduce exposure to situations that tempt bad habits.
I cannot emphasize this enough. People think temptations and addictions are just a matter of self-control, and somehow that is supposed to reflect on your character. I would suggest that we all educate ourselves on the neuroscience of temptation and addiction. There are many individual (multi-factorial) differences in our responses to temptations, and vulnerability to addiction. I suggest that you keep the temptations or triggers as far away as possible, if your goal (that is your focus right now) is other than conquering the temptation.
Remove negative influences: Eliminate distractions that derail progress.
Automation: Make repetitive actions automatic to free up mental energy.
Decision fatigue: Simplify choices to avoid exhausting your willpower.
After a certain point, too many options are detrimental to our well-being. If you don't know that, watch this:
Stay on track
Visual cues and physical reinforcements: Keep reminders visible to encourage consistency. You can use post-it's, digital sticky notes or reminders to reinforce habits.
Bright-line rules: Set clear, defined rules that are easy to follow.
For instance, you could create a clear rule, such as “No screen time after 9 PM,” to enforce better sleep habits. Habits linked to important goals should have very clear limits. You can use DND settings on your phone to turn the screen greyscale after 7 PM or block certain apps after a certain time or after a certain duration of usage per day.
Reduce friction: Simplify the process of starting positive habits.
Keep the yoga mat easily accessible, the exercise space clear and ready at night, for you to do the exercises in the morning.
Increase friction: Make it harder to perform bad habits.
Make the chocolates difficult to reach. Put password locks on social media apps.
Know thyself
Identity-based goals: Align habits with the person you want to become.
Think of what you want to become. A better writer. A better parent. A healthy person. Whatever. Link the habit in your mind to this future you.
Align habits with values: Choose habits that reflect your core beliefs.
If your aims don't align with your core-self, as I call it, you will either fail to achieve them or you will be unhappy despite achieving them.
Visualize benefits: Keep long-term advantages in mind to stay motivated.
Habit loops: Understand the cue, routine, and reward cycle.
Reframe challenges: View difficulties as growth opportunities.
Systems, not goals: Emphasize the process over the outcome.
Rather than just aiming to lose 10 kilos, focus on a system of daily exercise and balanced eating.
Practice gratitude: Incorporate thankfulness into your daily routine.
Intrinsic motivation: Rely on internal satisfaction rather than external rewards.
Compounding habits: Recognize how habits accumulate positive effects over time.
Control what you can: Focus on actions within your power to influence.
Tracking is important
Review habits: Regularly assess and adjust your habits for better results.
1% improvement: Focus on tiny, incremental changes.
Progress over perfection: Embrace steady improvement rather than striving for flawlessness.
Measurable goals: Define specific outcomes for tracking progress.
Visual progress: Use charts or journals to track your improvement.
Reassess environment: Periodically adjust your surroundings to stay effective.
Track habits: Use tools to monitor progress and stay accountable. You can use a simple desktop calendar with boxes or a diary or a journal. There are many tracking apps available. You cannot improve something that you don't have a mental or physical way to track and measure. This is something Mark Manson talks about in this video:
Find your tribe
Public commitments: Share your goals with others for accountability. This is why it is helpful to join a group, a gym, or use an app that shows social statistics.
Positive influences: Surround yourself with people who encourage good habits.
Seek feedback: Get input from others to stay accountable.
How to make it sustainable
Consistency over perfection: Focus on regularity rather than flawless execution.
Self-compassion: Be forgiving when setbacks occur.
Learn from mistakes: Reflect on errors without overanalyzing them.
👉 How the above three points might look like is this. If you miss a workout, focus on getting back on track the next day rather than stressing about the missed day. If you slip up on a diet, forgive yourself and refocus on making better choices moving forward. If you miss a workout, analyze what got in the way and plan to avoid it next time.
Celebrate milestones and small wins, use rewards: Reinforce positive habits with small, meaningful rewards. Celebrate minor achievements to maintain momentum. Acknowledge bigger achievements to stay motivated. Make sure to reward yourself with something that does not negate the progress you have made, especially if you are trying to break addictive habits.
Recommended Reading: https://jamesclear.com/habits
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