RTG Day 6: Got A Hard Habit to Break?

Rediscovering the Groove, Day 6: Ask a Question.

New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg recently released "The Power of Habit," which delves into the psychology of repetitive, unconscious behaviors that are sometimes tough to quit.  He explains that habits form when there's (1) a cue (or trigger) that tells your brain to switch to auto mode, (2) a routine, and (3) a desirable reward.  When you fall into a habit of doing something, the behavior becomes automatic and unconscious -- like how you probably tie your shoes or brush your teeth in exactly the same way each time -- allowing your brain to focus on other things.

So let's say you have a bad habit.  What's the best way to break it?  Duhigg suggests trying it while on vacation, when the usual cues and routine are broken, or the same rewards aren't around.  This apparently works better during vacations because there's the opportunity to form a new pattern.

I've seen this "break the habit while on vacation" theory work with my guy, a chain smoker for over a decade, quit cold turkey during our road trip honeymoon across the country.  He had tried for years to quit smoking previously, but being with me 24/7 for a full week and waking up in a new place every day helped him finally kick it.

Of course, not everyone can go away often enough to break all our bad habits, but the main thing is to somehow to "change things up" to break the usual routine.  Similarly, it may be easier to start a new habit by introducing it in a different setting, instead of trying to fit it into a regular pattern.

I've been wanting to get back into practicing Spanish at least 30 minutes each day, either by chatting with someone, watching a video, reading, or writing en Español.  Starting tomorrow, I'm going to set my alarm a half hour earlier, shift my entire work day up a smidge, and have an extra half hour at the end of the day for Spanish.  Let's see how it goes...

What about you?  What habits do you want to break,... or start, and how will you tackle it?  Well,... let's do it!