In my casual reading today, I came across an interesting article where a person was talking about how he quit the smoking just by mere understanding of how habits are created and how they work.
His statement goes like this: "when I wanted to quit smoking I understood that the act of smoking wasn't related to any thoughts, people around me or actions preceding the smoking. It's an addiction and the primary motivation is the reward of dopamine in the brain. By understanding ....
this I knew that I could replace smoking with any healthy behaviour that also triggers feel-good chemicals, like exercise and spending time with loved ones.
this I knew that I could replace smoking with any healthy behaviour that also triggers feel-good chemicals, like exercise and spending time with loved ones.
It's also the reason why so many smokers think that smoking helps them concentrate, or it alleviates boredom - because they think those are the rewards they get from smoking because they smoke when they're bored (in actuality they smoke whenever they get the urge). "
On further analyzing the statement, one can get to know the cycle of how the habits get created. As this psychological article indicated that it is sequential and in the form of cue, routine and reward, in the same order.
What is cue? It is the trigger that provides the needed impulse to do that habit. For example, specific lunch timing. No matter how, when the clock ticks that time, habit of going to lunch automatically gets triggered. it could be mood, location and several others in that line. A basic trigger to do perform the habit!!
What is routine? It is the set pattern that drives and settles the habit. Research article says that anything we do continuously for 21 days, it will become the habit automatically. Don't ask me why that magic number 21 is? may be that is what routine indicates here.
What is reward? It is the benefit that we perceive from performing that habitual activity. In this case, the person states about helping to concentrate or alleviating boredom.
Now, with this understanding, the article comes up with a new idea of how to break a habt: just by changingthe cue!! For that, the main requisite is to find the cue. When the cue trigger is nearing, to break that habit, the article suggested to CHANGE THE CUE!!
Ready to try this idea? I am already in. :)
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