Aligning with Atomic Habits

I’m a big fan of James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits.” It’s a book I go back to repeatedly for guidance — for myself and when assisting others. He gives great tips regarding some basic understanding around behavior change when creating new habits, as well as when removing, reducing, and replacing old habits.

While it’s necessary to be specific with your strategies when making improvements, there can be flexibility in the approach. It’s helpful to give yourself some leeway. Many strategies of mindset coaching can feel restrictive. The mindset becomes all-or-nothing. Then when a day comes along when you’re busy with other things, you’re conflicted. You feel you can’t give your desired amount to time to your habits and goals, prompting you to drop them altogether.

The key is to move away from having an all-or-nothing mentality. Instances when you don’t have time or a lot of energy are going to arise. When they do, be determined to do something, anything — just to keep the habit going. It’s okay to reduce the scope of your healthy habit in that moment, rather than opting to do nothing.

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Establish the Habit First

It’s a psychological “win” to do anything at all with regard to your desired habits. You want to do any amount to allow you to say that you showed up that day and to affirm you’re sticking to the schedule. Give yourself permission to have some leeway, especially when introducing new habits.

You may have a specific idea of how you want to show up for your desired habit, but there’s a precursory step for getting into a routine. Develop your proficiency to show up for it each day. What good is being so specific and aiming high, if beginning with such a tall order knocks you off track? Overstepping the habit, before you establish it, will likely lead you to stop anyway. Why not build a foundation wisely?

A habit must be established before it can be improved. Establish your ability to show up for the habit first, then make improvements accordingly. Think of what habit you’re looking to add or improve? There can be a number of starting points. You can add incremental steps, rather than relying on big leaps. Think of the ways you can reduce the friction to engage in the activity, and consider how it will flow in your daily life.

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Dominoes, Streams and Bundles

Is there a lead domino that begins your day? Is there a lead domino that starts your afternoon, or one that starts your evening? Think of what these dominoes can be. Take time to consider what happens upstream before the other things that you want to do.

For instance, does physical activity help with your mood and how your mind functions. If so, then this can be a start for a stream of other habits. Or does making a cup of coffee become your starting habit? Or taking out the appliances to make a fresh meal? What can you name as a likely, reliable starting habit for a stream?

Take advantage of how behaviors often come in bundles. Notice which ones are connected, and emphasize the relation of one to the other. When creating new habits, see if you can add it to an existing bundle. You’ll see how viable this strategy is as you move forward.

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The 4 Laws of Making a Good Habit

James Clear tells us what the 4 laws of behavior change are. Make it obvious. Make it attractive. Make it easy. Make it rewarding. The first law of making it obvious is pretty self-explanatory. You want the cue to be clear and present so that you are prompted to do the habit. If you’re going to write, have your laptop or pen and paper in sight on your desk.

The second law — make it attractive — is very important. The more appealing it is, the more likely you will perform it. Giving it a better chance at become a habit. One way to make something attractive is the social environment. Tap into the “tribe” component, and the shared expectations. When habits go with the grain of the tribe, people find them attractive. When they go against the grain, people find them unattractive.

The third law — make it easy — you can instantly explore by looking at your shopping habits. Think of the products that you buy. Do you notice therw’s little friction involved when you go to purchase it. Marketers are successful because they find the easiest ways for people to access their product. When you have a habit that you want to do, you want to make it easier. Take away as much friction as possible to get you to do it.

The fourth law — to make it satisfying — will be the key factor for whether or not you’ll be able to maintain the habit. Basically, if you feel satisfied from the behavior, then you’ll continue to do it. And to get the quickest jumpstart on a new habit, you’ll really want to make it immediately satisfying.

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Getting “Atomic” with Your Habits

If you want a comprehensive way to optimize your habits, then getting familiar with Atomic Habits is the way to go. I like that the perspective shared within the book allows for goals and improvements if that’s a primary focus for you.

I believe the biggest paradigm shift that this book has to offer is that ‘atomic’ is also focusing on those little things that really add up. It highlights the importance of how small steps and a gradual approach can bring you what you desire.