RHYTHMS OF CHANGE: MASTERING HABITS

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Let's discuss practical tips in a simplified manner regarding habits – how to create them and how to break bad habits.

I discovered a lot while studying how habits work. Some of it goes against common beliefs, but it actually works. I'm confident in this because I've seen it in my own life, witnessed it with my clients, and heard positive feedback from listeners.

I explain two program frameworks for habits that match our biology and neurochemistry, making it simpler to build positive habits and break negative ones. These frameworks are most effective when used together.

Part A : The Logical Health's Habits Program : This is designed to help you change habits by tackling what I call "limbic friction" – the energy needed to overcome anxiety, procrastination, or fatigue. By aligning with the natural rhythms of your brain and body, we make it simpler for you to initiate and stick to habits. Achieving this is straightforward as we divide each 24-hour day-night cycle into three phases.

Phase 1

Sure, let's break down Phase 1 further with some examples.

Phase 1 covers the first 0-8 hours after waking up. During this time, your brain and body are naturally more inclined towards action and focus, thanks to elevated levels of dopamine, adrenaline, and cortisol. This heightened state makes it easier to overcome what we call "limbic friction," which includes feelings of anxiety, procrastination, or fatigue.

Now, when setting habits for Phase 1, aim for 1-4 activities that require energy and focus. These could be things like focused reading, work tasks, exercising, writing, or studying. Instead of fixing a precise start and stop time, create a window for completion. For example, you might decide to engage in focused work for about 45 minutes during Phase 1. The key is to allow flexibility in your schedule. So, if you decide to exercise, you can set the goal to do it "after waking but before noon." This means you have the flexibility to do it at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., or 11 a.m., but definitely within Phase 1.

While having a consistent time for your habits is great, having a broader window of opportunity recognizes the challenges of busy lives. It gives you the flexibility to adapt your habits to your daily schedule while still taking advantage of the optimal focus and energy levels in Phase 1.

Phase 2

Moving on to Phase 2, which spans the 9-15 hours after waking, take advantage of your naturally higher serotonin levels and lower adrenaline. During this time, engage in habits that don't require you to overcome significant limbic friction.

Phase 2 is an ideal period for activities that demand less intense focus. Consider behaviors involving creative exploration, such as writing fiction, creating rough drafts, composing music, engaging in playful activities, or experimenting. Additionally, this phase is suitable for lower-focus physical pursuits like Zone 2 cardio.

While Phase 1 is perfect for habits that require precise execution, Phase 2 is best for more flexible endeavors. This could include trying a new recipe, brainstorming, exploring alternative approaches to work or personal aspects, engaging in physical activities, nurturing relationships, or learning new things.

It's important to recognise that successful habit formation often hinges on being in the right state of mind and having the ability to guide both your body and mind.

Phase 3

It is 16-24 hours after waking. This is when we reset our ability to overcome limbic friction by, you guessed it, resting and sleeping. See our “Kit For Better Sleep Tonight "

"https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/kit-better-sleep-tonight-dr-harshalgiri-goswami-odxdf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&utm_campaign=share_via" for details on how to master Phase 3 but in short:

- Avoid exposure to bright lights

- Ensure your bedroom is cool and dark

- Consider exploring supplements (excluding melatonin) if necessary

PART - B

Now, for the program and testing of habit changes, based on my research, I recommend selecting six new habits to integrate daily for 21 days. Write them down and aim to complete four to six of these habits each day. Keep track of your progress by marking them off on your calendar.

Don't worry if you only manage to do four out of the six new habits each day, and avoid compensating by doing more than six. The most effective approach is to maintain a no-compensation system.

Combine this strategy with the Phase 1, 2, 3 structure mentioned earlier for optimal success. How can you gauge your progress?

1. First 21 Days:

? ?- Dedicate this period to forming new habits.

? ?- Follow the Phase 1, 2, 3 structure for optimal success.

2. Next 21 Days:

? ?- Now, observe your behavior during these 21 days without introducing any new habits.

? ?- This is a testing phase to see which habits from the previous 21 days have genuinely become ingrained.

3. Following 21 Days:

? ?- Return to another 21 days of forming new habits.

? ?- Use the insights gained from the testing phase to determine if you can add more habits to your daily list of four to six.

It's a cycle of 21 days dedicated to forming habits, followed by 21 days of testing the effectiveness of those habits, and then another 21 days of habit formation based on your progress. This approach helps in building sustainable habits over time by incorporating what works best for you.

How can you tell if a new habit has truly formed?

The strength of a habit depends on how much effort it takes to overcome resistance (limbic friction) and how tied it is to specific conditions—whether you do it consistently or only in certain situations (when calm, rested, with others, caffeinated, etc.).

Now, let's talk about breaking habits. It's a straightforward concept (though not always easy):

PART C

To break a habit, consciously recognize when you engage in the habit you want to break. Once you realize this, immediately follow it with a positive behavior.?

?let me simplify the concept of breaking habits:

1. Recognize the Habit:

? ?- To break a habit, first, be aware that you're engaging in the habit you want to change.

2. Immediate Positive Action:

? ?- Once you realize you've performed the habit, immediately follow it with a positive action.

? ?- The specific positive action is less important than doing it right after the habit.

? ?- For example, you could do ten jumping jacks or pushups. These are positive actions that you can do anywhere.

The key is to replace the habit you want to break with a positive behavior, and doing it immediately afterward helps reinforce this shift. The positive action doesn't have to be complex, but it should contribute positively to your well-being.

Final Notes

The science behind these approaches, including “task bracketing” and various review articles in quality peer-reviewed journals like :

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1539449219876877?journalCode=otjb

New articles of The Logical Health By Dr Harshal Giri are out each Monday on LinkedIn. Please subscribe to this newsletter.?

Thank you for your interest in science,

Dr Harshal giri?

(Sports Physiotherapist, Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner, ACE certified personal trainer, and NASM certified fitness nutrition specialist)