Why you should read ‘Atomic Habits’

NYT #1 bestseller with over 5 million copies sold, Atomic Habits is a comprehensive discussion and analysis of what a habit is, how it works, and how to change it. According to the author James Clear, just as atoms are the building blocks of molecules, atomic habits are the building blocks of remarkable results.

But be careful, habits are like a double-edged sword, they can work for or against you, which is why understanding how they work is so important ??. On Atomic Habits, James Clear shares inspiring true stories and suggests different tools and strategies as he explains the 4 Laws to help create a good habit and the 4 Laws to break a bad one. Below, a summary of these suggestions so you feel like reading the book and applying the framework right away!

How to Create a Good Habit:

1-????Make it Obvious: - Start by writing down your current habits so you become aware of them. - Use implementation intentions. People that make specific plans of when and where they will start their new habit are more likely to succeed, so use “I will [BEHAVIOUR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION]”. - Use habit stacking to add new habits to the current ones: “After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT] and - design your environment: make the cues of good habits obvious and visible.

2-????Make it Attractive: - Use temptation bundling and pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do. – Join a culture where your desired behavior is the normal behavior. – Create a motivation ritual by doing something you enjoy immediately before a difficult habit.

3-????Make it Easy: - Reduce friction by decreasing the number of steps between you and your good habits. – Prime the environment by preparing it to make future actions easier. – Master the decisive moment by optimizing the small choices that deliver outsized impact. – Use the ‘Two-Minute Rule’ and downscale your habits until they can be done in two minutes or less. – Automate your habits by investing in technology and onetime purchases that lock in future behavior.

4-????Make it Satisfying: - Use reinforcement by giving yourself an immediate reward when you complete your habit. – Make “doing nothing” enjoyable when avoiding a bad habit, design a way to see the benefits. – Use a habit tracker to keep track of your habit streak and to avoid ‘breaking the chain’. – Never miss twice, when you forget to do a habit, make sure you get back on track immediately.

How to Break a Bad Habit

1-????Make it Invisible: - Reduce exposure by removing the cues of your bad habits from the environment.

2-????Make it Unattractive: - Reframe your mindset and highlight the benefits of avoiding your bad habits

3-????Make it Difficult: - Increase friction and number of steps between you and your bad habits. - Use a commitment device and restrict your future choices to the ones that benefit you.

4-????Make it Unsatisfying: - Get an accountability partner by asking someone to watch your behavior. – Create a habit contract by making the costs of your bad habits public and painful.

My own experience: As a demanding and most times perfectionist person, I would underestimate the power of small beginnings. However, as I read the book and gave it a go, I’ve experienced small changes as small victories, which gave me confidence to move forward.

I particularly liked the habit stacking (quick and simple), the two-minute rule (effective to reinforce our desired identity) and the environment design associated with increased friction to stimulate good habits and reduce bad old ones (easy and impactful).

?These techniques have helped me focusing more on my daily priorities and getting more productive, having a healthier lifestyle, and getting more time for my family, hobbies, and things I wanted to do (journaling still on my list though).

?This is about being patient and persistent – not straightforward, I know… ?But it is important to be willing to repeat and stick to these new skills until they get easy and internalized. Each habit unlocks the next level of performance, so challenging ourselves and constantly reevaluating our beliefs and goals is what will help us in the journey of becoming the best version of ourselves.

And you? Which techniques would make more sense for you? Which new habits you would like to start and bad ones you would like to cease? Let’s exchange experiences and ideas. No more excuses or reasons to procrastinate ??