Habits, Routines, Mindsets…Oh My!
As we lean into the month of August, there is a big focus on this season as one of transition. Kids are going back to school, the weather begins to change (hopefully), and there is a shift from the relaxed pace of summer to more structure and routine. As these transitions begin to take place, so too does mental health and wellness. In this edition of our newsletter, we’ll be focusing on how to re-evaluate and prioritize your mental health journey in this next season of life.
One of the most important aspects of success, whether it’s in school, work, or in a mental health journey, is establishing effective habits and routines. According to Charles Duhigg, habits are “the choices that all of us deliberately make at some point, and then stop thinking about but continue doing, often every day.” These habits, whether they are positive, negative, or neutral, play an important role in how we transition through the seasons and life events. Our routines further build up the impact of these habits because they continually reinforce them as our “normal.”
As we step into this season of transition and head into the end of 2024, it’s time to take an honest look at what has, and hasn’t, been working to create healthy change. No matter where you are in your current journey, we’re here to help you!
AllMinds Grow
To begin working with habits, it is important to first explore your beliefs on habits, routines, and more. There is often a mental shift that must occur before actions can follow. It is vital to recognize that negative habits cannot be “broken,” instead focusing on what it is that you are replacing those habits with and why you are doing it. Being able to tie any habits you want to an identity you have (or are working to create) makes it more likely for you to stick with your changes when obstacles and lack of motivation inevitably hit. A common example of this is building an exercise habit. If you believe that you are a healthy individual or simply an exerciser, you are more likely to stick to a workout routine so that your identity feels true and stable.
Learning to hack the science behind habit formation will also make this journey easier to navigate. Habits form in a very predictable fashion, as researched by Charles Duhigg. First there is acue(typically something environmental or sensory) that triggers anaction, which leads to areward. If the reward is something positive, you are more likely to complete the same action again and again until it becomes unconscious. So, how do you hack the system? The simplest places to create change are through targeting either the action or the reward. It will take some experimentation, but trying different action pairing and rewards will slowly start to change your habit loops and routines.
AllMinds Understand
Transitional periods allow time for reflection and re-evaluation, a time when you can really examine if what you are doing is getting you where you want to go and what might need to shift. The impact of habits and routines is profound, influencing all aspects of life and relational functioning. Although changing habits and routines is certainly a challenge, it can create huge change in your ability to achieve your vision. To begin this process, it is vital to be truly honest with yourself and what you are doing. While we all love to live in Fantasyland, where things aren’t quite as impactful as they really are, this is a form of self-sabotage that gets in the way of having the life you want.
AllMinds Elevate
It’s time to focus on what to do with all this talk on habits and routines!
Tip #1: Identify Your Habits
In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear provides an easy and effective way to explore daily habits called the Habit Scorecard. For a few days, examine your daily habits (without judgement!) and identify whether they are positive, neutral, or negative.
Tip #2: Create Effective Routines
After identifying which habits, you wish to change, start to explore what routines support these habits and where change can be implemented. Clear provides great strategies for adding new, positive habits and replacing old ones, such as habit stacking (which is when you add a new habit after an existing one) and the two-minute rule (creating habits that can be done in two minutes or less to start).
Tip #3: Foster a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is imperative to success, not only within the context of habits but also in the face of challenges throughout life. A growth mindset allows you to take on challenges, adapt to change and helpful criticism, build new skills, and inspire others. It comes when you can embrace the power of yet rather than the fear that failing means you are a failure. Work on cultivating a growth mindset each day so that you will never be afraid to continue down this journey of self-improvement and growth.
Here are your August reflection questions:
How are your habits and routines helping you achieve your goals and ultimate vision? How are they detracting from this journey?
What new habits can you begin to implement to improve your mental health during this month of transition?