Cultivating Positive Routines: A Guide to Brain Training

Habits are incredibly powerful, and as an entrepreneur, you can teach yourself to develop better habits for success in both your professional and personal life. By harnessing the power of your brain, you can create pathways to new and healthier habits.

Habits are sequences of actions that become automatic over time. For example, your morning routine—waking up, brushing your teeth, grabbing coffee—likely goes on autopilot. Fortunately, our brains can rewire themselves to form new habits, which means it’s entirely possible to adopt and maintain positive changes.

First, identify the habit you want to adopt or change. Maybe you want to kick a bad habit, tweak it, or start a completely new one. Knowing what you want to change allows you to focus your efforts more effectively.

Next, understand why you want to make this change. This step can provide motivation. Write down your reasons—whether it’s to be more productive or conscientious—and keep this list handy as a reminder.

Research from the European Journal of Social Psychology suggests it takes 66 days to form a new habit. To make these 66 days effective, start with small, manageable goals. For example, if you want to reduce your social media use, limit it to 10 minutes every hour. Small changes are less daunting and easier to stick with.

Identify triggers that lead to the bad habit you want to break. If stress leads you to snack on chips at work, try keeping healthy alternatives within reach. If fatigue prevents you from going to the gym after work, consider morning workouts instead. Anticipating and eliminating triggers can help you avoid falling back into old patterns.

On the flip side, use triggers to build good habits. Schedule walks at the same time every day, drink a glass of water every hour, or turn off your phone during lunch. Consistent cues make it easier to build new routines. Visual triggers, like laying out your workout clothes, can also be effective.

Take advantage of high motivation in the morning to commit to new daily habits, whether it’s reading the news before work or starting your day with a healthy breakfast.

Preparation is key for time-consuming activities. Have everything ready in advance so you can dive right in when it’s time.

Enjoyability plays a significant role in habit formation. Make new routines as enjoyable as possible. Substitute technology reliance with a fun game night or find a workout buddy for lunchtime exercise.

Keep track of your progress using a journal or phone app. Seeing your streak can boost your motivation.

Lastly, reward yourself. Incorporating a clear reward at the end of your task can help solidify a habit. Whether it’s binge-watching a show after avoiding Facebook or enjoying a smoothie after a run, rewards can keep you motivated.