changing company or personal habits

Company or person

Habits

Where do they come from

and how can we change the bad ones?

Ron McFarland, Tokyo, Japan

1

What is a habit?

1. It is some behavior that was repeatedly done so much that, it is

now performed without thinking.

2. It is automatic and feels right at the time.

3. Some habits are good and extremely helpful, saving us a lot of

energy.

4. Some habits are bad for us, so we would like to change them.

5. All habits offer some reward (sometimes temporary or

short-term only).

6. Habits are formed around what we are familiar with and know

even though we don’t necessarily like them.

Ron McFarland, Tokyo, Japan 2

What is a habit?

Most habits started with a person thinking about something,

gathering information and making a decision to do something.

It took thought initially.

In some cases though, habits are started outside of

consciousness and slowly become automatic. They are

supported with reasoning, but they happen without our

permission. Families don’t intend to eat fast-food regularly,

but it gradually becomes a habit. After buying fast-food

many times, the action became automatic, and there was

little thought. They are supposed to be temporary but

become permanent.

If we were aware of the cues that lead to the action it creates,

the habit can be modified. We have to learn to observe cues.


Habit and daily activities

40 percent of the actions people perform each day are from habit,

not their own direct decisions. These actions are done impulsively

or instinctively.

A bad habit can be replaced by a good one. If a habit is specifically

focused on, it can be changed.

Many habits or behaviors can not be changed concurrently, but they

can be changed one-by-one.


The more this loop

is circled, the more

automatic it become.

This creates

anticipation and

craving.


The goal of military drills, space shuttle training, movie making rehearsals

is to make thing automatic, to help people do things without thinking.

Components of a habit

Cue (trigger)

Routine

Reward

There are three-steps in which the brain processes habits.

First, a cue or trigger tells the

brain to go into automatic mode

and use the habitual behavior.

Then, there is the routine

in which the physical,

mental or emotional

behavior is acted out.

The final step is the reward,

which helps the brain figure out

if this particular activity is worth

remembering for the future.

The more this jogging

loop is circled, the more

automatic it becomes.

After some time, it will

become more habitual

and not jogging will be

uncomfortable.


6

Jogging in the morning

Cue (trigger)

Routine

Reward

If you want to jog every morning, follow these procedures.

First, create a morning

cue, like laying out your

jogging clothes in front of

your bed on the floor. Do your run

as planned.

Make sure you give yourself some

reward or praise for the jogging

achievement. Withhold the reward

if you missed the run. The reward

could be simply recording the run

and feeling the achievement.


Cue (trigger) Routine

Reward

Time pressure could

trigger a routine.

An overpowering

atmosphere

could trigger a

routine.

Habit component examples

Cues can be things like…..seeing a candy

bar, seeing a television commercial, being

in a certain place at a certain time of day

or just seeing a particular person.

Routines can be incredibly

complex or extremely simple.

(Some habits, such as those

related to emotions, are

measured in milliseconds).

Rewards can range from food or drugs

that cause physical sensations, to joy,

pride, praise or personal self-esteem.

Great reward for

now anyway!!!

Habit loop continuation

or not?



Reward

Habit example: eating too many snacks.

Automatic eating habit components defined

Automatically at

3pm an office

worker feels restless

at his desk.

Feel refreshed, he

returns to his desk and

continues working.

He leaves his desk ,

goes to a convenience

store and buys a

fattening snack. While

eating it he chats with

a co-worker.

Penalty: But he notices he

is starting to gain weight.

Habit Loop


Cue (trigger)

Reward

Habit example: Buying things impulsively.

Automatic impulse buying habit components defined

You see things you like

entering a grocery store

or while waiting to pay at

the checkout line.

You enjoy it for a few minutes

but afterword wish you hadn’t

bought it, as it was not needed.

You automatically buy

some gum and a

magazine without thinking.

Stop impulse buying! 1. Plan in advance all

purchases and make an item

list.

2. Go to those items only.

3. Know what the impulse

purchase cue is and plan

a counter purchase to get

the same reward.

Routine

Habit Loop

Reinforcing &

strengthening

the habit


Cue (trigger)

Routine

Reward

Craving

Components of a habit at their extreme

He sees someone

smoking a cigarette.

Even though he

wants to stop, the

more he observes

the smoker, the

more he craves it.

He suffers with the

craving until he

can’t stand it

anymore. This

leads to him have

a cigarette.

For a few seconds,

he feels rewarded from

the cigarette, but then

feels bad for starting again.

Over time, some habits become very powerful addictions. Notice

this process for a smoker who wants to stop:


11

4-Routine - With

all the pressure

and desire, the

behavior followed.

1-Anticipation

In a person’s

mind, he feels

getting the reward

beforehand. 5-Reward - The

behavior offered value

of some sort. Bad

habits have long-term

penalties though.

3-Cue (trigger) - The craving

created the trigger to behave.

2-Craving - Because the

anticipated reward and

reality did not match,

craving is created. If the

reward does not come,

the result will be anger or

depression, even though

we don’t know why. The habit

keeps going

around and

around.

Addiction modification

Once you break down a habit into its components and recognize the trigger, craving

and reward, you can make specific adjustments starting with plan of action when a

certain cue occurs.

Through repetition, just anticipation of the reward can create the craving which

leads to the trigger.


Habits of always

being late with reports

A habit of little cooperation

among salesmen because

of excess competition

Habit of not caring

about declining sales

Triggered from

excess pressure

from the boss

The habit of working alone or

working in groups when the

opposite is appropriate.

Bad habits in a business environment

Habit of one talkative person

dominating a meeting

All organizations have good and bad institutional habits. But some

organizations deliberately design their habits and others just let them be

created without forethought possibly through rivalries or fear.

Sometimes, a crisis is required to motivate people to improve working

habits.



Reward

Habit example: Someone attacks or gets angry at you.

Habit of getting angry at customers

A customer

complains the

price is too high!!!

You feel temporarily strong,

but later regret what you said.

You get angry at

the customer.

Stop angry response. 1. You will have to plan in advance what you will say to an angry customer.

2. “Next time when the customer gets angry, I will…..”

3. Role play and practice the planned response at least three times.

“Please explain the me

exactly why you are saying

the price is too high.”

Habit Loop

Explain how the product will

produce the reward. Present

in a way that best matches

the customer’s buying habit.

What are the

customer buying

habits for your

product ?

Dramatize and

exaggerate the reward of

the purchase. Present

clear signs (cues) the

product is working.

Observe customer

habits, determine cues to

buy and clearly define

the reward that he wants.

When the customer’s

situation changes, how

does his habits change?

Business promotional activities

& customer habits

If your product is very new, try to connect it to something familiar.

The habit of liking one thing will spread to the new item. 14



Starting to

jog influences

smoking

1. Many habits can not be changed concurrently (at the same time).

2. Find a keystone habit and work on it initially. It should produce small, quick rewards.

3. One keystone habit can create a reaction.

Jogging impacts

on eating habits

Eating habits can

change work method

Working method

changes spending

Improved spending

reduces stress

Low stress

improves sleep

Change habits one at a time, not all at the same time

Keystone

Habits

Habits that start to

shift, dislodge and

influence other

behavior.

Creates reaction

4-step framework to change a habit


Step One: Identify the Routine

- Notice the habit loop and the Routine in it.

- The Routine is the most obvious (what

you do) so start with it.

- Determine what the Routine is that you

want to modify, change or just study?

(Example: Having a cookie and work

break for 10 minutes)

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

Habit Loop

Non-thinking behavior



Step Two: Experiment with the Rewards

- Rewards are powerful because they satisfy cravings. But, we’re

often not conscious of the cravings that drive our behavior. They

are only obvious afterwards but not when underway.

- To learn what the craving is, you must experiment, which might

take a few days, weeks or longer. You must feel the cue

pressure at the time it occurs to fully identify it.

- At this stage, consider yourself a scientist that is just doing

experiments and gathering data.

- After the first routine, start adjusting the routine thereafter, and see

if there is a reward change (greater or less reward). (Example:

Buy a donut or apple not a cookie).

- The point is to test different hypotheses to determine which

craving is driving your routine. Are you craving a cookie itself or a

break from work?

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

Why are you

doing this?

Habit Loop

Improved behavior



Step Two: Experiment with the Rewards

After four or five different routines and rewards, write down on a piece

of paper the first three or four things that come to mind right after each

reward is received.

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

After writing your thoughts, set a timer on your watch or computer

for 15 minutes. When it rings, ask yourself if you still have the

craving. (Example: “Clear headed” is #1 after chatting with others

and having a cookie.)

This directs

your attention.

Habit Loop

- This will force you to be aware of the moment.

- It will help you later in recalling what you were thinking

about at that moment.

- Try to remember what you were thinking and feeling at

that precise instant and 15 minutes after the routine.

- If the craving is gone, you have identified the reward.

- This process isolates the actual craving.



Step Three: Isolate the Cue (trigger)

The cue is often hard to identify because there is too much

information bombarding us as our behaviors unfold.

To identify a cue amid other distractions, we can observe five factors

the moment the urge hits us.

1. Where did it occur (location)? (Cookie Trigger#1: sitting at desk)

2. When did it occur (time)? (Cookie Trigger#1 : 3:36PM)

3. What was your emotional state (feelings)? (Trigger#1 : bored)

4. Who (or what type of people) was around you at the time

(people)? (Cookie Trigger#1 : no one)

5. What action preceded the urge (response)? (Cookie Trigger#1 :

started looking at email)

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

Now, lets look

at the cue.

Habit Loop

Find the trigger




Cookie Trigger#2 - the next time in isolating the cue.

1. Where did it occur? (walking to the printer)

2. When did it occur? (3:31PM)

3. What was your emotional state? (happy)

4. Who (or what type of people) was around you at the time?

(four or five strangers)

5. What action preceded the urge? (made a print)

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

What about

the next time?

Habit Loop




Cookie Trigger#3 - the third time in isolating the cue.

1. Where did it occur? (the conference room)

2. When did it occur? (3:42PM)

3. What was your emotional state? (tired, but excited about this

project)

4. Who (or what type of people) was around you at the time?

(three very close colleagues)

5. What action preceded the urge? (I sat quietly but couldn’t pay

close attention to the discussion)

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

What about

the next time?

It is pretty clear that the

trigger occurs at a specific

time of day (#2 When),

around

3:00PM - 4:00PM.

Habit Loop



Step Four: Have a Plan

Once you have confirmed the reward driving your behavior, the cue

that triggers it and the behavior itself, you can begin to shift your

actions.

1. First, plan for the cue.

2. Second, choose a behavior that delivers the same reward but

without the penalties you suffer now.

3. Third, each time make the behavior a deliberate choice until

you no longer need to think about it every time.

(Example: You took a break and had a cookie around 3:30PM.

You learned you crave socializing at that time. So, you set your

alarm at 3:30PM. When it rings you go visit someone but avoid

eating.

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

Now, for your

plan

Habit Loop

Plan direction in advance

Start doing something & stopping something


Plans for starting to do something

To successfully start doing something you often forget,

follow this process.

1. First, plan what you want to do.

2. Second, determine when you want to complete it.

3. Third, if it is a big project, break the project into

small tasks.

4. With a timer or daily planner, set up cues to start

each task.

5. Complete each task on schedule.

6. Reward yourself for staying on schedule.

Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

Plan your

cues to stay

on schedule.

Habit Loop

Habit change conclusions


Cue

(trigger) Routine

Reward

Habit Loop Sometimes change takes a long time.

Sometimes a support group is required to help change the habit.

Sometimes a lot of practice and role play of a new and better routine in

a low-stress environment is required.

To find the actual reward, sometimes it requires repeated experiments.

Now, you can diagnose the cue, the routine and the reward, which will

lead you to a plan to change the habit when the cue presents itself.

Sometimes habits are only symptoms for larger, deeper problems of

helplessness. In these cases, professional help might be required.

If you have the desire to change and know there will be minor failures

along the way, you can gain power over any habit.

REVIEW: Strategies in changing bad habits

(reward/penalty) to a more desired habit (reward only)


First, to modify a habit, you must decide to change it. You must consciously accept the hard work of identifying

the causes and rewards that drive the habit’s routines, and find alternatives. You must know you have control

and are determined to use it.

Specifically write down when triggers occur and make a journal to determine exactly what the trigger is and

what the reward is.

Direct the focus of a new reward when the trigger occurs.

Change habits in a safe environment, not under stress. Practice and role play responses again and again and

again until it becomes automatic. Do it in advance of the critical moment to make sure it is automatic. Under

stress you should only be acting and not thinking and planning. When the situation comes, you don’t think but

act automatically only.

You can never get rid of a habit, but you can replace the behavior by creating a new behavior when the trigger

occurs.

Genuine change requires work and understanding of the cravings driving the behavior.

Understanding the cues and the cravings driving the habits won’t make them suddenly disappear, but it will give

you a way to plan how to change patterns that maintain or improve on the same rewards.

Through 1-understanding what triggers the habit, 2-knowing what exactly you do and 3-knowing what the short-

term reward (and long-term penalty), belief can be created that new patterns can be implemented.

If there are other people working on the same habit, working together can be very helpful. You have to create a

support environment and avoid environments that reinforce the bad habit loop. Groups can support and

maintain belief.

Company or person

Habits You now have the strategy to change personal bad habits

as well as habits within an organization.

Good luck

Thank You


changing company or personal habits

Self Improvement