How the World Around You Shapes Your Thoughts and Actions
Researchers have shown that any habit you have (good or bad) is often associated with some type of trigger or cue.
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Recent studies have shown that these cues often come from your environment.
So how can you alter the environment to your advantage?
To stick with a good habit, reduce the number of steps required to perform the behavior
To break a bad habit, increase the number of steps required to perform the behavior
Here are some examples:
Want to watch less TV? Unplug it and put it in a closet. If you really want to watch a show, then you can take it out and plug it back in
Want to drink more water? Fill up a few water bottles and place them around the house so that a healthy drink is always close by
Want to start a business? Join a co-working space where you’re surrounded by dozens of other business owners
Shifting your behavior is much easier when you shift to the right environment.
Stanford professor BJ Fogg refers to this approach as “designing for laziness.”
In other words, change your environment so that your default or “lazy” decision is a better one.