Habits…Kryptonite or Superpowers?

LGMA Future Leaders Forum

Clare Edwards

40 – 50%

“Habits are the choices that all of us deliberately make

at some point and then stop thinking about but continue

doing, often every day”

Charles Duhigg, author of ‘The Power of Habit’

“What

fires

together,

wires

together”

Hebb’s Law

66

Basal Ganglia

Amygdala

• As each rat learned how to navigate the maze, its mental activity decreased

• Within a week, the brain structures related to memory had quietened, voila – a habit is born

The Habit Loop

CRAVING

From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

1.

2.

3.

From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

The Habit Loop

From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Work-based Habits

?

B.S.O.S.

Curiosity?

Distraction?Relief from complexity

Carry on workingRealise I’m late

Meeting reminder

Get more done?

Flexibility, Freedom?Being ‘in the moment’

Pre Frontal Cortex (PFC)The CEO!

Strategies to change existing Habits

“To change an old habit, we must address an old

craving, keep the old cue, deliver the old reward but

feed the craving by inserting a new routine”

TimeLocationCompanyPrevious actionEmotion

Craving?Substitute

Work?Yes – great

No – try another reward

Triggered by the old cueDelivers same rewardSet an implementation intention

KEEP THE SAME CUEPROVIDE THE SAME REWARDINSERT A NEW ROUTINE

Curiosity?

NOVELTY, CHANGE,DISTRACTION

DOPAMINE HIT?

Choice?

Creating New HabitsThe Magic Ingredients

1.

Set Implementation Intentions “If I’m asked to do a task and I’m busy then I shall

ask what level of priority it takes because it will help me with my productivity”

“When my ‘take a break’ alarm sounds, I will allow myself one minute before committing to taking my break because I know it will improve my energy and attention”

“After I leave the team meeting I will transfer notes to my to do list because otherwise it’ll never get done and I’ll be back to square one”

2.

3.

4.

Make it easier to do the hard thing

And harder to do the easy thing

5.

6.

Bb

M

The Language of Habit

The Slippery Slide of the Snake

I’m going to try to do my best

Bb

M

The Language of Habit

The Slippery Slide of the Snake

I’m going to try to do my best

Haven’t you heard, ‘old habits die hard’?

Bb

M

The Language of Habit

The Slippery Slide of the Snake

I’m going to try to do my best

Haven’t you heard, ‘old habits die hard’?

This is going in the ‘too hard basket’ (66 days!)

Bb

M

The Language of Habit

The Slippery Slide of the Snake

I’m going to try to do my best

Haven’t you heard, ‘old habits die hard’?

This is going in the ‘too hard basket’

I’m sorry I CAN’T do/have that unfortunately

Bb

M

CHANGE your Language!

The Slippery Slide of the Snake

The Ladder of Excellence and

Success

I’m going to try to do my best I’m committing to this decision

Haven’t you heard, ‘old habits die hard’?

Have you read the book ‘the brain that changes itself’?

I’m sorry I CAN’T do/have that unfortunately

Replace I CAN’T with I DON’T

I’ll get around to it tomorrow NOW is the only time

7.

Value aligned goal – “to be the best leader I can be, effective and efficient”

SIMPLE cue – turn on the laptop

Prioritise productivity

routines

CLEAR reward – e.g. music on the way

home, a beer , sense of completion?

Craving a sense of accomplishment

Improved leadership capabilities?

Productivity routines - from working harder to working smarter

1.Schedule activities according to your personal energy

2.Prioritise prioritising

3.Simplify through chunking

4.STOP multitasking!

5.Aim to work in sprints

Productivity routines - from working harder to working smarter

6. TAKE breaks

7. Remove or minimise distractions

8. Delegate where possible

9. Avoid thinking when you don’t have

to

10. Reflect, review, refresh

Consequencesof no change?

Impact of planned change?

Resources

www.tinyhabits.com

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act,

but a habit” Aristotle, 384 – 322 BCE