Below are some techniques and the economic principles behind them when we want to get out of a habit. Same principles work when we want to have a new habit.
1. Distance – Creating distance minimizes temptation or in a way puts a barrier between you and what you crave (e.g. cigarettes, alcohol). This limits supply and deters demand. As an example, there was a website that recommended only storing healthy food in one’s refrigerator so that when a craving occurs, one can only reach and eat food that will not make one fat.
2. Substitute – If one is to stop doing something, then one must fill that activity with a substitute. To be successful, that substitute must be cheaper, or more convenient to do. This will be the incentive to do the substitute activity instead of the current habit. For example, if you want to stop eating every now and then, replace it with some easy-to-do substitute like walking. Walking is something very easy to do. If you substitute going to the gym in place of eating, then the latter easily wins because of the former usually creates a mental image of something that’s very strenuous or something that requires a lot of effort.
3. Putting things in automatic – Programming your time into specific activities or tasks is committing yourself and limiting your choices. Your mind and body will adapt once it knows that for the given time ahead, you are only going to be pre-occupied with doing something else. Did you know that once a person is given a set menu for a day, he/she tends to eat lesser calories as compared when he/she has more choices to eat?
4. Goal setting – The self-esteem, pride and sense of accomplishment one gets when one reaches a goal are very powerful incentives in changing a habit. So when one decides to do away with a habit, one has to set some realistic goals. Of course, praise from peers also helps when they notice you progressing towards a goal.
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