Step Two: Experiment With Rewards

“Rewards are powerful because they satisfy cravings. But we’re often not conscious of the cravings that drive our behaviors.”¹

Once you’ve #identified your habit loop, the next step is to find what gives you the urge to start being in the routine. Few examples to start with:

• Do I eat chocolates because I’m hungry?
• Or maybe I just want to get up off my desk and have the chocolates as an excuse to socialize?
• Am I just bored and wanted to do something?

To help you identify the means to your habit, write down a list of three word describing what you saw, felt during your routine, or what was in your mind while doing it. It will help you remember what you’ve done during the activity to figure out the means you were doing it for.

Another way is to experiment with different routines to see if an alternative satisfies your urge. This is ideal because you cannot just force your habit aside as you will almost always likely result in a disappointing relapse. For instance, when feel like getting up from your desk to grab a snack, try to pick up something else, like fruits instead. Then on the next day, instead of eating, talk to a friend for a few minutes before going back to your desk. Or next time, just step outside for a quick walk around the building to get some air.

Finally, after you’ve finished your new routine, set an alarm for 15 minutes to see if you still have the urge to leave your desk. If you don’t, then you found an alternative that satisfy the same reward. Otherwise, don’t be discouraged and try to find another activity. You’ve already come this far to start giving up.

Every habit is unique, and therefore requires a tailored approach to figure out what drives your habit. But once it is clear that your craving can be satisfied by a different routine, next up is Step Three: Isolate The Cue#.