How To Change Your Bad Habits - The Easiest Way

Summary

The speaker shares their experience with a Facebook addiction during their teenage years, highlighting how the platform's newsfeed was designed to captivate users. To break this habit, they utilized the 'Newsfeed Eradicator' plugin, which removed the newsfeed and drastically reduced their time spent on the site. The narrative emphasizes the power of environmental changes in habit formation, suggesting strategies like removing cues for bad habits and making good habits more accessible. The speaker also recommends 'Human Nature' by Robert Greene for deeper insights into human behavior.

Takeaways

• 😨 The speaker used to spend hours on Facebook due to the addictive nature of the newsfeed, which was designed to keep users on the platform for longer periods.
• 🔍 The newsfeed was the main cue that triggered the speaker's habit of mindlessly scrolling through content, ads, and social comparisons.
• 🛠️ To break the habit, the speaker installed the Newsfeed Eradicator plugin, which removed the newsfeed and drastically reduced Facebook usage time.
• 🌟 Changing the environment can be a powerful tool in habit formation, as demonstrated by the immediate impact of the Newsfeed Eradicator plugin.
• 🚫 Removing cues for bad habits, like the newsfeed, can make it nearly impossible for those habits to start, effectively 'forgetting' the habit.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The speaker increased cues for good habits by installing a pull-up bar in their new office, leading to an increase in daily exercise without conscious effort.
• 🛒 Making bad habits more difficult to perform, such as removing junk food from the home and replacing it with healthier options, can help curb those habits.
• 🏃‍♂️ Preparing for good habits, like packing gym clothes the night before, can make it easier to follow through and serve as a visual cue for action.
• 💤 Wearing gym clothes to sleep can serve as a powerful cue for exercise, leveraging past habits and associations with physical activity.
• 🏠 The environment plays a crucial role in habit formation, and assessing whether it supports good or bad habits is key to change.
• 📚 The speaker recommends 'The 48 Laws of Power' by Robert Greene as an important book for understanding human behavior and improving life.

Q & A

What was the speaker's bad habit related to Facebook?

The speaker's bad habit was spending hours on Facebook, particularly on the newsfeed, which was designed to keep users in a trance and increase the time spent on the platform.

Why did the speaker spend so much time on Facebook's newsfeed?

The speaker spent so much time on the newsfeed because it was designed to be addictive, causing the speaker to mindlessly scroll through content, watch videos, and be exposed to advertisements.

What is the Newsfeed Eradicator plugin, and how did it help the speaker?

The Newsfeed Eradicator is a plugin that removes the newsfeed from Facebook. It helped the speaker by eliminating the addictive cue of the newsfeed, which drastically reduced the time spent on Facebook.

How much time did the speaker spend on Facebook after installing the Newsfeed Eradicator?

After installing the Newsfeed Eradicator, the speaker spent less than 10 minutes on Facebook, compared to the previous 2 to 3 hours.

What is the significance of cues in habit formation according to the script?

Cues are significant in habit formation as they initiate the habit process. In the speaker's case, the newsfeed was the cue that started the habit of spending excessive time on Facebook.

How can one increase the cues for good habits in their environment?

One can increase the cues for good habits by making them more visible or accessible in their environment, such as installing a pull-up bar in a frequently passed area to remind oneself to exercise.

What is the second thing to keep in mind when changing one's environment to change habits?

The second thing to keep in mind is making it harder to follow through with bad habits and easier to follow through with good habits by adjusting the environment accordingly.

How can one make it harder to stick to bad habits in their environment?

One can make it harder to stick to bad habits by removing the triggers or making the process more inconvenient, such as getting rid of junk food at home and replacing it with healthy alternatives.

What is one of the factors that determine the consistency of going to the gym?

One of the factors that determine the consistency of going to the gym is the proximity of the gym to one's home or workplace, as convenience plays a significant role in habit formation.

What is the suggestion given in the script for making gym attendance a habit?

The script suggests preparing gym equipment the night before, wearing gym clothes to sleep, and having a packed gym bag as visual cues to make gym attendance a habit.

What book is recommended in the script for gaining clarity on human behavior?

The book recommended in the script is 'The 48 Laws of Power' by Robert Greene, which provides insights into why humans behave the way they do.