Keystone Habits are Energy Efficient

The second in a series on Habits.

Regular habits fuel our appearance, relationships, work ethic, health and countless other aspects of our lives. As William James eloquently observed, habits are a “system of reflex paths, so organized as to wake each other up successively.” These mighty motivators can propel us down a road to success or to ruin.  

 

 

What is a Keystone Habit?

A keystone habit creates a structure that helps other habits flourish. It can stimulate a chain reaction of related routines that will magnify the impact that your habits have on your life. For example, keeping a food journal is an example of a keystone habit. A food journal tracks your eating and increases your awareness of bad food habits, prompting healthier eating. Constructive keystone habits, no matter how mundane, provide you extra power to shape your own destiny.

 

 

Common positive keystone habits include:

• Regularly using your willpower
  
• Sleeping 7-8 hours a night
• Exercising 20-30 minutes a day
• Meditating
• Eating healthfully and mindfully
• Staying organized and keeping belongings neat 
• Standing straight, shoulders down 
• Writing down your dreams upon awakening
• Socializing regularly 
• Pursuing knowledge and education

 

A recent Vanity Fair profile on President Obama illustrates how good habits have been pivotal to creating his remarkable success. In this compelling portrait, Michael Lewis showcases Obama’s  good habits, hard work, and strategic planning - all of which date back to his youth.

 

 

Don’t have presidential habits nailed down yet?   No worries.  Despite fears that you may be too old, it's never too late to start learning some new tricks.   

 

 

With  determination and persistence, you can acquire new keystone habits that can ultimately reduce your energy needs and help you coast effortlessly to where you want to go.

 

How to harness the power of keystone habits to maximize their benefit?

 

Taking a keen interest in your habits is central to aligning your inner life. Notice what goes on below the radar - which useful habits are absent from your daily routines? 

 

Choosing Positive Habits

When deciding what positive keystone habits to integrate in your life, think about which one of your inner aspects (primitive, social, or reasonable) is most undeveloped. Select a habit that will help promote growth for this undeveloped aspect of your personality. For example: 

• Help your primitive aspect by improving your posture, tooth care or artistic ability
• Help your social aspect with community service, joining a group, or improving your manners
• Help your reasonable aspect by reading more, playing Sudoku, following the news, taking a class

So, for example, determine a cue (awareness of slouching), a routine (straightening your spine) and a reward (hope and pride about looking and feeling better).

 

Let your Three Aspects Work Together 

It is easiest to develop a new habit when all of your aspects pitch in.  Check to see if your:

• Primitive is able to do the work
• Social has people to mirror and offer support
• Reason has faith in your ability to change

Ways your three aspects can support your effort:

• Make sure you are well rested and fed when you need to initiate your new routine.

• Join a group or build a culture with the habits you wish to acquire (gym, book club, church, self-help).  Mirror neurons will hasten the time needed for a new habit to seem your own. Your wish to fit in (group membership) will provide added incentive for your new habits. In these ways, your social aspect will do some of the work for you, lightening the demands on your mental reserves.

• When building a new habit it is enormously important to believe in yourself. Research has shown that faith in your ability to change is the critical ingredient for maintaining newly established routines.

 

Taking steps to develop positive keystone habits will initially drain your mental energy, but is so worth the investment! Over time, these efforts will operate automatically and on cue, without depleting your mental energy.  

Comments

[Dr. Meyer]

Thank you for your kind words. Welcome.

Perhaps you can add time in your day to Becoming an Emotional Detective. Constructive introspection is a keystone habit that improves emotional well-being and relationships.

Becoming an Emotional Detective will help you think more carefully about how to find balance in your life. My column presents a map of the Self that broadly outlines primitive, social and reasonable aspects to your personality, suggesting that all three aspects need your time and attention. Check out my series on Three Aspects under Topics on the navigation bar to learn more.

Sounds like a structured day is what you want to set up for yourself. Try getting a calendar and filling in the hours with your intentions. Generate a list of all possible activities. Exercise can take a lot of time and is a great keystone habit. Do you like to cook?

If you want to think more about balance, check out my post on Neglected Needs (http://emotionaldetective.typepad.com/emotional-detective/2011/04/means-and-methods.htm). To get familiar with more of my ideas, check out The Model and Key Posts on the Navigation bar.

[Sandy]

I'm thrilled that I stumbled upon your blog today. It's just what I need! I have some unproductive habits. Balance is key and is something that I consistently struggle with. Recently retired, I need to organize and develop habits that will propel me to better health so that I can pursue my other goals. Having a brain that tends toward ADHD, it's difficult to remain focused. Structure and building routine habits is essential. At least when I worked I had more structure but it was becoming difficult to remain focused there too. Tried meds but they don't work for me and I have a heart condition that won't allow me to take certain meds. Staying away from sugars and processed foods would make a huge difference but I always choose the easiest fastest solutions and end up like a rat on a treadmill.