Design your environment for success: The long-term strategy to foster good habits

We all have wanted to change our bad habits but lack the self-control to do it. This phenomenon is something that happens to everyone. Indeed, relying on self-control can only work as a short-term strategy. Researchers have found that people with high self-control spend less time in tempting situations. Simply put, it is easier to avoid temptation than resist it.

Hiding Undesirable Things

If you want to quit smoking, having a cigarette on the table will be counterproductive. To eliminate this habit, what you need to do is to put the cigarettes out of sight. A plate of cookies on your table will prompt you to start eating even when you’re not hungry. Store them away in a distant cupboard, and you will stop eating as much. The main point is this: you do things that are obvious and in plain sight. So you have to design your environment according to what you want.

Making Good Things Obvious

Making things obvious is effective in creating good habits. If you want to exercise more, try placing your exercise clothes beside your bed. The presence of the clothes will remind you to exercise every time you wake up. If you want to create a habit of reading, place your book on the work table so you cannot avoid seeing it. Doing this will reduce the amount of willpower needed to take action. Try to notice your environment. Are things in the right spot for you to do them?

Making the Rewards Obvious

Some habits give you delayed rewards. For example, exercising can be unpleasant in the present but rewarding in the future. However, creating a routine that gives you an immediate payoff will help make the habit more appealing. For example, you can reward yourself for meditating by eating a cookie. You can treat yourself to a massage after you exercise. Crafting your habits this way will give you both short-term and long-term rewards and increase your motivation. Is there any immediate reward you can attach to the habit you’re trying to make? Making the benefits more obvious will go a long way to helping you succeed.

Conclusion

You can create better habits by making good things more visible and undesirable things out of sight. You can rely on your willpower from time to time. But designing your environment the right way will ensure long-term success.