ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast
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This is part three of our 4-part podcast on How to Form a Productive Habit. In this episode, we'll be discussing the realities of forming habits using the most current scientific data on automaticity.
About a year ago, the research associate in Health Psychology, Dr. Phillippa Lally, at University College London DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH in the
HEALTH BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH CENTRE performed a study on habit formation systematically as they reach automaticity.
The findings are quite interesting, albeit there are some constructive criticisms of the work. Here are the four main outcomes of the study and how it may help us with forming productive habits.
1. Automaticity took on average 66 days to be reached. Yes, 66 days. Banish the old concept of doing something repetitively for 21-30 days as once was thought.
2. Each person varies for similar habits. In the study, we found that the times ranged from 18 to 254 days to reach maximum automaticity. There are many variables why this may be the case: trying to learn too many new habits at once, not enough focus, time and/or attention, or other not-so-easily distinguishable idiosyncrasies. Ergo, don't think about reaching automaticity so much as the work of forming the habit. It'll reduce burnout.
3. Complex behaviors take more time. This may seem obvious but our previous understanding contradicts this. Don't beat yourself up so much about not building a productive habit of exercising regularly; it turns out that it may take significantly longer to reach that automatic state.
4. Counter to the great psychologist William James's theory, you can actually omit a behavior (say, miss a day at the gym) and it will have negligible effect on automaticity and long-term impact. However, there was some evidence that the effects of omitting the behavior was cumulative and so it's not a ticket to slack off, otherwise you won't be able to build that productive habit.
So, there you go. The real deal, theoretically, about forming habits from the latest in psychological understanding. Please join us for episode 15, our final part of How to Form a Productive Habit, where I'll be covering practical aspects of learning productive habits.
ProdPod: Episode 118 — Pondering Minimalism vis-à-vis Personal Productivity
ProdPod: Episode 117 — Getting More Resilient (Resilience and Productivity)
ProdPod: Episode 116 — Resilience and Productivity
ProdPod: Episode 115 -- Thinking INSIDE the Box! (Part 2)
ProdPod: Episode 114 -- Thinking INSIDE the Box! (Part 1)
ProdPod: Episode 113 -- Limiting Resources for Greater Productivity
ProdPod: Episode 112 -- Overcoming Burnout: Rest and Rejuvenation for Sustainable Productivity
ProdPod: Episode 111 -- Overcoming Procrastination
ProdPod: Episode 110 -- Overcoming Indecision
ProdPod: Episode 109 -- Overcoming Distractions
ProdPod: Episode 108 -- Overcoming Overwhelm
ProdPod: Episode 107 -- Managing People for Productivity
ProdPod: Episode 106 -- End of Workday Routine
ProdPod: Episode 105 -- The Power of Daily Routines: Morning, Midday and Evening Productivity Routines
ProdPod: Episode 104 -- The Myth of the Left and Right Brain
ProdPod: Episode 103 -- Managing Up for a More Productive Organizational Culture, Part 2
ProdPod: Episode 102 -- Managing Up for a More Productive Organizational Culture, Part 1
ProdPod: Episode 101 -- Software Review: Mind42 - Free Web-Based Mind Map Productivity Software
ProdPod: Episode 100 -- Mapping Your Productivity Using Mind Maps
ProdPod: Episode 99 -- Be the Superhero of Your Own Life
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