Monkey tamers and the Power of Habit

[Akari]

Monkey Tamers United

 

Hey Monkey Tamers! @fitnessgurl@Wobbegong@MaD MaLKaV@Shello@Judge@Xyndjrn

 

Hey everyone,

I started this thread 2 months ago and failed the most. I thought about not doing a challenge this month but now I decided to buy a running watch for some motivation. I had depression and anxiety and was home for almost 3 months and not working. The depression and the anxiety are (almost) gone. But I did fall back into bad habits: Eating too much, not going out into the sun, just sitting home watching Netflix. In two months I write my exam and I avoid learning for it. It's really imortant for me to pass it because I want to leave the company where I do my apprenticeship. It took me a lot of courage to go back into this company and now I am going crazy because of boredom. My boss refuses to give me other tasks besides cooking coffee and filing away papers. this company was once the reason for anxiety and depression. It won't be a second time.

 

 

The Power of Habit

I really can recommend everybody to read "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. For those who don't want to read the whole book here is a short summary.

 

Building new habits is harder than to change old habits. To explain changing old habits I use an example from the book:

 

1. Identify the routine (the behaviour you want to change)

Imagine you work in an office. Each afternoon you stand up, go to the cafeteria, by a cookie, talk with colleagues, then go back to work. You feel good after talking to colleagues while eating your cookie. Then you feel bad. You got already some pounds but you can't stop yourself. You even ignore the post-it at your desk: No more cookies!

2. Isolate the cue (the trigger of the habit)

need for a break, hunger, need for social contact, boredom...?

3. Reward

cookie, distracting, socializing, a burst of energy because of sugar...?

4. Make a plan

 

In Duhiggs case it was the following:

Cue: around 3:30 in the afternoon

Routine: going to the cafeteria and eat a cookie

Reward: social contact

Plan: Set an alarm, go to a friends desk and talk for 10 min.

He felt better ending the day after talking to a friend.

 

Spreadsheet to track our habits.

1 -  you committed to your habit

0 - you failed

 

Don't worry if you fail sometimes. Don't feel bad about it. Don't be angry at yourself. At the end, you will beat the monkey that distracts you from your good habit

 

1. Post you cue, your routine (the habit you want to build) and your reward

2. Commit to your habit and track it.

[Akari]

Cue: Coming home from work at 16:30. Change into running clothes nd the new running watch.

Routine: Go running or at least walking.

Reward: Enjoy the sun and relax.

[MaD MaLKaV]

I'm taking it easy this challenge, so I'll only stick to my strength training three days a week and track that with the spreadsheet.

[Equinoxe]

Can I join in the group? I've taken a long break from challenges, but I've got some pesky habits I really want to break this time around. I just read the book, so it's lucky timing!

[Akari]

8 hours ago, Equinoxe said:

Can I join in the group? I've taken a long break from challenges, but I've got some pesky habits I really want to break this time around. I just read the book, so it's lucky timing!

Everyone is welcome how did you like the book?

[fitnessgurl]

Hi guys. Did not do so well last time. I did keep up with running though (except for this week because of vacation). Hoping to go running tonight though.  The habit I really want to develop is writing.

Cue: come home from work

Routine: write for 15 minutes

Reward: writing improvement

[fitnessgurl]

Didn't work today...but wrote anyway.  

[Akari]

7 hours ago, fitnessgurl said:

Didn't work today...but wrote anyway.  

Well done

 

I was running on Saturday. I did 20 min intervall training. 2 min running, 2 min walking. Afterward I was exhausted. I feel like I have no endurance at all anymore.

[fitnessgurl]

17 hours ago, Akari said:

Well done

 

I was running on Saturday. I did 20 min intervall training. 2 min running, 2 min walking. Afterward I was exhausted. I feel like I have no endurance at all anymore.

Don't be discouraged. You'll get it back. Just keep going! You got this!!!!

[MaD MaLKaV]

I missed my gym night last night, since the wife got home late, and I didn't feel like going in later than usual.  Going to make it up Saturday, so just switched which day has an x over it.  

 

I'm pretty good at tracking this stuff with a spreadsheet.  I should add my nightly tooth brushing habit that I keep forgetting otherwise, and see if it helps me stick to it.  I just added a reminder to my phone for it though, so I'll see if that works first.