Saturday 25 July 2009

the habit web

a week or two back i read an interesting article about breaking the habit web. i had never heard of the habit web but the message i got was this:
our behaviour patterns are like a web where each habit supports the others. if we can break a habit or two it can help us to change not just those habits but ingrained behaviour patterns and lifestyles
(from what i understand smoking is a prime example, where smokers have specific smoking triggers and reducing exposure to triggers where possible can help the quitting process)

the article i read was suggesting that maybe we should take a week or two to consider our habits and try changing them. it used the example of a young woman who swapped a daily bath for a shower, got up an hour earlier some mornings and swapped coffee for a variety of hot and cold drinks.
this woman had not had any particular goal when she started her new regimen but after a month of paying close attention to her habits she had made some significant changes to her life. changing her small habits had allowed her to change her life when she hadn't even been aware she wanted to change.

probably the biggest single change was that a tv free week had allowed her to consider other uses for her time and once she had experienced that week she never went back, reaping the benefits of a better social life, reading and exercising.

unfortunately i have not the foggiest idea where i read this story and a quick google search didn't reveal anything much so i can't give you any references, just tell you that i have started thinking about my habits

i wonder what i could change?
i wonder what i should change?

i wonder what might happen next?

18 comments:

  1. That's a really interesting idea...

    I think a net-free week would be very weird for me.

    I can think of a few habits I could experiment with breaking.... lots of social ones... *wrenches self inch by inch out of shell*

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  2. Oh gosh. Well, some of my bad habits are so obvious, but it's the ones that are not obvious that are probably the kickers.

    I'm trying not to be too self-examined of late, it's just been getting me down to look too closely...

    I will say that Sarge and I for a long time went without tv and it was lovely. There was so much more music and reading and conversation in its absence.

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  3. Boy, this post makes me think there are a lot of habits I'm trying to get rid of and some I'd like to try adding to my life.

    I'd also like to break my kids' habit of watching too much TV. Although, they might drive me crazy with all their extra time.

    Are you going to try this? If so, I'd do it with you "virtually" of course. It might help to have someone you could check in with to see how you're doing.

    What do you think?

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  4. I also went without TV for a year when the boys were 7 and 4 and it was wonderful-got so much more done and the boys seemed to play better.

    Dunno if I could let the computer go though... guess i could.

    Don't break your blogging habit though Kylie :)

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  5. abi,
    i dont think i could break the internet habit and i dont think i want to but i might try changing it a bit

    care to join?

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  6. leah,
    i know that feeling, where looking in the metaphorical mirror is too awful to contemplate.

    this was going to be a single post but i have decided to take randoms challenge and try it out. i wont be getting overly serious though!

    xo

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  7. random,
    i decided to take you up on the challenge! who do you think will join?

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  8. hey cinnamon!
    i doubt i could quit blogging for anything!

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  9. hmm.. I will be joining too.. but i really have to find my habits.. only habit is tea all day.. it started just 7 years ago.. a comfort..when i have tea in the morning, am feeling being in home..
    have a great day
    ♥ & ((hugs))
    bindi

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  10. Hopefully something good and wonderful will come out of it. We could both use something good and wonderful to happen in our life.

    xo,xo
    Cece

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  11. This is so exciting Kyles,

    I love this idea....

    Lots of love, M

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  12. I'm in. I've got some very bad habits. Now I just need to pick which one(s) to break...

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  13. Must try and recall the words of a song Billy Field used to sing "Bad Habits."

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  14. bindi,
    i think the first few days or a week should be just spent figuring out what our habits are

    drinking tea is not a bad thing

    have fun!

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  15. cece,
    i'm not hoping for a whole lot , just curious, but if something wonderful happens i'll be there :)

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  16. big M
    it's a fascinating idea, eh?

    i always love to have you visit here

    xo

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  17. hey megs!
    theres no pressure here but i'm just itching to see how everyone goes :)

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  18. Hi Kylie,

    What an interesting post! Been changing a few habits myself. Can't say that it's been easy, but sometimes change is a good, even necessary thing. One thing I wish that I could change is make it where spam replies to blogs, especially those in Chinese, didn't happen. Ah, the challenges.

    Best wishes,

    Skeeter

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