Atomic Habits: The Four Laws of Behaviour Change (4/4)

The four stages of the habit loop form habit expert James Clear's framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones: the Four Laws of Behavior Change. He calls each law "a lever that influences human behavior. When the levers are in the right positions, creating good habits is effortless. When they are in the wrong positions, it is nearly impossible."

Clear makes no claim that his framework is the go-to for changing behaviours, but insists it can be applied to "nearly every field", no matter the challenge, and: "There is no need for completely different strategies for each habit."

In a nutshell, the four laws to build good habits are:

The first law (cue): make it obvious

As mentioned before, we may not be aware of some of our habits. Before nurturing good habits or breaking bad ones, we must first identify them: what they are, what cues trigger them, and why we do them. Clear suggests writing down our habits on a "habits scorecard" and rate whether each is good or bad.

To start a good habit, nail down when and where you want that habit to take place. Vague goals like "read a chapter today" aren't as definite as "read a chapter of this book in the living room at 4 p.m. every day". To make sure you read that chapter, place the book in a prominent place in the living room where it can sing to you every time you see it.

The second law (craving): make it attractive

We repeat certain habits because they give us something in return, like pleasure or relief. So it's no surprise that many bad habits stick while good ones tend to slide. Our habit expert recommends pairing a nice action with a needed one.

After reading that chapter from your book, do something nice like a swim, a warm shower, or another good habit you want to nurture. Join a book-lovers' group or a book club if you want to do more reading. Prep yourself for another chapter from a long-neglected tome by reading it after dinner or a yoga or meditation session, whichever floats your boat.

The third law (response): make it easy

The human brain is primed for shortcuts and instant gratification. If a good habit is difficult to maintain, the urge to quit grows. So make good habits easy to do by keeping the cues to your habits in sight.

That book you've been reading, chapter by chapter? Keep it in sight, like on your desk, or next to the sofa. Build a to-be-read pile of books for a month, put it somewhere prominent and convenient, and lean your current read on that pile. Don't put it back on the shelf where it will likely fade from memory. Is one chapter too long? Try a few pages each time – it's better than not reading at all.

The fourth law (reward): make it satisfying

Whew, your required reading is done. Give yourself a pat on the back. Not enough? Maybe a scoop of ice cream (ONE scoop only!) or a couple of squares of chocolate (NO MORE than that!) after you put your book down, or let yourself check your social media channels (not for too long, please).

Rewarding yourself with a little something after practising a good habit reinforces the feel-good vibes of a job well done and makes the habit easier to maintain. But take care not to introduce habits you don't want to adopt.

Habit sensei Clear suggests using a habit tracker of some sort to chart your habit-change progress. Tangible evidence of progress lights up the brain and can be a source of encouragement. Apps exist to track your book reading – habit gamification! Tracking apps are also available for non-book-related habits. If you can't be bothered, a simple journal or notebook will suffice. Before you know it, you'd have done more reading than you'd expect before starting out. And if you end up journalling regularly, you've just started another habit.

Members of your book club or book-lovers' group can help keep you honest; they will be interested in your progress and discussing the book you're reading, and you can't do that until you're done with it. When you're stuck, they can give you a little nudge to proceed, more personal and better than prompts from an app.

Tracking mechanisms also alert you of days you skipped your reading. Not feeling well that day? Had prior commitments? Fine, just continue reading the next day. What's important is that you "show up", according to Clear-sensei, even for a bit. Don't leave that book unattended for too long – and you're not allowed to start a new book – until you finish it.

That's all we have about the why and how of habit-building based on James Clear's book, Atomic Habits. For more details and a deeper dive into his habit-building and habit-breaking principles, we recommend getting his book, or BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits.

Each of us is shaped by our habits, so it's important to cultivate good habits and avoid bad ones. If grand gestures of habit-changing aren't working, perhaps starting small and doing often are the key.