In the last editiion of ‘Technologising Habits’ we introduced our Year 9 unit 'How to Make or Break a Habit', in which students are invited to reflect on the sustainability of their existing habits and contemplate any potential new ones that might more closely align with the type of person they aspire to be - or what HT frames as their Self 2.

Through the lens of the HT Venn diagram, students began by taking an audit of their current habits, in order to determine those that they are happy with and aim to continue to develop, as well as those that they felt were less sustainable, either for themselves, or for others.

Much of the inspiration for the technologies drawn on throughout the unit are inspired by those featured in James Clear's book Atomic Habits. In this, he begins by addressing a common mistake that is often made when attempting to cultivate new habits: that is, the way in which we typically focus too much on the end goal and make the leap too ambitious. Besides the obvious fact that such goals are then, of course, more difficult and less likely to be achieved, there are two other problems in doing this: 1) that we overestimate the importance of one defining moment and 2) that we underestimate the value of making better decisions on a daily basis, when what we really need is, precisely, better habits. Whilst transformations and overnight successes might sound very appealing, in considering only the desired end goal - the ‘pay-off’ or the event - we omit the process and habits that came before it; the stuff that actually leads to the eventual result.

Another common mistake that Clear addresses when reflecting on the ways we tend to  establish new habits is our reliance on inspiration, motivation and willpower. Whilst these might well be helpful in getting us started, data suggests that this only takes us so far. This makes sense because sometimes we feel motivated and sometimes we don’t. What this means is, we can't rely on motivation (something that fluctuates) to stick to our habits (something we want to be consistent).

To avoid such pitfalls, Clear emphasises the importance of making an identity-based goal which is centred around adopting a specific mindset or self-concept that is related to a skill we want to develop. Typically, we tend to set ourselves up for failure by setting performance-based goals which revolve around achieving specific results, or appearance-based goals which are concerned with external validation and how others perceive us. It turns out that this is problematic because we often try to achieve a performance or appearance–based goal without changing what amounts to our core identity. Here, Clear's insights reinforce those from the Human Technologies Foundations Course, where students dedicate a great deal of thought to exploring the complexities of the human brain, how it's "wired" to think, and the whole concept of “consciousness” which equips us with the ability to be aware of such concerns in the first place. One of the insights to which the students are introduced during the course is the realisation that the oversized human brain - and the higher-order thinking for which it provides - is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, it bestows the matchless intelligence which has led to the human species' domination of life on Earth, but, equally, it ushers in a level of self-consciousness and personal anxiety which can, in the wrong environment, become depressive or disabling. As an animal that is thoroughly motivated by repute, humans can too easily become preoccupied with what others think of them, can too easily be swayed by a desire to impress, and, in doing so, lose track of an authentic sense of self.

This means that, whilst all of these types of goals can be motivational to some extent, it is identity-based goals that are often more sustainable - and which positively impact learning and growth - in the long term. Perhaps, then, a healthy combination of performance and identity-based goals might provide a more well-rounded approach to improving and developing a habit without the excessive pressure arising from appearance-based goals.

Next, it was time for students to apply what they'd learned. They set the pause button and gave conscious thought to evaluating their chosen habit by asking: what is really motivating the decision to make the change and establish the new habit? For example, if the goal is to learn vocabulary, what is the motivation really rooted in? Is it because we want people to think we're smart, or is it because we want to be able to realise our thoughts more effectively and communicate our thinking more clearly with others?  Or, if the goal is to play on the computer less, is it because we genuinely believe it's a good idea and that we will benefit from it, or is it because someone else has suggested that we stop. That’s not to say the person giving the advice isn't right in their belief. There are, in fact, likely many good reasons for such a suggestion and many benefits to spending less time on the computer; however, the point is that one has to attribute time to consciously engage with and evaluate the benefits for oneself. Are the benefits weighted enough to make a person believe that reducing the time spent playing computer games would lead to a better balance of the technology and that this would be advantageous? Ultimately, the motivation for the habit should be chosen less out of fear of what others may think of us, and instead must be intrinsic if the habit is to stick.

Once students were happy with their identity-based habits, they looked deeper into the science of how they are formed and what Clear refers to as the 3 R's of habit formation: Reminder, Routine, Reward. Also known as the habit loop, it was able to serve as a useful cognitive technology for students to set up a system that made their chosen habit easier to start. 

First in this system is to set up a visible reminder that links the new habit with a current behaviour. Selecting the correct reminder for the new habit is key as it encodes the new behaviour in something that we already do, rather than relying on being motivated or willpower, which we already know can dwindle. To begin this process students were instructed to write down two lists: in the first, writing down the things they do each day without fail; and in the second, writing down the things that happen to them each day. The intent is that the event serves as a cue or trigger for the new habit. For example, you might say, “When a commercial comes on TV, I do five pushups." or "Before I sit down for dinner I'll do 5 squats".

Notice, too, that the actions given in these examples are small enough changes that they appear relatively insignificant, but Clear emphasises their importance in the journey towards bigger change - it’s the accumulation of these processes and shifts in daily habits that will, in time, eventually lead us to the intended goal. By starting with tiny, manageable changes and being consistent with them, we are better positioned to create positive feedback loops that lead to substantial progress and continuing growth towards our aspiring Self 2.

The habit loop wouldn't be complete without reward. When it comes to sticking to better habits, there is an important reason to reward ourselves: we want to continue doing things that make us feel good. This doesn’t, necessarily, have to be a physical or tangible reward. Simply gaining pleasure from the habit itself, or giving yourself some credit can be a way of enjoying each small success. Clear also states that it’s our tendency to focus on the end goal that often leads us to set a deadline, but not a schedule. We say things like, “I want to get all A* in my exams” or “I want to be able to play guitar by next summer.” The problem with this strategy is that if we don’t achieve the arbitrary timeline that we set in the beginning, then we likely end up feeling frustrated or like a failure - even if we are better off than we were at the start. This can often cause us to give up.

Creating a schedule was, then, the final technology that students devised to anticipate and navigate this pitfall. It not only served as a useful reminder of the journey towards their goal, but also helped to keep track of progress by tallying any successes, as well as building in opportunities for reward.