Habit methods, explained

A method is useful once you know what they are based on. Each page names its sources and says what is still uncertain.

• How to make a habit stick: four levers from behaviour design

  To make a habit stick, work on four levers together: a clear prompt that tells you when to act, a reason you want to do it, a version small enough to do on a bad day, and a visible reward when you finish. If one lever is missing, the habit tends to fade.

• Identity based habits: act first as the person you want to become

  Identity based habits are habits built around who you want to be rather than what you want to get. Instead of aiming to read 20 books, you decide to be a reader and let each small action count as evidence. Small repeated actions give the new identity something to stand on.

• The two minute rule for habits: make the start tiny

  The two minute rule for habits says to shrink a new habit until the first step takes about two minutes, such as reading one page or putting on your running shoes. The goal is to make starting effortless and to build the routine first. It is a different idea from the productivity rule of the same name.