Stop Confusing Habits for Routines: What You Need To Know

Motivation is not driven by pleasure and pain, but rather by the desire to escape discomfort.

Our brains get our bodies to do what they want through discomfort. And the same rule applies to psychological discomfort. 

• A habit is an impulse to do a behavior with little or no conscious thought. Not doing a habit feels uncomfortable, like not washing your hands after using the toilet or not flossing your teeth before bed.
• A routine is a behavior frequently repeated. Unlike a habit, skipping a routine doesn’t feel bad and without proper forethought, can be easily skipped or forgotten.

• Start with a routine and stick to it.
• Make time in your schedule for your routine. Without this, chances are it’ll never get done.
• Learn to manage discomfort. New routines won’t be effortless, so you can learn coping techniques to deal with discomfort in a healthier manner.
• Find ways to pre-commit. You can find someone to hold you accountable, for example.
• Remember not to try and turn hard-to-do behaviors into habits. Doing so risks frustration and failure.