Bad habits are a major contributor to stress and anxiety. The 20-second rule is one of the most effective techniques for breaking bad habits that exists today. The rule says that you should break a bad habit in 20 seconds, or it will take about 60 days to completely eliminate the habit.
The habit is a hard nut to crack. There are many ways in which we can get rid of bad habits and start doing something new for the better. Some methods may work for you, some might not. But one thing is sure: breaking bad habits is going to be an uphill task, especially if you’re not able to do it in just 20 seconds. We’ve compiled a list of tips that can help you break bad habits in just 20 seconds.
When Achor recognized that “reducing the barrier to change by just 20 seconds was all it required to help build a new life habit,” he devised the 20-Second Rule.
Shawn Achor, the happiness researcher, discusses how he wanted to make practicing guitar a daily habit in his book, The Happiness Advantage.
Regardless, he ran into the same dilemma as everyone else: he couldn’t get himself to do it. As a result, his guitar stayed in his cabinet. He wanted to spend more time practicing his guitar and less time watching television. However, he ran into an issue that many of us face while trying to modify our habits. It wasn’t enough for him to just persuade himself that he’d do it. His instrument remained in the closet, and he continued to watch TV as his preferred pastime. Achor realized he had to adjust his default behavior in some way; else, nothing would change. As a result, he began seeking a remedy.
He understood he needed to go into the closet first. He had to take out the guitar case every time he wanted to play his guitar, and only then could he truly play the instrument. This took around 20 seconds, but even the smallest amount of effort appeared to be enough to keep Achor away from the game.
He realized this and decided to remove the guitar from the closet and place it on a guitar stand in the living room. He no longer had to go through the closet anytime he wanted to play. He was able to take up the guitar and begin practicing without expending too much effort because it was already out of its case.
Achor made a similar adjustment to his TV viewing habits. He removed the batteries from the remote control this time and placed them in a box in another room. When he came home from work several nights, he hopped on the sofa to watch TV by default. Something was wrong, he realized. He kept hitting the ON button on the remote, oblivious to the fact that the batteries had been removed.
Achor now feels that getting up and grabbing the batteries from the other room will require additional effort. Instead, he grabbed up his guitar, which was conveniently within arm’s reach, and began playing. His default behavior was disrupted by this minor interference.
His desire to watch television waned, and playing the guitar became more natural as the days went by.
Shawn used the phrase “behavioral approach” to describe his method: 20 seconds rule.
20-Second Rule to break bad habits
The 20-Second Rule to create new good habits
Real-Life Examples of the 20-Second Rule
20-Second Rule to Break Bad Habits
You can break bad habits in just 20 seconds. This is one of the most effective ways to break bad habits. The 20-second rule helps you stay on track and achieve your goals. It works because you get a glimpse of the desired behavior in just 20 seconds. You can use this rule to break bad habits such as smoking, overeating, procrastination, procrastination, and so on.
If you want to replace a poor habit like consuming alcohol after work with a better one, consider relocating your pint glasses to another room in your house
If you want to replace a poor habit like consuming alcohol after work with a better one, consider relocating your pint glasses to another room in your house or leaving alcohol that’s best served cold unrefrigerated (no one likes to drink a beer or white wine that hasn’t been cooled).
Instead of lying in your handbag or kitchen cupboard, keep cigarettes locked in the glove box of your automobile.
Remove social networking applications from your smartphone (one I’m now playing with) or use a browser plugin that restricts your Internet consumption if you want to reduce the amount of time you spend online. This plugin cannot be disabled since it takes more effort – and activation energy.
Consider completing one weekly food buy for the entire week if you want to eat healthier. To avoid the temptation of ordering takeout on your way home after a difficult day, prepare your lunch and supper meals ahead of time or leave your credit/debit card at home.
Considering these options can help you establish good habits that will give your life more meaning.
THE 20-SECOND RULE to Create New good Habits
Have you ever tried to make a new habit? It is not an easy task. If you want to make a new habit, you need to be consistent and consistent. However, it is not easy to be consistent. In fact, it isn’t easy to keep the same consistency over a long period of time. So, how do you create new habits?
The 20-second rule says that if you can do anything for 20 seconds, then you can make a new habit.
Real-life examples of the 20-second rule
You have 20 seconds after your alarm goes off in the morning before your mind convinces you to hit the snooze button and go back to sleep.
So, how do you get yourself out of bed? To begin, place your alarm across the room, forcing you to get up and turn it off. You’re less likely to convince yourself to go back to bed once you’ve gotten out of bed.
Keep your vitamins and a glass of water next to your bed so you don’t forget to take them in the morning.
Place your gym gear beside your bed so you can simply wake up and start working out with the Training app.
Carry a water bottle with you at all times to ensure you get enough water.
Maintain a pitcher of water at your desk to satisfy your daily hydration requirements.
With the 20-second rule, you may set yourself up for success and new behaviors.
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At age 14, I was smoking marijuana and tobacco daily, multiple times a
day. Smoking marijuana helped me forget who I was, the
feeling of getting out of my skin was amazing. Since that first hit, I loved it.
I knew then, I could get out of myself and I can use this
substance to change how I feel, or not feel at all. That’s exactly what I wanted at that point in my life.
Then I realized I am never too late to change my
life.
At age 14, I was smoking marijuana and tobacco daily, multiple times a day.
Smoking marijuana helped me forget who I
was, the feeling of getting out of my skin was amazing.
Since that first hit, I loved it. I knew then, I could
get out of myself and I can use this substance to change how I
feel, or not feel at all. That’s exactly what I wanted at that point in my life.
Then I realized I am never too late to change my life.
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful and encouraging comment! I’m glad to hear that you found the content insightful and that it brought a fresh perspective to the topic. Your support means a lot, and it’s great to know the post resonated with you. Looking forward to sharing more with you—thanks again for reading and for your kind words!