“Indiana. Indiana. Let it go.” The Sunk Costs Fallacy.
In his seminal work on behavioural economics, Misbehaving, Richard H. Thaler tells the story of a man named Vince who paid $1,000 for a tennis club membership. Even after developing tennis elbow, he continued to play. He didn’t want to waste the money he had spent. He only gave up when the pain became literally unbearable. Thaler calls this the Sunk Cost Fallacy, where we persevere with something in an attempt to mentally recoup that money (or time) already spent, or to get perceived value from it. As he points out, that money is gone, no matter what we do. Punishing ourselves in some way through our continuing behaviours doesn’t help. This, in essence, is what behavioural economics is all about. It blends economic analysis with psychology to offer insights into our behaviours, the values we place on things, and the decisions we make as a consequence. How I fell foul of the Sunk Cost Fallacy Recently, I have fallen foul of the Sunk Cost Fallacy. A few years ago, I purchased a highly respected and expensive course in a field that wasn’t my home turf. I did so because it wasn’t long after COVID and my work had been heavily impacted. I thought it would be beneficial to have a backup plan. I had a year to complete the course. I did nothing. Partly because work picked up. Partly because we had a rollercoaster of a year with miscarriages, family illnesses, and then a pregnancy. Partly because every time I looked at the course, I realised I found it incredibly dull and the learning experience (and lack of any support provided) meant I just couldn’t get into it. At the end of the year, I had a choice. I could let it go, or I could try to retrieve some value from my spent cash. So, I spoke to the ‘training provider’ (I put that in inverted commas because the ‘training’ was a series of web pages to read, occasionally clicking on a box to be able to read the text in a different place – but more on that another time) and I persuaded myself that if I swapped the course for another pathway, that would motivate me to get it done. Eleven months later, and with an 18-month-old, a very busy work schedule, and more family and life stresses, guess how much work I’d done? I’m sure you got it right. Nada. So, I spoke to my partner, Lou, and decided to go into overdrive. I understand the language of qualifications and what assessments require very well, and I know I can learn FAST! So I started. I ploughed through an assignment, hating every second of it and feeling like I was learning nothing of value to me (that’s not to say it might not be valuable to someone else, it’s just not my bag). I began the second assignment late one evening, and I spent much of the night awake with a very unwell baby, thinking about the course and whether I should continue or not. And then, the following morning, I saw an image on my web provider’s homepage. It’s the one below, of the city of Petra – or Raqmu as it was called by its creators – in Jordan. It’s also the scene used in the best of the Indiana Jones movies, The Last Crusade. (In my humble opinion, but having watched each at least thirty times, I feel well placed to offer up my view.) It serves as the resting place of the Holy Grail. After the Nazis attempt to remove the Grail, the place begins to fall apart and the Grail falls into a freshly opened crevasse in the floor. Indiana Jones tries to save Elsa – his double-crossing love interest in the film – as she scrambles in to attempt to retrieve the Grail, desirous of the everlasting youth and untold powers it would bring. She can’t reach it and slips out of Jones’ grasp and into the abyss below. Indiana, though, thinks he can reach it. Jones’ father (the ever-wonderful Sean Connery) clings onto Indy’s hand and repeatedly tries to get his attention, calling him Junior, much to Indy’s disdain. Eventually, Connery says, “Indiana. Indiana. Let it go.” And that was all it took. Indiana Jones lets go. He gives up on the Holy Grail and takes both of his father’s hands, Connery hauling him out of the crevasse and the pair beating a hasty retreat before the whole place collapses. With the memory of that film scene firmly in my head, I also knew what I was going to do about my course. Let it go. What can you learn from the Sunk Cost Fallacy in relation to your health and fitness? The key thing is to learn to let go of things that aren’t working or don’t feel right. Yes, you may have spent a lot of money on that gym membership but you’re not going, so if you know deep down that’s not going to change, let it go. You can decide not to go back to that diet ‘one more time’, if you know in your gut (no pun intended) that you don’t really like it. That’s not to say you should always give up. If something feels like the right path but you just need to do some tweaking and try again, that’s cool. But don’t keep going out of a sense of guilt that you’ve wasted good money or time. Instead, imagine those smooth Scottish tones of Sean Connery. Let it go, take his hands and let him help you out of that hole that you’ve been stuck in for some time.
How has the easing of lockdown improved your wellbeing?
You might think that a picture of a group of people drinking has no place on a website dedicated to your wellbeing and, in some ways, it doesn’t. It’s certainly not the alcohol that’s the most important element of the picture. Far from it. It’s the fact that the people are together, socialising, and enjoying themselves. Our lives have been changed in so many ways over the past 15 months. We’ve had many of our freedoms taken away and realised the importance of many things that we simply took for granted. So what is it about the recent easing of lockdown that’s been most helpful in improving your wellbeing? Maybe it’s: Getting to see family and friends. Studies have suggested that the strength of a person’s social circle might be a better predictor of stress, happiness and wellbeing than some fitness tracker data. So, going to the pub for a drink with friends could actually be just as important as going for your morning run! Who knew??? I can’t find the reference, but one of my all-time favourite research studies was done on a group of elderly folk who were suffering from mild depression. During the study, half of the participants took part in regular exercise sessions, whilst the others got together for regular tea and biscuit mornings. The results? Both groups saw equal improvements in their mood (and in other markers of wellbeing too)! It seemed just the act of being with others was enough to improve wellbeing. Wonderful news to my ears, as that means not only can I go to the pub, I can have biscuits too!!! 😉 NOTE: All in moderation of course. It’s all about balance. Freedom Human beings have been fighting to protect their freedoms for millennia, and no doubt will continue to do so for thousands more years to come. Being able to choose, to do what we want, when we want to, is an essential element of our wellbeing. Autonomy is well recognised as being vital in so many aspects of our lives. As a child, we grow up wanting the freedom to be able to do the things we want, and this certainly causes a few arguments with our parents along the way! In the workplace, autonomy is recognised as one of the key elements that help workers to feel valued and, consequently, increases the loyalty someone feels towards an organisation, and the productivity of their work. Many of our simplest freedoms have been missing this past year. The freedom to go where we want to, see who we like, partake in many of our favourite hobbies and pastimes. Maybe getting this back, even just a little, has been the thing you’ve treasured most in recent weeks? Spontaneity ‘Shall we go out for dinner tonight?’ When was the last time you said that? These days, it’s more like ‘I best book a table at the pub for two weeks Tuesday, just in case they get full.’ I know this is one of the things I’ve missed hugely. When we did our ride last year, I was hoping that we’d be able to just take each day as it comes, see how far we could go, and then, late afternoon pop into a campsite or B&B that we were passing to see if they had any space. The reality was much different. We had to plan every stay a week or more in advance and stick rigidly to our schedule. I guess spontaneity is all part of freedom. To be able to go where the wind blows us, to drift on the tide, enjoy the ride, and see where we end up. Variety ‘What day is it?’ How many times have you asked that question in recent times? When all days feel the same, it really is hard to tell! Weirdly, having some structure in our lives also provides us with variety. We know that we do specific things on certain days and at certain times, work being the obvious example. But it’s the structure of a working week that allows evenings and weekends to feel like such a wonderful change. As a self-employed person, I’ve had to work hard for years to ensure I kept variety in my week. To limit myself to working on certain days between certain times, and even in specific places in the house. It’s a vital part of wellbeing. It allows us to compartmentalise our lives into work time, family time, me time, and any other time that’s important. Variety really is the spice of life, so it’s quite understandable that many people have found the monotony of lockdowns such a challenge. Hopefully, now your freedoms are beginning to return, you’ve started to feel like your life has both more structure and more variety again? How has the easing of lockdown improved your wellbeing? I’d love to know, so please do reply and tell me in the comments box below. And whatever your reasons, long may it continue!
Be a collector of healthy habits
When I was a kid, I loved collecting all sorts of things. I had collections of stickers, playing cards, beer mats, small china animals (the type you get from gift shops in seaside resorts), and Liverpool FC badges. Each time we went to a game at Anfield, my dad would buy me one from the stalls that lined the streets on the way into the ground. And yes, I was also a rather avid collector of stamps! But, to be fair to me, they were special ones – the First Day Covers that commemorated the release of a new set of stamps or that marked special occasions like the anniversary of D-Day or the Queen’s birthday. OK, that’s probably too much information about stamps. But there is a reason why I’m telling you about my geeky childhood – healthy habits. As I’m sure you know by now, I’m a big believer in developing healthy habits. Why? Because of the principle of ‘Reversibility’. Or put more simply, the ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it‘ principle. Mostly you hear about this principle in relation to exercise. If you stop being active, then you lose your hard-earned fitness gains. But, the truth is it applies to every single healthy habit going. You cannot store physical or mental health, fitness, and wellbeing for very long. It’s a bit like looking after a plant. You must feed and water it regularly to ensure it survives and grows. In the same way, you must keep feeding and watering your body and mind with healthy habits. Only that way can you thrive. So what? That sounds fairly obvious. It does. And it is. But that doesn’t mean that we humans are very good at following the principle. On the contrary – we often find ourselves trying hard to take up one healthy habit or another, only to give it as soon as something goes wrong. If you want to find lasting wellbeing, you have to find another way. I believe that way lies in thinking of yourself as a collector. Your challenge in life is to collect as many healthy habits as you can along the way. You might review how you’re doing in the same way that children compare their sticker collections in the playground: ‘Got, got, got, need.’ (Children of the 80s and 90s will know what this means). Take a moment to look at your lifestyle – highlight the healthy habits you already have in place, and then pick a new one, a ‘shiny one’, that you want to collect next. I say a ‘shiny one’ because those were the stickers we desperately wanted for our albums when we were kids. It was always football stickers that I collected. The shiny ones were usually the club badges, and I thought they looked amazing! As kids, we never gave up until every gap in our sticker album was filled. And that’s the way you have to see collecting healthy habits. It’s a lifelong quest to collect more and more. And unlike stickers, you can also refine the ones you have already collected. If there are no new habits that you want or feel able to work on right now, is there anything you can do to improve an existing one just one per cent more? Working on healthy habits has to be a lifelong quest because, as I’ve already mentioned – if you stop practising any one of them, you lose the benefits. Yes, you have the choice to give up, to stop one healthy habit or another, or even all of them. But are you sure you want to? Or do you know that in a few weeks, you’ll regret it and want to start again? Only with even more work to do to get back to where you were – like a real-life game of snakes and ladders. In reality, your wellbeing is one giant game of snakes and ladders. Sometimes you’re doing well, climbing the rungs each day, and feeling great. At other times things are tough, and you’re sliding down the back of that slippery serpent. When that happens, you have to learn to go again. Winning comes from being determined, stubborn, never giving up, trying with everything you have, forever. What will you collect next? That’s my question for you today. And I don’t mean stamps! What’s next on your healthy habits list?
Self-isolating in a balanced way…together
Many of us have been thrust into big changes to our daily routine and habits, and whilst it’s definitely the right thing to do, it can be challenging. It’s hard to get the balance of work and play right, to get into a productive rhythm, to concentrate, to relax and switch off, and for all you wonderful parents out there, all of the above and more with the added challenge of schooling your children now. What can we do then to make our days productive and at the same time maintain positive mental wellbeing? Here are a few key habits to focus on… 1. Fix your sleep-wake cycle One of the biggest things you can do to keep a sense of normality is to go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Don’t be tempted if you’re stuck at home to squeeze in extra episodes of your favourite box set on Netflix; your body loves routine. It’s called your Circadian Rhythm and when you work with it by doing the same things at the same time each day, your hormones, energy levels, concentration, fitness, immune function and much more get into the groove. Switch off at the same time each evening and set your alarm for a consistent start to each day. 2. Structure your day Let’s not stop with sleep and wake times; give your entire day some structure. You can do this in a number of ways; some of you will like to set times for schooling, work, breaks, exercise and chilling. Generally, if things are in the diary, they happen. If you’re like me you might prefer to make a (realistic) list of tasks to achieve and then be flexible about how you do them. Either way, you’ll have some structure that’ll stop you feeling lost and out of sorts. Little tip for you – share the structure with someone and report into them on how it goes. Being accountable makes things happen. 3. Be familiar Building on our routine theme, stick to as many of the timings and systems that you already have in place. You know how strange it feels when you go on holiday and you have no rhythm, then how hard it is to get back into it when you get back? It’ll be the same here unless we stick to our daily patterns – we like being creatures of habit. That said, if there’s an opportunity to make an improvement to your day that’s always been missing; time for exercise or just time for yourself to relax, now is a wonderful time to grab it with both hands. 4. Assign space Whether it’s an entire room, or even just a designated chair at the dining table, clearly define the spaces in which you work, eat, rest and play. By doing so you mentally set boundaries and can find it easier to switch on and off when needed. Make sure everyone in the house is aware of these spaces too so that they are always respected. 5. Talk to someone every day Especially if you’re home alone, set aside time for a phone call or even better Skype or Facetime. We all know how much human contact means to us and it’s been taken away like never before. The Mental Health Foundation says it’s a good way to maintain positive mental health and cope with stressful times, just like these. 6. Separate your week and weekend There are two reasons I say this – firstly because it’s easy to keep working and not give yourself a break (I’m sure the kids won’t appreciate 24-7 schooling either)! The second is because it’s also easy to slip into weekend habits like pouring yourself a glass of wine or helping yourself to some treats when you’re at home. Keep the structure and you can help your waistline, your energy levels, your concentration, your productivity and your sleep quality. Maybe even write your glass of wine or beer into your Friday schedule…or two yes, it’s definitely been one of those weeks. 7. Get outside if you can If it’s safe to do so, the great outdoors will probably feel greater than ever before right now. Get some space, some fresh air and enjoy the rejuvenating powers of spring. Whether it’s a walk, a jog, a bicycle ride, hopscotch, hula hooping or just taking the dog out, get some sunlight on your face and your mental and physical wellbeing will keep some balance. Now more than ever, let’s focus on the things we can control, the things we have power over that can leave us feeling fitter, healthier and happier.
What would a perfectly balanced day look like?
If finding your balance is all about repeating good habits over time, then the first step is to work out what one perfectly balanced day looks like, and then repeat it as often as possible. Let’s have a look at what that nicely balanced day might contain… Seven to nine hours of sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. That means the perfect day actually starts the evening before, going to bed at the right time in order to meet your requirements. One scientific study even went so far as to calculate the ideal time to get out out bed – apparently it’s 7:22. The researchers found that people who rose at or after this time had lower levels of cortisol, possibly because it enabled them to get adequate amounts of sleep. The ideal breakfast. Some would argue for porridge; the oats and low Glycemic Index serving to fill you up and energise you throughout the day. If your dietary choices allow for them though, you can’t go wrong with eggs. They’re packed full of important proteins to stave off hunger and increase alertness, there’s vitamins for a healthy body and good fats to keep your brain and heart in peak working condition. A study by Direct Line, yep the ones with the musical phone, found that giving yourself 22 minutes to enjoy your breakfast in a calm environment was optimal. The work bit. Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, a book about why it is that people in certain parts of the world live longer, happier lives, has reviewed research on more than 20 million people worldwide through the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, and says “When it comes to your work, try to work part-time, 30–35 hours a week.” Working less is consistently linked to increased health and happiness, but maybe surprisingly, doesn’t seem to affect productivity – people get the same amount done in less time. A working day starting at 9/9:30 and finishing around 4/4:30 would meet these requirements comfortably. Free time. Returning to the Direct Line survey, they claimed we should all have 6 hours 59 minutes of awake, non-work or ‘free’ time. This includes 18 minutes on social media (some of us may need to work on this one), 2 hrs 21 minutes eating, including 53 mins for lunch, 1 hour for TV watching and another hour for ‘me’ time. Exercise. In terms of cardiovascular activity, the current guidelines are actually based on weekly totals – either 150 minutes of moderately hard exercise or 75 minutes of very hard training; working harder gives the benefits in half the time. As a daily average, that equates to around 21 minutes, 30 seconds of moderate activity, or 10 minutes 45 seconds of hard effort. A very short amount of time for a very large level of reward. Socialising and family time. Back to Direct Line world again, where everyone is comprehensively insured. Their report suggested we get 45 minutes-1 hour of socialising each day and research is clear; people who spend more time with friends live longer, happier lives. Another hour is given for quality family time, whether you want it or not. 😉 Bedtime. And so we’re back where we started, where all days start and end. Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep, says that whilst there’s no specific time to get to sleep, there does appear to be an idea window somewhere between 8pm and 12 midnight. As I talked about right at the start, it’s worth working backwards to ensure you get your 7-9 hours. If you’re getting up at 7:22 this means anywhere from 10:22-12:22 should be fine. If you’re a night owl you may shift this later if you can rise at your own leisure, whilst if you’re a morning lark you’ll likely want to shift this forwards. And there we have it, seven habits for a balanced day. Repeat them often enough and health, fitness and happiness are just around the corner. 🙂
How long do habits take to form?
It’s 21 days right? Everyone knows that. Those of you who are qualified Personal Trainers and/or have studied the Stages of Behaviour Change model might be saying ‘isn’t it 6 months until you’ve made a permanent change?’ A study of 96 people at University College London came up with some different answers. Participants were asked to choose just one health behaviour to turn into a habit; maybe adding a piece of fruit to their diet or increasing their daily step target for example. On average it took 66 days for a habit to become automatic; one person took just 20 days for drinking water with a meal, a 10-minute morning walk took 50 days for another, whilst one had’t manage to form a habit of sit-ups in the morning by day 84. Indeed, simple habits seemed to be formed very quickly in a matter of weeks (18 days was the quickest), whereas harder ones were estimated to take just over eight months. Missing single opportunities to build new habits did not affect the overall chances of them forming; this is great news as it means there’s no reason for you to give up if you don’t manage a perfect transition to your newly desired habit straight away. So where does the 21 days thing come from? In the 1950s a surgeon, Dr Maxwell Maltz, was interested in how long it took patients to get used to the effects of their surgery, including everything from nose jobs to amputations. The answer? About three weeks. He then observed that this seemed true of many habits in his own life and the seed was sewn in much the same way that we believe that body language makes up 55 per cent of communication (that’s definitely not always true, but that’s for another time). He didn’t do any formal studies into it so it’s impossible to say how accurate his observations were. Single scientific studies, or even a sentence (or just part of one) can easily be picked up and become catchy soundbites that spread to all four corners of the earth. What Maltz actually said was that it probably took AT LEAST 21 days, so even he recognised right from the outset that the time it can take may vary. How is a new habit formed? A new habit is said to be formed when we reach automaticity; that’s the ability to do it without really having to think about it. All habits have three distinct stages: 1) A stimulus – the thing that causes us to initiate the habit. For example, your morning alarm can trigger you to perform a variety of actions. 2) A response – that alarm first and foremost will act a stimulus to get up; and that in turn can be the stimulus to head to the bathroom and brush your teeth, or to make a morning brew 3) A reward – you’ll be rewarded for brushing your teeth with that clean feeling and in the longer term, with healthier teeth and gums and Colgate advert modelling potential. Your tea or coffee will reward you with that kickstart you need to face your day. Building habits in your brain is like creating a path through a field of corn. At first, there’s no discernible route through, but once you start to tread down a path, it gets easier each time to get across the field. And then why would you bother trying to make a new path. In the same way, the more a stimulus leads to a set response and the reward is consistently reaped, the more defined the neural path becomes, reaching a point where it fires instinctively as soon as the stimulus is sensed. This can be good, in that it stops you having to consciously think about something you do every day, saving time and energy, but also detrimental if you want to make a change. The habit is engrained and it can take time to build a new path. You might be sat there thinking, ‘I’m not very good at forming habits’ – oh yes you are! Your whole life revolves around them. Do you go to work every day? Remember to take the kids to school? Eat dinner, always watch your favourite tv show, put your clothes on? Then you’ve formed plenty of habits. It can just take time to blend new ones in when you already have so many in place. Some changes come instantly; for example if you touch a hot stove when you’re a child, it doesn’t take you 21 days to learn not to do it again. If the motivation is high enough, it is possible for new habits to form straight away. It’s usually the exception rather than the rule, with most taking time to bed in to your routine. Elliot Berkman PhD, Director of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon considers that there are three main things that determine whether a new habit is likely to be formed… 1) The availability of an alternative – he notes that it appears much easier to replace a habit with another one than to merely stop doing something. Good examples are Vaping or chewing gum rather than smoking, or having a soft drink with dinner rather than a glass of wine. 2) The strength of motivation – using smoking as an example again, some people find that they’re able to quit when they hear they’re going to become a parent, and weight loss can be inspired when you can no longer fit into your favourite clothes. 3) The ability to change – you may need certain skills or resources in order to change. If you have these or they’re easily available, change can be quick. If planning and effort are needed, say you need to buy things or learn a new skill to make it happen, change will be slower. The good news As the University College London study mentioned earlier showed, failure to perform a new habit
Habits to help beat depression
I’ve given many sessions over the years on mental health and wellbeing; it’s part of the courses I teach to Personal Trainers and I’m often asked to talk on the topic in workplaces too. I’ve written articles on it and done numerous pieces on social media, and in all of them, I’ve always argued that the statistic that 1 in 4 of us suffer mental health issues is just plain wrong. It’s undeniably 4 in 4; we all face challenges at some point or another, we don’t have or not have mental health problems, they simply slide up and down a scale. Sometimes we cope with them comfortably, at other times it’s harder. In recent times, I’ve experienced what it’s like to be much further along that scale, challenged to the point that on some days it has gotten the better of me and I’ve felt unable to defeat it. Other days haven’t been so bad, and some have started well and got harder or started badly and become easier. I guess that’s the thing about it; the scale can move constantly. What I have had to do though is to use my resources, the knowledge I have about things that might just help me move to a better place on the scale and bit by bit, I’ve found myself moving in the right direction again, back towards a better balance. Here are some of those things that have worked for me… 1) Do something small One of the most powerful things about depression is its ability to leave you feeling flat, paralysed, unable to do anything. Even the most mundane of tasks can seem like a challenge and you can experience whole days unable to get anything done. At this point, setting big, challenging goals might not be the best idea as they’ll often take sustained effort and it’s easy to lose motivation along the way, even when you manage to have a good day or even a good few days. Try instead using micro-goals, tiny stepping stone challenges you can set yourself to provide a sense of achievement. The great thing about achieving things, however small, is that your brain recognises it and fires off pleasure-giving chemicals as a reward. That’s why when people make lists, they put things on they’ve already done so they can tick them off straight away and get the feel-good factor response! This reminded me of the ‘making your bed’ speech from the US Navy Admiral that went viral in recent times. His point is very clear, start small and take it one step at a time. If you have five minutes and you’ve never seen it, I’ve included it below for you. It’s well worth a watch.
Why do habits stick?
Behaviours are things you do; habits are behaviours that you get into the ‘habit’ of performing time and again. I’ve written a lot recently about the importance of building healthy habits in order to find your balance. That’s because health and fitness aren’t permanent, they improve as your health behaviours do and they worsen if you start to spend less time down the gym and more time up the pub. Essentially, all of my work with clients is in helping them work out how they can increase their healthy behaviours, decrease their less healthy ones and turn these new actions into habits. But what is it that makes this most likely to happen? The three bits of habits Habits share three things in common: 1) They’re triggered by certain cues 2) After the cue, the behaviour (doing bit) occurs 3) They stick long-term because there’s some sort of reward for doing them Cues (and behaviours that follow) When you see a traffic light change to red, you hit the brakes and come to a stop (hopefully)! The colour of the light is the cue for your habit of pressing the middle pedal. Cues come in various forms: Times – for example, it’s likely that most of you will brush your teeth just after getting up and going to bed, and when we eat certain meals and types of food is cued by the time of day Places – the dancefloor in your favourite club is likely where you’ll bust your moves, less likely is that you’ll get your groove on in the Post Office (unless you’ve watched the Full Monty recently)! People – it could be that your mate at work is the trigger for you to go for a pint after work, or your nan could be the trigger for cake consumption. Equally, you might have a running or gym buddy who’s a trigger for healthier habits Emotions – food and mood for example are inexorably linked. In fact, there are two types of hunger – homeostatic hunger is what you feel when you actually need calories; hedonistic hunger is when you want to eat because of your mood, it could be stress, tiredness, being upset or even feeling great that triggers you to chomp down the calories. Rituals – it’s Monday, you get up in the morning and go to work. You don’t debate it, even though you’d like to, you just go. Going to work has become a ritual and you have plenty more things that you just do because you always do. Some are routines that you do on autopilot because it’s much easier to spend most of your time not having to think about what you’re doing – driving being a great example. You change gear when you need to, indicate when required and know to put the handbrake on when you park. Every day you’ll receive thousands of cues that lead you to respond in an almost automated way. You’ve programmed yourself to carry out specific behaviours in response to each one, and they’ve become habits. Rewards Rewards come in many guises; medals at the end of a race, the tingling of your taste-buds when you eat something you really like, the sense of satisfaction when you complete a challenging task like decorating a room, the happiness you get from helping others, that sense of relaxation when all the things on your to-do-list have been ticked off, or the buzz on your phone that lets you know your friends have contacted you. They can be tangible things or feelings; and they may not always appear obvious. Ultimately it doesn’t matter what they are, as long as you feel they bring some gain, something positive to your life. When a behaviour leads to a rewards, much like in the original Pavlov’s Dog experiment, we repeat that behaviour hoping for and eventually expecting, the same outcome. This reward mechanism is what makes certain habits so addictive; drugs, alcohol gambling, sugary foods – they all lead the brain to fire off a series of powerful chemicals including neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endocannabinoids. The latter have a role to play in mediating the effects of cannabis, hence their name and are also thought to play a significant part in ‘runner’s high’, the state of euphoria that many people feel from exercising. And by the way, the reason why they can become addicted to it and over-train – they love the reward so they repeat the habit regularly. The three bits of habits in action Take brushing your teeth as a simple example of a habit that sticks for most people. What are the cues? Well, early in life when the habit isn’t as well embedded, one of the main cues is your mum pestering you to brush your teeth. There’s also the visual reminder of the toothbrush and paste often sat in the glass in front of the bathroom mirror. You’re bound to see it when you visit the bathroom in the morning and before you go to bed, and it acts to remind you what you need to do. There’s also the time of day; you probably don’t brush your teeth when you go to the loo mid-morning do you, but the same visual cues are there, it’s just not the right time for the teeth-brushing thing. On the rewards side, there are a few reasons why you continue to brush your teeth. The smile is a hugely important part of body language, hence why marketing companies have been able to sell us more and more things that help to keep our teeth white and our breath fresh. We like to be seen to have white teeth, it’s a sign of beauty and health; we want fresh breath when we’re talking to colleagues at work, when we’re with our friends and if we’re out on a date. So brushing your teeth might reward you with confidence, with self-esteem, with a successful outcome at a job
The 52 habits of balance
Part 2: eat Last week I introduced you to the 15 habits that make up the think element of balance. This time I’m going to give you a taste (pun very much intended) of the food and drink habits that I work on with my clients, highlighting seven I’d term ‘big rocks’, major behaviours to focus on. Some of them are about things you might want to do more often, whilst others are about things to consider doing less frequently. Nothing is considered ‘good’ or ‘bad’, only better or worse. No foods are banned and you certainly shouldn’t feel guilty if you’re not perfectly balanced for all of the habits…very few people are (myself included). So let’s go, score each habit and then afterwards, pick one that you feel you can work on to improve your balance. Habit 1: Get your 5-a-day Whilst there’s debate about how many portions of fruit and veg you should have, there’s good evidence that your health improves the more you get. Aim for a minimum of five portions a day, and get a good variety of types and colours over time. Score: 1 point if you rarely eat fruit or veg at present 3 points if you often get close or sometimes you get your five, sometimes you don’t 5 points if you’re diet is always the colours of the rainbow Habit 2: Go nuts and get a little seedy Nuts and seeds provide a wealth of nutrients; protein, fibre and a wide range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Recommendations suggest we should have at least 1-2 handfuls every day. Score: 1 point if you rarely eat nuts or seeds at present 3 points if you do so occasionally 5 points if nuts and seeds are a staple in your diet Habit 3: Get the oh so mega Omega3 The essential fats found in high quantities in oily fish as well as flax and chia seeds, walnuts and soya beans, are as their name suggests, vital to your health. Healthy fats help to strengthen your immune system, prevent inflammation and help your brain to function at its best. We should aim to get at least 2 portions of fish every week with at least one of them being an oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines. Score: 1 point if you rarely eat fish, seeds or soya produce 3 points if you get one portion a week or don’t consistently have two 5 points if you regularly have two or more portions of fish a week or get your Omega 3 from alternative sources Habit 4: Munch your wholegrains Providing you with slow-release energy and plenty of fibre, wholegrains have been shown to keep your heart healthy, lower your cholesterol, look after your digestive system and help with weight management. An easy way to ensure you get the right amount is to aim for 6-8 cupped handfuls each day. That can include breakfast cereals, bread, rice, pasta, couscous, quinoa and other grains. Score: 1 point if you rarely consume wholegrains 3 points if you have better and worse days or you have some every day but don’t hit the required portions 5 points if you regularly get your 6-8 portions a day Habit 5: Daily dairy & alternatives You’ll get plenty fo great things from dairy or alternatives like soya and alternative milks; protein, healthy fats, vitamin D, calcium and lots of other micronutrients. Research links them to better weight management, healthier bones and teeth, lower blood pressure and gut health. Aim for 3 portions a day, with a portion of milk or yoghurt the size of a clenched fist, and cheese equivalent to two thumbs. Score: 1 point if you rarely get your daily dairy 3 points if you get some or hit your 3 portions on a few days each week 5 points if you’re king or queen of the dairy (or alternatives) Habit 6: Hydrate and feel great We all know we need to drink enough water. It makes up around half of your body and you’ll find it in every cell you possess. Figures vary on how much you need, with the average being around 1.6 litres for women and 2 litres for men, but food can contribute and exercise, age and environment can affect your needs. The easiest way to know you’re well hydrated is to check your pee colour. It should be light or straw-coloured; if it’s darker that suggests you’re dehydrated. Score: 1 point if you know you don’t drink enough and your pee looks like Guinness 3 points if sometimes you’re well hydrated but not always 5 points if your water-bottle is like an extension of your arm Habit 7: Alcohol Some studies suggest that in small quantities there may well be cardiovascular health benefits but there’s much debate about this. What we do know for sure is that there’s no harm in not drinking and there’s definitely harm from having too much. A few years ago the guidelines were altered to be a maximum of 14 units per week for men and women, spread over the week with a few drink-free days. 14 units is roughly: • 6 small glasses of wine • 6 pints of standard strength beer • 5 pints of standard strength cider • 14 single shots of spirits Score: 1 point if you are often over the 14 units per week, tend to drink lots in one go or rarely have drink-free days 3 points if you have better and worse weeks 5 points if you consistently meet the guidelines How did you do? Add up your scores, what was your total? 7-16: Out of balance at the moment 17-26: On the way to balance 27-35: Well balanced Whatever you scored, if you feel there’s room for improvement and you’d like to do something about it, write down your answers to the following questions… 1) What is the one habit you’d like to work on? 2) What could you
The 52 habits of balance
You may have read my recent blog on what balance is and what it isn’t. In that piece, I included the three fundamental principles of balance, including the first… You are the sum of your most frequent, recent behaviours.” Essentially, your health, fitness and happiness is most impacted by your habits, the things you do day in, day out. When interviewed, highly respected American Cardiologist Donald Lloyd-Jones cited research showing that even people over the age of 65 with existing heart disease could reduce risk of heart attacks by 45% through healthy habits. The analogy I often use when explaining this to clients is the bullet and the gun. Some people have a higher genetic risk for certain medical conditions than others, with illnesses such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes common in their family. What this means is that the bullet is already loaded in their gun. For the bullet to be dangerous though, someone has to pull the trigger. The triggers in this case are lack of exercise, a poor diet, stress, alcohol, inadequate sleep, smoking and other behaviours. Leave the trigger well alone and you have a much higher chance of remaining fit and healthy. Fifty two is a magic number The number of white keys on a piano, the number of playing cards in a pack, the number of weeks in a year and now, the number of habits that make up the balance method. I’ve spent years looking into all of the behaviours that could impact your overall wellbeing and as it stands, this is my total. They’re broken down across the four elements of balance; think, eat, live and move. Some are habits of the brain, some to do with eating and drinking, some from all aspects of your life from work to sleep, learning to socialising and some are exercise-related. i’m not saying without a doubt that there aren’t more than 52, that would be naive and set me up to look foolish in future if and when I discover one. I remember reading the Stephen Covey book, ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’, (which by the way, is an awesome book) and then being somewhat disappointed a few years later when a sequel entitled ‘The Eighth Habit’ came out. I’ll keep looking and add other behaviours to the method if and when I find them, and you’ll be first to know of course! Go on then…what are they? I figured by now that you’re thinking ‘come on, get on with it, tell me what these healthy habits are then’. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do; just not all in one go. Fifty two things is a lot to take on board in and you know me, I’m all for breaking stuff down into more manageable chunks. Over my next four blogs, I’m going to provide you with a short quiz where you can score yourself against the habits for each of the elements of balance. As everything always starts with a thought, in this first one we’re going to look at ‘think’, the 15 mind habits I’ve identified; the thinking and planning behaviours that those who successfully make lifestyle changes use to great effect. The scoring system is simple; give yourself the following points based on whether there’s lots to be done, you’re getting there or you’ve got it nailed: Out of balance = 1 point On the way to balance = 3 points Perfectly balanced = 5 points A score of 15-29 points means there’s a fair bit of work you can do, 30-55 points suggests you’re on the way to a good balance, and 56-75 points means you’re well balanced. Before you even decide to make a change… 1) Do you have a clear idea of your values? By this I mean the things most important to you in your life. You’re likely to be more successful with attempts to get fitter and healthier if you make sure that any changes you make are in line with your values. If they conflict then it’ll be much harder to stick with them. 2) Are you really sure that you want to change? Sounds like a daft question doesn’t it? Thing is, sometimes we do want something different, but part of us also wants to cling on to the habits we have now. We know we need to cut down our alcohol but we’re concerned we’ll lose our social life, we want to stop smoking but it relaxes us, or we want to do more exercise but we’re embarrassed about joining a gym. That’s why I made this one of the habits; it’s important to spend a little time weighing up the pros and cons of change and making an informed decision. It doesn’t matter whether you decide to change or not at that time, but you know the decision is the right one. When planning for change… 3) Do you have a goal that is clear, challenging and exciting? Knowing exactly what you’re after and being excited about what it will be like to achieve are great for motivation. It’s important that your goal doesn’t feel too easy either; studies suggest that something we really have to work for pushes us to strive harder to make it happen. 4) Do you know where you’re starting from? Do you take some form of measurement that you can track over time; weight, shape, fitness, mood or something else that let’s you know how far you have to go and if you’re making progress? 5) Do you focus on the process? Many people will have a clear idea of what they want, but it’s equally as important to know the actions to take to make it happen. These are known as Process Goals, for example, Usain Bolt wanted to be the fastest man on Earth but his process goals were set around how many training sessions he should do a week, the foods he should eat, hours sleep required
