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Human beings seem hardwired to develop habits. Most of us drive to work the same way each day, shop at the same stores, put away our dishes in the same place, etc.

While there are different routes we could take and different cupboards we could put the dishes away in, we have better things to do. Deciding where to put away our dinner plate each time we use it, and remembering where we stored it the last time we used it is a waste of time if we can just do it automatically instead. It’s a useful adaptation.

Deliberately developing helpful habits requires a bit of conscious thought at first. While in theory it’s just as easy to develop helpful habits as it is bad ones, think about how many of our existing habits came to be.

Probably we shop at the same stores because they’re handy and have what we like to buy. Oftentimes, we drive to work the same way each day because that’s the route we first learned. Only if we encounter major traffic snarls all the time do we think about taking another route.

In other words, we do what’s easiest for us, and (sometimes) most advantageous, and only change our habits if the original habit becomes an irritation.

So, if you want to develop helpful habits, set aside a little bit of time to think about how you could make the new habit as easy as possible. Want to spend less money on eating out? Plan your meals ahead, at least a day or two at a time.

Finding it difficult to do what you had in mind even though you’re trying to make a change? Eliminate all of the little obstacles in the way, no matter how small. Think about what happened that stopped you, and then make the necessary changes.

For example, I am gradually developing the habit of working out a few times a week. I’ve discovered that if I get home from work and sit down for even a minute, my chances of going to work out drop to pretty much nil. But if I immediately go and change clothes instead, I’ll work out. Sitting down is an obstacle, so I don’t do it.

Most importantly, keep at it for at least a couple of months. Tell yourself that obstacles are just part of the process, and that eventually your new habit will be in place if you just keep going. And it will.

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