THE HABITS SCORECARD - Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

THE HABITS SCORECARD
The Japanese railway system is regarded as one of the best in the world. If
you ever find yourself riding a train in Tokyo, you’ll notice that the
conductors have a peculiar habit.
As each operator runs the train, they proceed through a ritual of pointing
at different objects and calling out commands. When the train approaches a
signal, the operator will point at it and say, “Signal is green.” As the train
pulls into and out of each station, the operator will point at the speedometer
and call out the exact speed. When it’s time to leave, the operator will point
at the timetable and state the time. Out on the platform, other employees are
performing similar actions. Before each train departs, staff members will
point along the edge of the platform and declare, “All clear!” Every detail is
identified, pointed at, and named aloud.
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This process, known as Pointing-and-Calling, is a safety system
designed to reduce mistakes. It seems silly, but it works incredibly well.
Pointing-and-Calling reduces errors by up to 85 percent and cuts accidents
by 30 percent. The MTA subway system in New York City adopted a
modified version that is “point-only,” and “within two years of
implementation, incidents of incorrectly berthed subways fell 57 percent.”
Pointing-and-Calling is so effective because it raises the level of
awareness from a nonconscious habit to a more conscious level. Because
the train operators must use their eyes, hands, mouth, and ears, they are
more likely to notice problems before something goes wrong.
My wife does something similar. Whenever we are preparing to walk out
the door for a trip, she verbally calls out the most essential items in her
packing list. “I’ve got my keys. I’ve got my wallet. I’ve got my glasses.
I’ve got my husband.”
The more automatic a behavior becomes, the less likely we are to
consciously think about it. And when we’ve done something a thousand
times before, we begin to overlook things. We assume that the next time
will be just like the last. We’re so used to doing what we’ve always done
that we don’t stop to question whether it’s the right thing to do at all. Many
of our failures in performance are largely attributable to a lack of self-
awareness.
One of our greatest challenges in changing habits is maintaining
awareness of what we are actually doing. This helps explain why the
consequences of bad habits can sneak up on us. We need a “point-and-call”
system for our personal lives. That’s the origin of the Habits Scorecard,
which is a simple exercise you can use to become more aware of your
behavior. To create your own, make a list of your daily habits.
Here’s a sample of where your list might start:
Wake up
Turn off alarm
Check my phone
Go to the bathroom
Weigh myself
Take a shower
Brush my teeth
Floss my teeth
Put on deodorant
Hang up towel to dry
Get dressed
Make a cup of tea
. . . and so on.
Once you have a full list, look at each behavior, and ask yourself, “Is this
a good habit, a bad habit, or a neutral habit?” If it is a good habit, write “+”
next to it. If it is a bad habit, write “–”. If it is a neutral habit, write “=”.
For example, the list above might look like this:
Wake up =
Turn off alarm =
Check my phone –
Go to the bathroom =
Weigh myself +
Take a shower +
Brush my teeth +
Floss my teeth +
Put on deodorant +
Hang up towel to dry =
Get dressed =
Make a cup of tea +
The marks you give to a particular habit will depend on your situation
and your goals. For someone who is trying to lose weight, eating a bagel
with peanut butter every morning might be a bad habit. For someone who is
trying to bulk up and add muscle, the same behavior might be a good habit.
It all depends on what you’re working toward.
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Scoring your habits can be a bit more complex for another reason as
well. The labels “good habit” and “bad habit” are slightly inaccurate. There
are no good habits or bad habits. There are only effective habits. That is,
effective at solving problems. All habits serve you in some way—even the
bad ones—which is why you repeat them. For this exercise, categorize your
habits by how they will benefit you in the long run. Generally speaking,
good habits will have net positive outcomes. Bad habits have net negative
outcomes. Smoking a cigarette may reduce stress right now (that’s how it’s
serving you), but it’s not a healthy long-term behavior.
If you’re still having trouble determining how to rate a particular habit,
here is a question I like to use: “Does this behavior help me become the
type of person I wish to be? Does this habit cast a vote for or against my
desired identity?” Habits that reinforce your desired identity are usually
good. Habits that conflict with your desired identity are usually bad.
As you create your Habits Scorecard, there is no need to change
anything at first. The goal is to simply notice what is actually going on.
Observe your thoughts and actions without judgment or internal criticism.
Don’t blame yourself for your faults. Don’t praise yourself for your
successes.
If you eat a chocolate bar every morning, acknowledge it, almost as if
you were watching someone else. Oh, how interesting that they would do
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