{"id":2441,"date":"2020-02-11T19:59:04","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T19:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/3.232.143.211\/?p=2441"},"modified":"2020-02-11T20:01:13","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T20:01:13","slug":"turn-off-autopilot-and-improve-your-habits-with-5-easy-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.getswitchedon.com\/index.php\/2020\/02\/11\/turn-off-autopilot-and-improve-your-habits-with-5-easy-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn Off Autopilot With 5 Easy Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

We hear a lot about habits this time of year. Starting the good, ending the bad, tips, tricks. Whether it\u2019s \u201c10 Healthy Habits to Kick Off\u00a0<\/span>2020\u201d or \u201cBreak Your Bad Habits in The New Year.\u201d Believe me, I\u2019m all for these things. I believe there are many strategies to set yourself up for success. <\/span><\/p>\n

And to really solidify your change for the better, you need to assess and improve your habits. For example, if you make a habit of carving out just\u00a0 one hour or <\/span>4% of each day for personal development<\/span><\/a> can pay off in huge ways for your career and home life. That one hour a day <\/span>COMPOUNDED day after day<\/b> for a year or decade can literally <\/span>rewire the software<\/span> in your brain!<\/span><\/p>\n

Turn On Those Good Habits<\/b><\/h5>\n

When you think about your good habits, I bet certain things come to mind \u2013 exercise, eating a healthy breakfast, paying off your credit card in full. But there\u2019s a lot more than those \u201cbig ticket\u201d good habits. What about prioritizing self care? Taking 30 minutes a day to sit in silence with no technology. What about being nice to people, holding doors open and say \u201cafter you\u201d, everyday completing one random act of kindness? That was getting \u201cswitched on\u201d is all about. Switching on yourself so you can switch on others!<\/span><\/p>\n

Your day is made up of countless good habits, you may not even notice are part of your routine. By acknowledging all your daily good habits, you are taking an important step in turning off autopilot and becoming more present in your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Confront the Bad Habits<\/b><\/h5>\n

\"remove<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s those pesky bad habits. I\u2019m sure just by saying it, the major ones in your life pop into your head immediately \u2013 smoking or dipping tobacco, eating fried food, drinking soda, speeding, using your cell phone in your car not hands free<\/span><\/p>\n

Acknowledging and then <\/span>confronting the (sometimes brutal) facts <\/span><\/a>about those bad habits, head on, is an important way to instill change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note Your Middle Ground Habits<\/b><\/h5>\n

But there\u2019s a third component to habits, one that perhaps is as flashy a headline. Let\u2019s call it the middle ground habits. Those that are most likely to propel us into a rut. Maybe individually, they don\u2019t seem like much, but all together, it\u2019s what might be taking you down the wrong path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Obviously if you eat donuts every day for breakfast, you probably know that\u2019s a bad habit. Say instead you have a green smoothie every morning for breakfast \u2013 generally you would see this as a good habit. But take it a little deeper, how do you consume your breakfast. Are you generally on the run, eating at your desk while going through emails? There are times when that\u2019s necessary, but is that your daily routine? Even if you\u2019re consuming the best possible meal, if you\u2019re pairing it with distractions or stress, you\u2019re not getting the full benefit of that good habit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Another Example:\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

How many times a day do you check your phone? <\/span>Recent research shows 52 times a day!<\/span><\/a> That\u2019s a habit we\u2019re barely conscious of, but I\u2019m sure you know it\u2019s a lot. Now how many times do you glance at your phone when you\u2019re talking to another human being? Think hard. Does the answer make you cringe? Suddenly it\u2019s the first thing you do in the morning, first thing you do when you park your car. W<\/strong><\/span>hat are you missing when your head is down and your thoughts are on your emails, tasks and online persona?<\/b><\/p>\n

Another item to check is what apps do you have the home screen of your phone? Do you have time wasting apps like games, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook? I used to spend too much time on Twitter. I decided an easy way to improve my habits was to move it off my home screen. My usage declined quickly. I moved my Podcast app Pocket Casts to the home screen and it makes it easier to live my \u201cpositive podcast a day\u201d habit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe <\/span>do not<\/span> decide our futures, we decide our <\/span>habits<\/b> and <\/span>our habits decide our futures<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

F.M. Alexander<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Each day is built of habits, good, bad and in between. The more stale the habit, the more likely you will find yourself in a rut. So here\u2019s an exercise:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n