Six ways to create sustainable habits

However, there are ways you can change your habits and those of your co-workers so that you’re making more sustainable choices every day.  Many of these actions are free, quick and easy, and although they are small they all add up so that you’re making a big difference.

1. Make it easy. Whatever the change is that you want to make at home or at work, think about the ways you can make it easier. Our brains are always looking for shortcuts in whatever we are doing - the metaphorical equivalent of taking a shortcut across the middle of the field rather than walking around two sides of it. So whatever the change is that you want yourself or others to make, think about how you can make it easier. Can you make the recycling bins more accessible?  
2. Make it visible. If something is often in your line of sight, you’re more likely to seek it out. So if you want to move to a re-useable coffee cup at all times, make sure it’s by your car keys so it’s easy to grab on your way to work.  
3. Make it attractive. Adding a bit of joy to the change you want to make will make it something you want to stick to more often. The makers of toothpaste realised this and added mint to make brushing our teeth more attractive, and now, most of us miss the minty taste we get after brushing our teeth. Think about how you can make the habit change more attractive. If it’s a little bit more time consuming can you reward yourself with a favourite podcast while you’re doing it?
4. Stick it to an existing habit. If it’s a daily action, think of the time of day you want to do it, and identify a habit that you normally do at that time, then go straight into the new habit after the old one. If you want to make a packed lunch to take into the office to reduce the rubbish you create, think about your daily routine. What do you always do in the kitchen every morning / last thing at night?
5. Use the cues of time and place. The cues are the strongest ones we have and studies have shown that we are more likely to be successful in doing something when we have stated exactly where and when we are going to do something. So if you know that at 5pm on a Tuesday you are going to have a digital declutter, you’re more likely to be successful.
6. If you want to stop a habit do the opposite of the above! If there any behaviours you want to discourage in yourself (or your co-workers!) think about what you can do to make the unsustainable choice more difficult / invisible / less attractive. One CEO I know wanted to stop everyone using disposable cups, so he moved the bin and cups away from the water cooler. Straight away this reduced waste because it was easier for people to take their own water bottle over and fill it whenever they wanted a drink.

Being more sustainable doesn’t happen by magic. But with a little thought you can easily create and maintain sustainable habits that make a big difference.

Lucy Chaplin is a leadership coach who helps B Corps unleash full leadership potential. She works with new leaders and managers to build performance and lead with confidence, giving them all the tools they need to amplify their impact.  She also offers specialist ADHD coaching to help ADHDers be at their best, both personally and professionally. You can find out more on her website or book a free discovery call here.