How to Disrupt The Habit Loop

Yesterday, we took a look at the Habit Loop and began to understand how habits are formed, identified the pieces that come together to make a habit, and looked at how we might begin to disrupt this habit. And thanks to our handy friend neuroplasticity, we know that we have the power to rewire our brains when we put focused attention on forming new neural pathways. Today, let’s dive into how we can disrupt the habit loop and break those unhelpful habits that we’re struggling with.

We know that a Habit Loop consists of three components: the cue/trigger, the routine/habit, and the reward. To disrupt this loop, we can change any or all of these pieces, throwing off the rest of the circle. If we remove the cue, our brain won’t be signaled to begin the routine. If we remove the routine, we won’t receive the reward. If we remove the reward, there’s no benefit to completing the habit.

So how exactly do we do this?