Naomi Pauling
Therapy
Out with the old, in with the new: using the coronavirus lockdown to change your habits
Times of significant change; like moving, shifting from study to work or vice versa, starting a family, or indeed the lockdown and social distancing measures we’re experiencing due to the coronavirus outbreak, mark periods in which our way of life, routines and patterns of behaviour are likely to shift.
These periods of change are the perfect time to leave old habits behind and start to develop new ones.
This is because habits become associated with cues in our routine. Cues are the things that trigger a certain behaviour. They can be sensory – something we see, smell, taste, hear, or touch – they can be a specific time or a specific location, they can be social, or linked to a particular activity, state of mind or emotion. Cues become neurologically linked to the sense of reward we get from the habit. This results in us experiencing a craving or an urge to do it whenever we encounter the linked cues.
By changing our routine, we can change how often, when, and in what context we encounter cues. Reducing how much you are triggered by your cues can help with breaking old habits. And by forming associations between cues and new behaviours, you can develop new habits.
To illustrate with an example:
I started smoking (again) in December. My main cues for having a cigarette are stress and anxiety, feeling overwhelmed or lacking in control, being around friends that smoke, seeing someone smoke, and drinking alcohol. My walk to and back from work is probably the most significant cue though.
When the social distancing measures came into place, many of my normal cues weren’t present. I was at home, so no longer had my walk to and back from work. I wasn’t going out to the pub with friends. I was on holiday, so I was feeling more relaxed.
Nevertheless, I nearly continued, out of habit, and using my anxiety about the coronavirus outbreak as an excuse. But, I thought enough is enough – this is a great time to change.
With the lockdown and social distancing changing routines for everyone, almost all of us encounter fewer cues to activate old habits; making this the perfect time to let old habits go.
If you have old habits you have been wanting to shift, try not to let your mind associate them with cues in your new routine.
Remember to be gentle with yourself when you’re changing your routine or habits. It’s ok to slip up – don’t use this as an excuse to give up. Try to think of it as a one-off and something to learn from, rather than a failure – How can you prevent it from happening again?
Was it a momentary lapse in motivation or did you lose sight of your goal?
– Remind yourself why you want to change this habit – Why is this goal important to you? What will you get out of it?
– It can help to reward yourself in some way when you don’t slip-up. Or replace the old habit with a new, healthier habit. Your cues may become associated with the reward or the new habit.
Was it a cue that triggered you?
– If this is the case, note the cue and think about how you can avoid being triggered by that cue again. Can you eliminate the cue entirely or reduce its effect? Is there something else you can do to distract yourself when that cue is around?
What new habits would you like to develop?
Anything you’ve been meaning to start? Perhaps a course, learning a new language, a hobby, something creative, a new exercise routine or activity, a new diet or meal schedule?
Now is a great time to start something new. It will help to keep you busy, distract you from coronavirus worries, and challenge you in new ways. Learning something new and changing your routine have both been found to improve mental and physical health.
Routines
Such significant changes in our lifestyle is a great time to rethink our daily/weekly routine. Routine is a really important part of maintaining good mental and physical health whilst we are social distancing.
How do you want to fill your days?
I find it helpful to think about the day in time blocks, like morning, afternoon, evening, night (you may like to break them down further).
How we usually feel at different times of the day is very individual. There is a genetic difference between early birds and night owls. While we can and do shift our natural pattern so that it aligns with the rest of society, we could potentially be more productive as a population if we lived according to our natural schedule. We can design our routine to align, as much as possible, with how we naturally feel over the course of the day.
When in the day am I naturally most motivated/active/awake?
This is the time of the day for tasks demanding effort and concentration. This is when you will feel most able to be productive and manage challenges.
For instance, my most productive time of the day is in the morning. So, this is when I try to do the most difficult tasks for work, the bulk of my writing, or things that I’m not particularly motivated for, like cleaning or other housework. It’s when I get challenging tasks out of the way, because if I don’t, my anxiety about them increases throughout the morning, making them even more difficult.
I’ve noticed that if I don’t do anything productive at this time, I tend to feel quite frustrated or disappointed in myself, because it feels like I’ve wasted my time.
When in the day do I get a slump in energy?
This is when you may like to rest or do something quiet. On the other hand, if you’re like me, you may find that doing something relaxing sends you to sleep. I often like using a slump in energy to do some exercise. It wakes me up, gives me a boost of energy, and helps to clear or refresh my mind for the rest of the day.
Whatever you choose to do, be aware that you may find it difficult to concentrate at this time, so it may be a good idea to steer clear of tasks that require a lot of brain power.
You may notice other individual patterns that can help with creating a routine, such as when you’re most creative, talkative, reflective, hungry, and so on.
For instance, I have a time of the day when I seem to be more reflective or philosophical. My thoughts might feel clearer in the morning, but it’s in the late afternoon or evening that I’m better able to make connections and find meaning. (Frustratingly) I tend to have my best and most creative ideas when I’m about to fall asleep.
What are your natural patterns and moods? How can your routine fit around you as much as possible?
Remember to be gentle and patient with yourself when trying to make changes to your habits or routines. Introduce changes gradually, and allow for some trial and error initially, as you figure out how to fit something new into your life. Slipping up and falling into old patterns again is an opportunity to learn, rather than to give up.
If you have any questions or would like support with creating a routine, or changing habits, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Here is the guidance on staying well when social distancing from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists: https://www.rcot.co.uk/staying-well-when-social-distancing
And from Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
Further reading about changing habits: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/changing-habits-for-the-long-haul
Naomi Pauling 