New Year Resolutions: How to forge good habits and break bad ones for 2021

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SINGAPORE - As 2021 approaches, many people might be making resolutions to start positive habits, especially after a year of disruption.

But how can you optimise your chances of making good habits stick and parting ways with bad ones? First, understand the science behind habits, which reportedly make up more than 40 per cent of the actions people perform each day, according to a 2006 paper by a Duke University researcher.

Ms Joy Chen, a clinical psychologist at the National University Health System's Mind Science Centre, said forming a habit involves a self-reinforcing cycle with three elements - a trigger, behaviour and reward.

A cue triggers the brain to initiate a behaviour. The brain then anticipates the reward that arises from the action. A person will perform the behaviour when the cue is present again.

A bad habit is hard to break when the trigger is always present and the reward is "strong and fast-acting", said Ms Chen.

For example, a powerful external trigger for a smoker would be carrying a pack of cigarettes, making smoking easy to do, she said. The internal trigger could be constant thoughts of wanting to smoke. The temporary reward would be a sudden sense of relief when smoking.

To break a bad habit, Ms Chen said it is important to be aware of the trigger that causes it. Understanding the reward you can get from the behaviour is also crucial.

She said people should ask themselves: "Does it (the habit) help me get something more pleasant or avoid something unpleasant? Is it beneficial in the long run, or does it provide just temporary relief?"

Understanding the trigger and reward can help one discern if the habit is helpful and make it easier to stop, she said.

For instance, undergraduate Sheryl Ng, 26, used to drink bubble tea, which is high in calories, at least five times a week. It was her go-to drink to relieve stress.

"It was very difficult to stop drinking it. I had to break the habit slowly," she said.

She cut her intake to three cups a week, then one, until she weaned herself off completely. When she has the urge to have bubble tea, she has water or an isotonic drink instead.

Mr Desmond Soh, a clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said Ms Ng's repeated action of drinking bubble tea when she was stressed formed a strong connection in the brain, causing it to go on autopilot. To break her habit, Ms Ng had to make a conscious decision to drink water instead of bubble tea whenever she felt stressed.

But do not expect a habit to be broken or built quickly. A 2009 study by University College London researcher Phillippa Lally found that it took 18 days to about eight months to form a new habit. Ms Ng, for instance, took almost six months to stop drinking bubble tea.

Another way to break a bad habit is to reduce one's exposure to the cue that encourages it, as mentioned in self-help book Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (2018).

When it comes to forging new habits, repetition is key.

Mr Soh said the science of it is tied to neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change and adapt through growth and reorganisation.

"Our brain forms connections between neurons and the more you do something, the more the connection is being used, and thus the stronger it becomes, forming a habit," said Mr Soh.

Having environmental cues like post-it notes can help.

This was how Ms Elicia Chan got into the habit of exercising. The 28-year-old, who works in the hospitality sector, would seek out motivational quotes online and set them as her phone wallpaper.

She also wrote the benefits of exercise on pieces of paper and placed them on her desk as a reminder to work on her goals.

Ms Chen said it helps to think of the reward you may get from the habit. "This can increase intrinsic motivation and link the behaviour to a higher purpose or an important personal value, such as linking exercise to how he or she could be fit enough to provide for the family, for someone who values family and responsibility."

You can also reduce the obstacles to practising the good habit, she added. For example, get your running shoes or sports attire ready the night before if you plan to jog the next morning, she said.

Mr Soh said is to make goals that are smart - specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.

"These target a specific area, ensures progress is measurable, makes sure the goal is reachable and is something that can be worked upon within a suitable time frame," said Mr Soh.

Happy setting new year resolutions for 2021.

 

Five tips to make them stick

1. Create environmental cues to trigger the desired behaviour, such as putting visual cues in obvious places, like pasting post-it notes, or setting a reminder on the phone or calendar.

2. Understand and appreciate the rewards of the desired behaviour, preferably by linking it to a long-term benefit, higher purpose, or important personal value. This increases intrinsic motivation.

3. Reduce the obstacles to carry out the desired behaviour. For example, prioritise and make time for it and get necessary materials ready beforehand.

4. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Repetition allows habit formation to take place.

5. Understand that setbacks are a normal part of the learning process. Do not be demoralised as you can always get back on track. Be kind to yourself and guard against self-criticism.

Source: Ms Joy Chen, a clinical psychologist at the National University Health System's Mind Science Centre

 

Five personalities talk about habits and resolutions

1. Sharul Channa, 34

Stand-up comedienne

What is a habit or hobby you picked up this year?

I started private pole-dancing classes at Slap Dance Studio after the circuit breaker, once classes were allowed to resume.

I have always wanted to pick up a sport which would improve my fitness, involve some kind of dancing and allow me to fly, since travel is restricted. What better way than to climb a pole, swing around it and have the closest feeling to flying?

It has been close to five months and it has been the best decision.

I feel stronger, my posture has improved and I have become more comfortable with my body since we have to practise and learn this art form in a bikini.

The reason for this is practical as the dance requires you to grab the pole with your thighs and skin contact is important.

What is your New Year's resolution?

To keep performing and doing shows both on (video-conferencing platform) Zoom and on the stage live.

I would like to be a part of pilot projects that would allow me to perform for a live audience, as this is one thing I have missed.

I would also like to direct at least two theatre projects and increase my social media presence by writing and acting in comedy sketches.

It would be ideal to come up with a show that shines a spotlight on women's issues, such as gender equality, equal pay and sexual health.

These topics need to be discussed more so we can better represent women in society.

 

2. Shigga Shay, 28

Rapper

What is a habit or hobby you picked up this year?

Reading - it is something I kind of fell in love with again.

Feeding yourself with knowledge from books can be a calming process. I like how peaceful it feels.

I've been reading some thought-provoking books.

I finished three to four during the circuit breaker, reading whenever I took a break from working on music and recording.

Some of the books I read were Sapiens: A Brief History Of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History Of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

In these uncertain times that we're in, reading has helped me feel at ease.

What is your New Year's resolution?

I would want to drink more water and I would encourage everyone to do the same. I drink five to six cups of water a day.

We sometimes forget to hydrate ourselves enough, especially during times like these, when most people are working from home.

 

3. Hazlina Abdul Halim, 35

President of the Singapore Muslim Women's Association

What is a habit or hobby you picked up this year?

Journal writing. I fell in love with guided journals after the Singapore Muslim Women's Association created one for a programme we are running for young girls called #REDGirlsForGood.

Through the programme, I also learnt brush lettering and that motivated me to write more. It seems like penmanship does encourage self-expression.

I have a growing collection of guided journals, most of which were thoughtful gifts from family and friends, as well as my husband, who has been giving me a planner every year since we have been together. Maybe next year, we will try to write a couple's journal.

What is your New Year's resolution?

To give a little more and take a little less. To do better, we have to be better.

This pandemic made me realise how fortunate I have been and it motivated me to think and do more for others who may not be as lucky.

 

I also feel like time is zooming by during this pandemic and so, next year, I hope to slow time down by journaling more. More than ever, I believe that taking time to reflect is important for self-actualisation.

 

4. Christopher Cheng, 63

Chief executive officer of Sengkang General Hospital

What is a habit or hobby you picked up this year?

Doing the single-leg, sit-to-stand exercise I learnt from my physiotherapist.

I found it useful for strengthening my legs, as well as for core stability and flexibility. A bit of research revealed the ultimate goal of this exercise is the pistol squat, which demands expert level in all three areas. I set myself the ambitious goal of doing the pistol squat.

I used to stand at meetings partly to stay alert and also to keep warm. I was told one burns 50 calories per hour standing.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, all my meetings are now on (video-conferencing platform) Zoom and I am mostly sitting in front of the camera.

I found that doing the single-leg, sit-to-stand exercise brings up the heart rate very quickly. I also learnt that the lower the chair, the tougher it gets.

Now, I have progressed to getting up from a stack of books, and, occasionally, I can do one or two sit-to-stand exercises from the floor. I am almost there with the pistol squat.

What is your New Year's resolution?

To smile no matter what life throws at me. It comes from the realisation that I have everything I need to be happy.

What is there not to smile about when one is surrounded by love and beauty every day? Smile and the whole world smiles with you.

 

5. Neo Swee Lin, 47

Freelance actress

What is a habit or hobby you picked up this year?

Together with my husband Lim Kay Siu, I got into the habit of live-streaming online every day since late May, singing and telling stories with our ukuleles.

We started simply because I saw a button on Instagram that said "Live". It was also partly a way to keep in touch with my cousins and their children while staying at home.

My husband and I are theatre actors, and all theatres were closed when the circuit breaker happened. We had never tried streaming, so we didn't know what to expect.

Now, we have a little online community that we call The NeoKeleLims Social Club, consisting of some of my cousins and other people who have followed us from Instagram and Facebook, and now from an international live music platform called Sessions Live.

We go online daily at 5pm, hoping to spread some cheer during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has become a habit that saved us from going stir-crazy.

What is your New Year's resolution?

To be kinder and more patient. With everything and everyone, including myself.

A friend always used to tell me that I was too hard on myself and that I should give myself a break. I am only beginning to realise the wisdom of that.

 

Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.

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