Loophole #7 - Do you fall into this category when trying to form a new habit?

When we’re trying to form and keep habits, we often search, sometimes unconsciously, for loopholes. We look for justifications that will excuse us from keeping this particular habit in this particular situation. However, if we recognize this behavior and catch ourselves in the act of loophole-seeking, we can avoid using the loophole, and improve our chances of keeping the habit.

There are many kinds of loopholes. Ten kinds, in fact. So every few days we will be posting about a category of loophole, to help with the Strategy of Loophole-Spotting.

Loophole Category #7: the Questionable Assumption Loophole.

A very popular loophole! Consciously or unconsciously, we make assumptions that influence our habits—and often, not for the better. They often become less convincing under close scrutiny. A reader posted a good example: “I set up weird mental blocks around my time. For instance, if it’s 9 a.m. and I have an appointment at 11 a.m. I’ll think ‘Oh, I have to go somewhere in two hours, so I can’t really start anything serious’ and then end up wasting my whole morning waiting for one thing to happen.”

·         It’s not a proper dinner without wine.

·         This is taking too long, I should be done already.

·         I can’t start working until my office is clean.

·         I need to eat a lot to get good value from this buffet.

·         I’m too busy to take the stairs. It’s faster to wait in this long elevator line.

·         The label says it’s healthy. (In one study, when a cookie was described as an “oatmeal snack,” instead of a “gourmet cookie,” people ate thirty-five percent more.)

·         If I do this, my craving will be satisfied, and I’ll stop.

·         Dramatically changing my eating habits has allowed me to hit my goal weight, so now I can return to eating normally. 

·         If I indulge now, I’ll get it out of my system.

·         People who follow strict rules will inevitably fall off the wagon.

·         It would be a good idea to test my willpower.

One very sneaky questionable assumption loophole is the assumption that a habit is so ingrained that we can ease off.  “I love my morning writing sessions so much, I’d never give them up.” Unfortunately, we have a tendency to regress, and even long-standing healthy habits can be more fragile than they appear, so it pays not to get complacent. Research shows that people tend to overestimate the amount of temptation they can face.

Do you find yourself making questionable assumptions in order to justify breaking a good habit?

Reference: “Which of These 10 Categories of Loopholes Do You Invoke?” by Gretchen Rubin, February 5, 2014.