Month 8 Week 2

Add to Favourites

Key Takeaway

Tips & Tricks

Video Transcript

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

A short practical guide to weakening unwanted habits

Consistency can feel hard when the excitement of a new habit wears off.

At first, a new routine can feel motivating. Then the novelty fades, and your brain may start looking for the old familiar reward again.

The good news is that habits can change. Research suggests helpful habits often take two to five months to feel more automatic, so patience matters.

Step 1: Choose one habit to switch

Pick one unwanted habit you would like to weaken. Keep it simple and specific.

For example:

☐ Snacking when I feel tired

☐ Skipping water during the day

☐ Scrolling instead of going to bed

☐ Forgetting to listen to my Pod

☐ Eating quickly without pausing

My habit to switch is:

I want to weaken the habit of:

Step 2: Make one clear plan

Habits grow stronger when your brain knows exactly what to do and when to do it. Choose a simple replacement action. For example:

When I want to snack from tiredness or boredom, I will drink water first.

After brushing my teeth, I will listen to my pod.

When I sit down with lunch, I will take three slow breaths first.

When I want to scroll at night, I will put my phone across the room.

My plan:

When I usually:

I will instead:

Step 3: Repeat it at the same time or in the same place

Your brain loves patterns. A habit becomes easier when it is linked to a clear cue, such as a time of day, a place, or something you already do. Morning habits can be especially helpful because the day has fewer chances to interrupt you.

My cue will be:

☐ After I wake up

☐ After breakfast

☐ Before lunch

☐ When I make a cup of tea/coffee

☐ Before I eat

☐ Before bed

Other

Step 4: Track the repeat, not perfection

You may remember the Seinfeld Strategy from Month 4: mark each day you take action and build a visible chain. This week, your goal is to notice the repeat. You are not aiming to be perfect. You are practising the new pathway.

My Habit Switch Tracker

Tick the box each day you use your new plan.

Daily tracker columns: Day/ I noticed the old habit/ I used my new plan / One-word feeling

Monday

I noticed the old habit

I used my new plan

One-word feeling

Tuesday

I noticed the old habit

I used my new plan

One-word feeling

Wednesday

I noticed the old habit

I used my new plan

One-word feeling

Thursday

I noticed the old habit

I used my new plan

One-word feeling

Friday

I noticed the old habit

I used my new plan

One-word feeling

The Habit Switch Game

( If scores don’t motivate you, leave this one out!)

Give yourself one point each time you do any of these:

☐ I noticed the old habit before acting on it

☐ I paused for a few seconds

☐ I used my replacement action

☐ I tracked the repeat

☐ I got back on track after a wobble

My score this week:

Next week try to beat your own score! However, if you get a lower score than you would like, do not beat yourself up! A higher score is lovely, but the real win is awareness. Every time you notice, pause or choose again, your brain is learning..

Three reflection questions

What usually happens just before this unwanted habit shows up?

What replacement action feels small enough to repeat, even on a busy day?

What helped me most this week: planning, timing, tracking or encouragement?

Reminder

What works for someone else may not work for you.

Try one small change, notice what happens, then adjust.

Month 8 Week 2

A short practical guide to weakening unwanted habits

Step 1: Choose one habit to switch

For example:

Step 2: Make one clear plan

Step 3: Repeat it at the same time or in the same place

My cue will be:

Step 4: Track the repeat, not perfection

My Habit Switch Tracker

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

The Habit Switch Game

Three reflection questions

Reminder

Up Next

Month 8 Week 3

Month 8 Week 4

Month 9 Week 1