How To Build Better Habits With the 20-Second Rule

We often struggle with building the right habits. The problem is overcoming the initial threshold. Once we get going with an activity, we are usually fine.

The 20-second addresses this problem. It makes habit-building as pain-free as possible.

Let's see how it works.

I.

The 20-second rule states — it shouldn’t take you longer than 20 seconds to initiate a habit. For example, if you want to build a reading habit and typically read in bed, then you should place your book on your nightstand. This way, you just have to reach for it. The activation energy will be minimal.

Vice versa, if you want to break a bad habit, you should increase the activation energy. For example, if you want to watch less TV, remove the batteries from your remote control and place them in the next room. Now you have to get up, get the batteries, and put them back in before you can turn on the TV.

II.

Here are some ideas for using the 20-second rule to install positive habits.

Eating Healthy

Order healthy, readymade meals that you just need to warm up. For example, order from one of the paleo delivery services that are now available in many cities. This way, you eliminate all friction — no grocery shopping, no cooking, and no doing the dishes.

Working Out

Place your workout bag in front of your front door. To leave the house, you will have to pick it up. Once you are carrying your bag, you will most likely end up at the gym.

Studying

If you are studying for a big exam, leave your textbooks open on your desk. This way, you can start reading as soon as you sit down. No getting up, getting your books, opening them, etc.

III.

Here are some ideas for breaking bad habits, using the 20-second rule.

Losing Weight

If you are prone to junk food, throw away all snacks and sweets. Next time you feel like stuffing yourself, you will have to drive to the store first. That’s a lot of hassle for a box of donuts. Chances are you will just stay at home.

Alternatively, you could ask your neighbor to store your sweets for you. Now, every time you want to indulge, you must leave the house.

On top of that, there is an element of peer pressure. Your neighbor is now a spectator to your lack of impulse control. This will make it even harder to pig out.

Drinking Less

Store your beer outside the fridge and somewhere far away from it, e.g., in the garage. This way, you first have to get up, leave the house, get a bottle, put it in the fridge, and wait for it to chill.

Quitting Smoking

Smoking is one of the hardest bad habits to break. But even here, the 20-second rule can help. Place yourself in an environment so opposed to smoking that it becomes a real pain in the neck.

Move into an apartment building where smoking is strictly prohibited. Make sure there is a sprinkler in your room and no balcony.

Also, move to the top floor, so it takes you longer to get down. If you live on the 28th floor and the elevator stops every couple of floors, every trip becomes excruciating.

Best yet, move to the top floor of a non-smoking building with no elevator. That will take care of it.

IV.

The biggest stumbling block with the 20-second rule is that people forget to repeatedly set the stage.

Let’s say you are trying to lose weight. To increase the activation energy, you throw away all the sweets you have lying around. This way, you have to drive to the store first.

This works pretty well. The next two times you feel like nibbling, there is nothing to nibble on. The urge passes. But the third time around, you give in. You get in the car and buy a bag of sweets.

It’s not ideal, but it happens. Still, progress was made. But to keep that positive trend going, you must now do the same thing as before — you must set the stage again. Right after pigging out, take all the leftovers and throw them away.

I was very busy the last couple of days, for different reasons. But part of it was returning home from Thailand to Germany. It always astonishes me how much friction comes with changing places; there is a real loss in productivity for the first one or two weeks. That's why I now practice "slow travel," aka staying put in one place for a least 3 months. It's a good compromise between productivity and wanderlust.

Until next week,

Niels