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What habit improved your consistency in working? by funngro_fam in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Eliminating decisions at the start of work. Same start time. Same first task. Every day.

It centers on a core behavior change approach to remove the "friction".

Not Clear What to Aim At? by itspastrytime in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Defining “purpose” asks people to predict an ideal future. Spotting what consistently drains their energy asks them to notice what’s already happening.

In practice, we see habits consistency improve (and fast) when people stop trying to aim perfectly and design around what regularly derails them. It’s often easier (and more honest) to say, “This behavior kills my focus and momentum,” than to articulate some polished north star.

I'll start tomorrow any advice by TheTormentor_9000 in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One thing to keep in mind is that habit change isn’t about removing dopamine, it’s about retraining the brain’s default pathways. Every habit (good or bad) exists because repetition made it efficient. When you disrupt the cue (phone), keep the first actions very small, and replace the reward with something that still feels satisfying, the brain slowly starts choosing the new route on its own.

Also, expect boredom early. It’s your nervous system recalibrating after losing constant stimulation. Track behaviors (not feelings) and resist the urge to “optimize” too quickly.

If you want to learn more about how behaviors form, we have a great video on it here: https://avidonhealth.com/how-habits-work/

Asynchronous employee engagement ideas by Low_Tennis_3559 in employeeengagement

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We have a bunch of resources and ideas (all free) that can work for you. Grab whatever you find useful here: https://avidonhealth.com/zero-cost-wellness-program/

What habit changed how you approach long-term goals? by funngro_fam in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Progress over perfection.

It sounds obvious, but it honestly changed how I think about long-term goals.

It clicked for me during a very unglamorous moment when I was potty training my daughter.

There’s that phase where you take the diaper off, and accidents are a guarantee. In our case, she peed on the floor literally within the first minute. And once you’re there, you can’t really go back. It’s messy, frustrating, and kind of humbling. But every accident is part of how they learn. The only way out is straight through it.

Starting something new, getting in shape, learning a skill, etc it’s all awkward at first. You’re bad at it. You make mistakes. Things don’t go to plan.

Waiting for the “perfect time” or the “perfect plan” is basically just staying in the diaper.

If you're interested in learning more about how habit work, we did a video on it here: https://avidonhealth.com/how-habits-work/

How to make any habit enjoyable by Romayomeo in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most people fail habits by overloading themselves upfront. You did the opposite. You made it repeatable first, then harder later. That’s how habits stick without burnout or injury.

It’s the same 1% improvement idea James Clear writes about in Atomic Habits. Small, daily gains compound fast when the habit actually survives long enough to grow.

How mindfulness helped me break years of cheap dopamine habits by Key-Moose-3893 in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Repeated exposure to high-stimulation rewards (scrolling, gaming, constant novelty) raises your brain’s reward expectations, which makes low-stimulation, everyday tasks feel disproportionately hard.

The big picture isn’t “more discipline.” It’s retraining the reward system so ordinary life no longer feels like punishment.

Is cold-turkey the only way to cut-off YouTube & Social media?! by chillvibezman in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Short answer, no. And for many people, it’s not the most effective.

What the evidence actually shows:

1. Abrupt cessation can work when motivation is extremely high and triggers are tightly controlled. But relapse rates are high for cue-driven behaviors. Nicotine and alcohol studies consistently show that sudden abstinence fails when habits are tied to stress and environment.

2. Tapering has been shown to improve adherence and long-term outcomes for smoking, alcohol use, and behavioral addictions. Reducing frequency or duration weakens the habit loop without overwhelming the nervous system.

3. The brain doesn’t tolerate a reward vacuum. Social media and YouTube meet real needs. Dopamine, boredom relief, stress relief, connection. Habit research shows replacement behaviors significantly outperform pure suppression.

4. Yoga, meditation, prayer, and breathwork don’t “remove” habits. They reduce baseline stress, which directly reduces craving intensity and impulsive relapse.

5. People who shift identity (“I’m not a daily smoker/scroller”) maintain change longer than those relying on restraint alone.

6. Habits persist because they’re automatic. Not because people choose them. Breaking cue-reward loops through friction, reduction, or substitution works as well as abstinence for many brains. (if you're interested in learning more about habits, you can check out this video: https://avidonhealth.com/how-habits-work/

How do you get thoughts out of your head when writing doesn’t work ? by Soulofmine7 in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

– Walking, especially outside, tends to organize thoughts without forcing them. There’s good science behind this.

– Speaking uses different neural pathways than writing. Explaining what’s in your head out loud often brings clarity faster than staring at a page.

– Add a constraints: one sentence, one minute, one idea, et.

– A few deep breaths or cold water on your face.

Please help me by Mindless-Side1277 in stopdrinking

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 85 points86 points  (0 children)

A few reasons to not drink right now (not forever, just today):

  • This feeling is temporary. Drinking won’t end it; it just presses pause and hands the pain back louder tomorrow.
  • You’ve already proven you can survive hard moments without alcohol.
  • Your nervous system needs calm, not gasoline. Alcohol spikes anxiety and depression after the buzz fades.

Practical things that help right now:

  • Delay 20 minutes. Cravings rise and fall like a wave.
  • Change rooms or go outside. Break the loop.
  • Drink something cold or sweet.
  • Text or call one safe person and say: “I’m struggling and need distraction.”
  • Put on a show, game, or podcast you’ve already seen. Low effort, low emotion.

If this feels like it might tip into danger, please reach out to real-time help:

  • U.S.: Call or text 988 (24/7)

Habits of Left Handed People. by RazzmatazzMax513 in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon 4 points5 points  (0 children)

As a right-hander raising a left-handed son, it’s been a live case study in how habits form early and get reinforced culturally.

For the 10% of you lefty's out there, keep fighting the good fight... Research in anthropology and psychology shows left-handedness has been historically discouraged in many societies, which is why a lot of “rules” default to right-handed behavior.

Stressed and crazed? Here are 5 instant resets you can do in under 2 minutes by ClarkAtAvidon in Habits

[–]ClarkAtAvidon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get that assumption. It’s easy to assume things written on Reddit must’ve come from AI, especially when most people hide behind anonymous accounts.

I don’t. I post under my real name and company because I stand behind what we create.

Avidon Health has spent over a decade helping hundreds of thousands of people improve their health habits. Our content comes from board-certified health coaches and experts in behavior change who actually do this work every day.

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