When you wake up, unthinkingly, you grab your phone and check messages or some social apps. You are doing it for just one reason — it is your default behavior.
Next, whether you work out, grab a coffee or just snooze, it is again driven by your defaults.
When you feel bored or anxious, you check a video or WhatsApp — that too is a default behavior. And so is watching Netflix after work to snacking when bored.
As we can see, our life is full of default behaviors that we execute unthinkingly. In fact, if you are reading this post, you might be, by default, scrolling on LinkedIn.
While it may be hard to break deep-rooted addictions, resetting these default behaviors is somewhat easier.
Here is a simple action plan (if you wanna give it a shot).
1. Identify 2-3 default behaviors that don’t serve you well or waste your time.
2. Insert some friction or obstacles in acting on those default behaviors. For example, if LinkedIn surfing is a problem, before closing the browser tab, log out of LinkedIn. And if you are using a mobile, delete the app — you can always reinstall it in the evening or the next day.
3. Another option — find an alternative action to substitute the default behavior. E.g., replace Netflix with listening to a lovely musical composition or pick one of the dozen other things you crave to do.
Life is full of defaults. And unknown to our conscious mind, they shape your life.
To fix your life, start changing your defaults.
– Rajan