Because we are so entrenched and attached to our daily routines both in our personal and professional lives it can be hard to put real habit change into effect.

It’s easy to make a temporary change but then over time slip back to the same old routine.

But the truth is your firm will not grow or succeed if you don’t identify the habits preventing it from reaching its maximum productivity.

Start simple – remember changing habits long-term is not easy, in fact it’s hard.

Habit change by definition is a long change, some research suggests in can take between 66 and 260 days to install a new habit over an old one successfully.

To make it easier, focus on one habit at a time and use the ‘5 habit triggers’.

These are 5 primary ways that a new habit can be triggered. If you understand each of them, then you can select the right one for the habit you are trying to change.

For example, a UK recruitment company developed a ‘10 before 10’ habit – 10 sales calls before 10am where everyone is standing up to make the calls!

The 5 triggers are being managed:

• Location – they change the look of the location as everyone is standing up
• Time – they are managing the time as everyone must do their calls before 10am
• People – everyone will have to be there as it must be done before 10am, so this gets people into work and committed early in the day
• Preceding action – everyone will be starting work earlier – preparing for the calls
• Emotional state – people are more focused, ready to start the day with a sales habit

Can you and your team agree on one work habit which you would all like to change, like this recruitment company did?

Can you get your team focused on the habitual change and get them on your side?​