The Japanese railway system is often recognized as one of the world’s greatest. If you’ve ever taken a train in Tokyo, you’ll notice that the conductors have an odd tendency.
Each train operator goes through a ritual of pointing at various objects and issuing orders as they drive the train. The operator will point to a signal and remark, “Signal is green,” as the train approaches it. The operator will point to the speedometer and tell out the precise speed as the train moves into and out of each stop. When it’s time to go, the operator will indicate the time by pointing to the timetable. Other staff on the platform are carrying out similar tasks.
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This procedure, known as pointing-and-calling, is a preventative measure aimed to decrease errors. It may appear absurd, yet it is quite effective. Pointing-and-Calling decreases mistakes by up to 85% and prevents 30% of accidents. The MTA subway system in New York City adopted a modified version that is “point-only,” and “incidents of erroneously berthed subways plummeted 57 percent within two years of deployment.”
Pointing-and-Calling Your Habits
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Pointing-and- Calling is so successful because it elevates awareness from a subconscious habit to one that is more conscious. Train operators are more likely to spot problems before something goes wrong since they must utilize their eyes, hands, lips, and ears.
My wife follows a similar pattern. She verbally shouts out the most important items on her packing list whenever we are about to go for a trip. “I have my keys.” I have my wallet with me. I’m wearing my spectacles. “I have my hubby.”
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The less cognizant we are of a behavior, the less likely we are to think about it. And when we’ve done something a thousand times, we start to forget about it. We expect the next time to be the same as the last. We’re so used to doing things the same way we’ve always done them that we don’t question if they’re the proper thing to do. Many of our performance failures may be traced back to a lack of self-awareness.
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One of the most difficult aspects of altering behaviors is staying conscious of what we’re doing. This explains why the repercussions of unhealthy behaviors often come as a surprise. In our daily lives, we require a “point-and-call” mechanism.
The Habits Scorecard
Make a note of your everyday routines to begin creating your own Habits Scorecard.
Here’s an example of where you may start your list:
- Wake up
- Turn off alarm
- Check my phone
- Go to the bathroom
- Weigh myself
- Take a shower
- Brush my teeth
- Floss my teeth
- Put on deodorant
- Hang up towel to dry
- Get dressed
- Make a cup of tea
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Examine each activity and ask yourself, “Is this a good habit, a poor habit, or a neutral habit?” once you’ve completed your list. Put a “+” next to it if it’s a good habit. If it’s a terrible habit, put “–” in front of it. If the habit is neutral, write “=”.
For instance, consider the following list:
- Wake up =
- Turn off alarm =
- Check my phone –
- Go to the bathroom =
- Weigh myself +
- Take a shower +
- Brush my teeth +
- Floss my teeth +
- Put on deodorant +
- Hang up towel to dry =
- Get dressed =
- Make a cup of tea +
The grade you give a habit will be determined by your circumstances and objectives. Eating a bagel with peanut butter every morning might be a poor habit for someone attempting to lose weight. The same practice could be a helpful habit for someone who is wanting to bulk up and increase muscle. It all depends on the goal you’re aiming towards.
How Do I Know if a Habit is Good or Bad?
Scoring your behaviour can be a little more challenging for another reason.
The labels “good habit” and “bad habit” are rather deceptive. No such thing as good or bad habits exist. There are no negative habits; only positive ones exist. That is, they are capable of addressing problems. All habits, whether good and bad, benefit you in some way, which is why you continue to practice them.
On your Habits Scorecard, you may categorize your actions depending on how they will benefit you in the long run. In general, outstanding behaviors will have a net positive effect. Bad habits have a negative effect on a person’s life. Smoking a cigarette may temporarily reduce tension (which is how it is assisting you), but it is not a long-term healthy habit.
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Where to Go From Here
There’s no need to make any changes to your Habits Scorecard at first. The idea is to just pay attention to what is going on. Observe your thoughts and activities without passing judgment or critiquing yourself. Don’t hold yourself responsible for your mistakes. Don’t congratulate yourself on your accomplishments.
Recognize the fact that you consume a chocolate bar every morning, almost as if you were watching someone else. Oh, very intriguing that they would do anything like that. Simply observe that you are consuming more calories than you should if you binge-eat. If you squander time online, you’re probably doing something you don’t want to be doing.
This article is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of book Atomic Habits. Read more here.
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