The Impact of Habit Boredom on Goal Abandonment

At the beginning of this year, I discovered a new method for making cleaning a regular part of my life through a deep dive into Pinterest’s bullet journaling concepts: habit tracking.

I designed my habit tracker like a playful game board, with each of my daily chores resembling various Tetris blocks. Each evening, I took the time to draw and color in the corresponding pieces for all the cleaning tasks I had completed that day. After five weeks of coloring my board every night, I was convinced that I was finally going to achieve my dream of an effortlessly neat home.

Following the principles of habit formation research, I thought I was doing everything right. By gamifying the process, I aimed to create extrinsic motivation until the new habit naturally took over. The daily repetition of this practice suggested I was on the right path.

However, here I am, surrounded by chaos, and my tracker hasn’t seen an update since March.

This experience highlights how challenging it can be to reach a goal, even when you believe you have created the conditions for success by building a new habit. This phenomenon is often referred to as “habit boredom,” which describes the diminishing emotional response to an action once it turns habitual.

Here, we’ll explore how habit boredom can thwart your progress towards goals, particularly just when you think you’re headed the right way.

Defining habit boredom

For years, the establishment of good habits has been recognized as a key to achieving goals. Studies indicate that approximately 40% of our daily actions are performed out of habit. By developing productive habits—like tidying up, preparing a packed lunch each day, or drinking water before meals—you can align your daily actions with your aspirations for a cleaner living space, better financial health, and overall well-being.

The challenge arises when pursuing these new, beneficial habits, as they often elicit an emotional response. For example, you might feel a sense of pride when you first start making your lunch every day. It’s a commendable financial move! You can relish your savings as you enjoy your homemade meals.

However, that emotional high might fade by day 17. When a behavior becomes routine, the emotional response tends to diminish. Thus, as the habit becomes ingrained, feelings of boredom may surface, since it loses its novelty.

Consequently, assembling a turkey and cheese sandwich no longer feels like an accomplishment; it simply becomes another Tuesday. When your coworkers suggest trying out the new taco truck, the lack of emotional attachment to your lunch-making routine makes it all too easy to overlook your lunch in favor of tacos.

Strategies to combat habit boredom

A key issue with habit boredom is the tendency to overlook its influence on your decision to skip your new routine. It might seem reasonable to forgo your habit once due to fatigue, hunger, or busyness.

Yet, this mindset can lead to resistance to continue making your usual brown bag lunch the following day—or even the day after that.

Fortunately, there are several strategies to prevent habit boredom from derailing your progress:

Find enjoyment in the monotony

Habit and productivity authority James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, emphasizes that top achievers often learn to embrace the monotony associated with their habits. For example, Olympic athletes dedicate their lives to repetitive training, but those who can find joy in that repetition have a distinct advantage over those who view the experience as a grind.

How can you learn to appreciate the monotony?

• Introduce an element of fun. To keep a once-exciting habit alive when it starts to feel stale, consider adding a playful twist. If you’re trying to maintain your lunch-making routine, experiment with bright, colorful containers, cut your sandwiches into exciting shapes, or explore new recipes for added variety.
   
• Team up with a friend. It’s common knowledge that workouts are more enjoyable with a partner, and the same principle applies to other mundane habits. If you’re striving to cultivate a money-saving practice, collaborate with a friend embarking on a similar journey. Mutual accountability can motivate both of you during moments of habit boredom.

Focus on process rather than outcomes

Often, we develop new habits with specific goals in mind. However, habit boredom can distort our perception of progress, leading to a sense of failure when the excitement fades before we reach our desired outcomes.

When preoccupied solely with the end goal—be it maintaining a tidy house, improving finances, or enhancing health—we tend to ask ourselves, “Can I do this?” rather than “What steps do I need to take?” The former assumes the possibility of failure, while the latter encourages a focus on achieving results, fostering a mindset geared toward success.

This process-oriented approach promotes the idea that “there are no failures, only lessons.” If habit boredom leads you to abandon a newly formed habit, it doesn’t mean you’ll never achieve your goal; it simply invites you to adjust your approach and find a better path forward. By being open to understanding why something didn’t work, you’re more likely to discover a strategy that resonates and helps you regain focus rather than give up altogether.

The dual nature of habits

Developing consistent habits can greatly enhance your ability to meet your objectives when approached deliberately. However, as humans, we cannot merely be put on autopilot.

It’s essential to continually refine our habits, satisfy our innate need for motivation and novelty, and recognize that the journey toward our goals often involves numerous missteps and corrections.

For me, that means acknowledging that even the most beautifully designed bullet journal cannot fully overcome the challenge of habit boredom. (See also: The Surprisingly Easy Way to Change Your Habits and Your Life)

Enjoyed this article? Share it!