When we think about how to master a skill, change our habits, or learn new things, we often think big. So, why not think small instead? Mini habits are microscopic changes you can make in your routines and behavior. A daisy chain of these tiny tweaks spread across a span of time can (hopefully) turn into a new habit
Focus on one skill at a time
Doing too many things at once has a switching cost
The best habits won’t tax your brain
A mini habit will turn into an iron-clad habit when you will start doing it unconsciously without extrinsic motivation or thought of a reward.
- Watch for the day when you stop looking at the clock or an imaginary goal post while learning. That will be the day you erase the prefix “mini” from your habits.
Examples of learning with mini habits
Learning in little bytes with consistency is what matters most to form mini habits.
- Learn a foreign language, learn to write better, learn a musical instrument, enhance creativity, get familiar with digital marketing, and meditate for 5 minutes every day.
Set clear goals
Goals are like a beacon and a timeline is the milestones you can check off when you begin your learning journey.
Remove distractions
Set boundaries by removing mobile notifications, distractions, and other demands on your time.
What does a mini habit look like?
Stephen Guise popularized the word “mini habit” in his book Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results
- One small step + desired behavior = high probability of further steps
- Ask yourself, what is the smallest reasonable step I can take that won’t fail?
Why use mini habits to master a skill?
Self-directed learning can easily be classified as a keystone habit
- Keystone habits are small changes or habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives
- A learning goal that’s nowhere near the horizon can also consume your life and suck the fun out of it
Start small
The essence of a mini-habit is to start small. Break down the learning goal into the tiniest step possible.
Take advantage of microlearning
Every minute of downtime can be turned into an upskilling opportunity
- GoSkills microlearning courses feature bite-sized lessons that fit into your busy schedule
- Each course video is between 3-6 minutes long, accompanied by practical exercises and quizzes to help you cement knowledge
Give yourself rewards
Motivation can flag with self-directed learning. Tiny rewards at periodic junctures can help improve focus.
Use habit stacking
One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top of it
Find your ideal time
Establish a fixed time for learning
Revise regularly
You will forget an average of 90% of what you learn within the first month
- It is critical to build a revision schedule into your learning habit.
- Studying a single deck a day in just a few minutes can itself become a mini habit stacked on top of the original learning habit
How to Track Your Learning
Use a simple sheet of paper and add a cross mark against a day to visualize how those infinitesimal small minutes of learning have compounded into something big with time.
- Use any habit tracking app
- Apps like Loop Habit Tracker and Strides make tracking your mini habit as easy as a tap.
- Bullet Journal
- Built-in features on sites like GoSkills can help you track your progress.
How to set up learning a new skill with a mini habit
Decide what you want to apply it to
