What is it?

This workshop is a practical, hands-on session that helps individuals and teams apply the core principles from the bestselling book Atomic Habits by James Clear to build consistent, high-impact behaviours.

Why is it useful?

This workshop gives your team a simple, proven way to build better habits that drive personal growth and strengthen team performance—one small shift at a time.

Objectives

• Understand the impact of small, consistent habits on personal and team performance.
• Identify one identity-based habit they want to build to support their growth.
• Use habit stacking and environment design to make new habits easier to maintain.
• Collaborate with teammates to design one or two small habits the team can try together.
• Leave with a clear, simple action they can start immediately.

Resources Required

• Time: 2 hours
• Number of People: 4-20
• Sticky notes or index cards
• Pens and markers
• Whiteboard or flipchart
• Handout: The 4 Laws of Behaviour Change
• Timer or time cues
• Habit Tracker template

Process

Step 1: Welcome and framing (10 minutes)

Objective: Set context and build interest.

1. Brief intro:
“This isn’t a session about willpower or motivation. It’s about systems. We’re going to explore how small habits shape big results—individually and together.”
2. Share this quote:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
3. Ask the group:
“What’s one small habit (personal or team) that made a difference for you?”
 Popcorn sharing – keep it quick and informal.

Step 2: Identity-based habits (20 minutes)

Objective: Shift focus from outcomes to identity.

1. Individual reflection: Ask each person to write their response to:
“I want to be the kind of person who…”
Give 5 minutes for writing.
2. Share in pairs (5 minutes each).
3. Group debrief (5 minutes):
Invite a few volunteers to share their statement.

Step 3: Team identity reflection (15 minutes)

Objective: Align on collective identity.

1. Ask:
“What kind of team do we want to be known as?”
2. Each person writes 1–2 ideas on sticky notes.
3. Group clustering on whiteboard: Look for patterns or repeated themes.
4. Together, co-create 1–2 identity statements for the team.
(e.g. “We’re a team that finishes what we start.”)

Step 4: The 4 laws of behaviour change (25 minutes)

Objective: Teach the model and use it to design real habits.

1. Walk through the 4 laws with short examples for each:
   • Make it obvious
   • Make it attractive
   • Make it easy
   • Make it satisfying
2. Individual activity: Each person chooses one habit they want to build in the next month. Answer these prompts (write on cards):
   • What’s the habit?
   • Where and when will it happen?
   • What will make it attractive or enjoyable?
   • How can I make it smaller or easier?
   • What will make it satisfying or worth repeating?
3. Partner coaching (10 minutes each):
   • In pairs, walk each other through your habit using the 4 laws.
   • Encourage feedback and refinement.

Step 5: Habit stacking and environment design (15 minutes)

Objective: Make habits stick by linking and shaping the environment.

1. Teach habit stacking with this formula:
“After [current habit], I will [new habit].”
2. Ask: “What habit can you stack your new one onto?”
Encourage people to find an anchor (e.g. coffee, brushing teeth, logging in).
3. Ask: “What in your environment helps or hinders this habit?”
Example: Keeping a notebook on the desk = obvious trigger for reflection.
4. Share one stacking idea with the group.

Step 6: Team habits (20 minutes)

Objective: Design one or two collective habits to support the team’s identity.

1. Ask the group:
“What’s one small thing we could do daily or weekly that supports who we want to be as a team?”
2. Brainstorm in small groups of 2–3. Each group brings back one idea.
3. Whole group discussion: Vote or agree on 1–2 small habits to try as a team. Examples:
   • 5-minute check-in before meetings
   • One person shares a highlight of the week every Friday
   • Slack message of appreciation once a week
4. Decide:
   • Who owns the first trial?
   • When and where will it happen?
   • How will we know it’s working?

Step 7: Closing and accountability (15 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce commitment and encourage peer support.

1. Each person writes down:
   • One habit they’ll commit to
   • When they’ll start
   • Who will check in with them
2. Share commitments in pairs or small groups.
3. Optional: Set a team follow-up (e.g. 15-minute revisit in one month)