Are Your Habits Hiding Something Better?

This week I was running low on socks. I’d been busy and hadn’t done laundry in a while. As I reached into my sock drawer I started thinking to myself that it might be time to buy some new ones. The socks I do have are wearing a little thin after all. 

I dug a little deeper into the drawer, and to my great surprise I uncovered a hidden stash of fresh, unworn socks, long buried beneath the pairs I kept grabbing out of habit. I had completely forgotten they existed.

A stockpile of unworn socks unintentionally got buried at the bottom of my drawer - there's a lesson in that.

The Sock Drawer Effect: When Habits Keep Us Stuck

How did I accidentally create this treasure trove of crisp, clean under(foot)wear? Simple: through habit.

Like most people (I assume), I instinctively grab the topmost socks in my drawer. When laundry day comes, those same socks - now washed - end up right back on top, covering the newer, untouched ones at the bottom.

I never shuffled my socks. And so the fresh ones sunk to the bottom of the drawer. 

It makes sense that this happens. It’s much more efficient to take the socks that are most readily available to us - digging through to the bottom of the drawer could be said to be inefficient, when it takes much less effort and energy to get the socks off the top. 

But it's exactly because of this economy of action that my fresh socks got buried and I almost ended up spending more money on some new pairs. 

The Hidden Cost of Habit

We love habits. And when we consciously design them, they can transform our work and our lives. 

But when habits go unchecked, they can limit us. Sometimes, they prevent us from discovering something better - like a fresh pair of socks, a new idea, or a smarter way of working.

I started thinking: Where else do our habits keep us from seeing better possibilities?

• Creative Work: Writers, designers, and problem-solvers often have a go-to approach - but sticking to the same formula can lead to stale ideas. What if the breakthrough is in a method you never use?

  
  

• Team Dynamics: Maybe you always turn to the same people for advice or feedback. What insights could you gain from someone outside your usual circle?

  
  

• Learning & Growth: Do you always consume the same types of content - similar books, the same news sources, familiar podcasts? Expanding beyond your usual media diet could unlock new perspectives.

  
  

• Daily Routines: If your mornings always follow the same script, you might not realize how a small change - like moving your workout to a different time or switching the order of tasks - could boost your energy and focus.

  
  

• Decision-Making: When faced with a choice, do you always rely on gut instinct, or do you always analyze every detail? Trying the opposite approach just once might reveal a better way to make decisions.

  
  

Habits make life easier. But when they become invisible, they can also make us miss something better. A small shake-up can open the door to fresh opportunities.

That’s why it’s worth doing a habit check every so often. Bringing conscious attention to your routines can help you discover whether there’s a smarter way to reach your goals.

How to Break Out of Habit Blindness

Here are three simple ways to introduce more habit-checking into your life:

1. Change Up Your Pattern (Easy, Low Effort)

Add novelty to your routine. Even something as small as walking a different route, switching up your morning sequence, or rearranging your workspace can refresh your perspective. Breaking small habits makes it easier to notice other habits that might need adjusting.

2. Do a Habit Inventory (Moderate Effort)

For one day, jot down everything you do and when you do it. At the end of the day, review your list. Are these intentional choices, or just autopilot behaviors? Simply becoming aware of your habits makes it easier to question and improve them.

3. Read More Books (High Effort, High Reward)

Reading bombards you with new perspectives, helping you escape default patterns of thinking. Books introduce better practices, frameworks, and mental models - giving you fresh “socks” to try on.

Dig Deeper into Your Automatic Behaviours

Habits are powerful. They help us get things done.

But they can also trap us in routines that no longer serve us.

So take a moment to dig deeper into your automatic behaviors this week. There’s a good chance something better is just waiting to be rediscovered - like a fresh pair of socks at the bottom of the drawer.