HABIT BUILDING

How to use the HHA Strategic Habits Tools Resource Kit

To support your overall well-being, health, and performance, Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) has compiled a curated list of practical, evidence-based tools and resources to empower you with knowledge and encourage meaningful behavior change. 

Importance of holistic health and this Holistic Health Approach (HHA) Strategic Habits Resource Kit

Total Force Fitness (TFF) is a holistic approach to Service Member well-being. The TFF framework consists of interrelated health performance areas that impact Service Member job performance and health, and has been incorporated into the U.S. Space Force programs and culture to help Guardians like you perform better on and off duty.

If your holistic health is not optimized, you may start to see a cascade of effects on multiple areas of your health. For example, if you aren’t sleeping well (sleep health), you might notice you:

  • Have a lack of focus at work (cognitive performance)
  • Have a lessened ability to regulate emotions easily (mental fitness)
  • Have less energy to engage in personal relationships (social fitness)
  • Become more sedentary (physical fitness)
  • Begin to reach for energy drinks and other highly-processed foods (nutritional fitness) 

Since health-performance areas are interrelated, improvements in one performance area could help to boost other areas. For example, when a Guardian increases their physical activity, they will also experience other health benefits, such as improved sleep health, better stress management, and increased social connection (especially if exercising with others or as a team). Whether you focus on a performance area individually or focus on them collectively, taking a holistic health approach using TFF can help you improve at your job and perform mission-essential tasks, as well as optimize your personal health and well-being.

“Total Force Fitness is more than physical fitness. It is the sum total of the many facets of individuals, their families, and the organizations to which they serve. It is not something someone achieves twice a year for a test. It is a state of being. A total force that has achieved total fitness is healthy, ready, and resilient; capable of meeting challenges and surviving threats.”

 — ADM Michael Mullen, Past Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The TFF framework also addresses the need for resources and support for each performance area. Use this HHA Self-Assessment Resource Kit to optimize your holistic health and performance. The tools in this kit can help you assess your current level of holistic health and fitness in each performance area and identify behaviors you might want to change. These tools can help you consider changing risky health behaviors or optimizing your performance by going from good to better, or even recognizing areas of your health you want to sustain.

To learn more about TFF and its history, read HPRC’s article, “What is Total Force Fitness?” If you’d like to learn more about human performance optimization, read HPRC’s article, “Human Performance Optimization: Moving left of bang.”

Introduction to this HHA Strategic Habits Tools Resource Kit

This curated resource list is organized into 11 HHA performance areas and provides a centralized location for the HHA strategic habits tools. Each tool is tailored to a specific human performance area to help you develop a plan to automate your behaviors. This frees up your brain power for more demanding tasks. When developing and executing your strategic habit plans, use the habits tracker included in each habit tool to help monitor your progress.

Over time, you’ll discover which resources best support your individual growth in each performance area. For example, when you need to improve your hydration, you might explore the Nutritional Fitness Strategic Habits tool to incorporate hydration strategies into your strategic habit plan. Or, when you need to strengthen your social connections, you might complete the Social Fitness Strategic Habits tool and try out the methods for intentionally connecting with others. 

Beyond personal use, these strategic habits tools can serve as conversational springboards when working with HHA staff to set goals and monitor progress on your health journey.

How to maximize the benefits of this HHA Strategic Habits Tools Resource Kit

The Strategic Habits tools are designed to be an extension of the Self-Assessment tools, but they can be used on their own. If you already have an idea of which area(s) of your health and performance you want to improve, choose the appropriate performance area strategic habit tool to complete. If you need some help with identifying areas to improve, complete the Self-Care Inventory or the Self-Assessments, then choose the corresponding Strategic Habit tool to complete.

If you’re wanting to go from good to better on your health journey, try “habit stacking.” Instead of building just one new habit, you can stack 2 or 3 actions into a single habit cue and reward. This increases your brain’s efficiency and can accelerate your progress. It’s an efficient way to level up your holistic health and performance.

Remember, the evidence-based information in this HHA Strategic Habit Tools Resource Kit is most effective when approached with a growth mindset. 

A growth mindset encourages the belief that skills in these holistic health performance areas can be developed and enhanced through commitment, effort, and dedication. Conversely, a fixed mindset suggests that these skills are innate and unchangeable. If you discover you have fixed mindsets about anything, revisit this resource list when you’re ready to embrace learning and cultivating your skill sets, or read more about the benefits of a growth mindset now.

The health performance areas within this HHA Strategic Habits Tools Resource Kit

This resource kit is structured around 11 key performance areas, with each strategic habits tool containing a collection of resources to support your growth. Each strategic habits tool guides you through utilizing the resource, introduces relevant, evidence-based information, contains reflective exercises to encourage application, and includes links to resources for deeper exploration and learning.

This resource kit is structured around the 11 key HHA performance areas, and each strategic habits tool contains a collection of resources to support your holistic health journey. Each strategic habits tool guides you through utilizing the resource,introduces relevant, evidence-based information, contains reflective exercises to encourage application, and includes links to resources for deeper exploration and learning.

Ready to get started? Click on the links below to begin cultivating new skills across these essential holistic health performance areas:

References

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Nübold, A., Van Quaquebeke, N. & Hülsheger, U.R. Be(com)ing real: A multi-source and an intervention study on mindfulness and authentic leadership. J Bus Psychol 35, 469–488 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-019-09633-y

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Sutton A. (2016). Measuring the effects of self-awareness: Construction of the self-awareness outcomes questionnaire. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(4), 645–658. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i4.1178

Van der Weel, F. R., & Van der Meer, A. L. (2024). Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1219945.

Zheng, S., Sun, S., Huang, C., & Zou, Z. (2020). Authenticity and subjective well-being: The mediating role of mindfulness. Journal of Research in Personality, 84, 103900.