So much of what we do every single day is the result of habits that we have formed over time, both good and bad. When we know and understand how habits are formed we can establish good, new habits and put the bad ones in their place!

What is a habit?

A habit (wont, tendency, practice or custom) is a behaviour that is repeated regularly, often unconsciously and later automatically. “A habit, from the standpoint of psychology, is a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience” (American Journal of Psychology).

Habits consist of a simple, three-step “loop”:

    1. There is a cue or trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and also which habit to select and use, for example when the phone rings.
    1. Then there is the routine, the pattern of behaviour which can be physical or mental or emotional, For example, you get up, reach over and answer the phone. The behaviour is the actual habit that you are exhibiting.
    1. Finally, there is a reward that helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future. For example, you find out who phoned and have a pleasant chat. Over time the cue and reward become intertwined until a powerful sense of anticipation and craving emerges.

A habit may initially be triggered by a goal. Because our habits constantly, daily, express our character, they can either harm or help these goals and make or break a person.

How are habits formed?

Habits are formed by our brains. Our brains are constantly busy processing the tons of new information needed to first help us accomplish a task. However, as soon as we understand how a task works, and this usually happens after many repetitions, the mental activity required to do the task decreases and we start doing it automatically. What has happened? A habit has been formed.

Through decision-making we choose the habits we want to form, we use our willpower to get the habit started and then we allow the habit to take over. At this stage, we don’t have to decide or to use willpower any longer.

How to change a habit

It is important to understand that the three-step loop of habit forming (cue or trigger, routine or behaviour and reward) is hard-wired into our brains. To change an old habit or create a new one you will need to find out how to implement a healthier routine to yield the same or a better reward. Also, the cornerstone of cementing a new habit is repetition and focus.

Dr Deepak Chopra explains it in this way: “The turnaround [that is, replacing a bad habit with a good one] amounts to giving up unconscious behaviour and adopting conscious new patterns. Once your mind begins to pay attention, your brain can build new neural pathways to reinforce what you learn”.

However, studies have shown that a cue and a reward on their own aren’t enough. It is only when your brain starts expecting and craving the reward that new habits are formed. An example that illustrates this phenomenon is the release of those typical feel-good hormones when you exercise. A craving for this reward kick-starts the automatic action, behaviour or routine of getting up every morning, putting on your running shoes and going outside to jog.

Say you want to start the habit of an early morning run, then you could choose any of these steps to help ingraining the habit into your subconscious mind:

    • Set the alarm clock 45 minutes early and leave it where you will be forced to get out of bed to reach it.
    • Lay out your workout clothes the night before.
    • Take someone with you for encouragement and companionship; if all else fails, your dog will do.
    • Have a healthy breakfast prepared the night before.
    • Schedule exercise into your day planner.

To form a new habit takes time, between 21 and 66 days, depending on how complicated the new routine or behaviour is.

 

Sources

Brainy quotes about habits. Retrieved from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/habits.html
Chopra, D. Five steps for creating healthy habits. Retrieved from: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/5-steps-for-creating-healthy-habits
Glei, J. K. Hacking Habits: how to make new behaviors last for good. Retrieved from: http://99u.com/articles/7230/hacking-habits-how-to-make-new-behaviors-last-for-good
Popova, M. How long it takes to form a new habit. Retrieved from: http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/02/how-long-it-takes-to-form-a-new-habit/
Ten steps to starting a new habit and creating lasting change in your life. Retrieved from: http://life.gaiam.com/article/10-steps-starting-new-habit-and-creating-lasting-change-your-life