The science of habits: Change is easier than you think -

Can you imagine a day where you don’t have to think about getting more exercise, eating healthier, taking time away from your phone, or being more mindful?

The essence of a habit is that you do it without thinking. It’s no coincidence that many of the most successful people in the world have credited part of their success to specific routines built upon a careful foundation of habits.

Whether you realize it or not, your daily behavior is composed of habits, including how you get ready in the morning, how you clean, how you shop, how you park, etc. Sometimes these routines seem inescapable, but they’re actually a lot easier to change than most people think. Click through to see simple things you can start doing right now to break and make a habit.

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The myth -

Many people have heard that it takes 60 days to break a habit, which can seem too daunting to attempt. But Susan Weinschenk Ph.D., who actually used to promote that theory, says that it can be much easier—as short as two weeks even.

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Habits are meant to make us more efficient -

Most of the time, habits are created unconsciously and carried out automatically. Our brains evolved this kind of autopilot so that we can focus on various other things.

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But they can also trap you into inefficiency -

Habits like scrolling on your phone, smoking, pressing the snooze button, etc. are often not the kinds that improve your health or success, but they feel the hardest to break.

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The biggest reason resolutions aren’t met -

We often think that wanting to do something and knowing why it's important is enough to actually do it regularly, but experts at MBG agree that conscious repetition is the only way to make a new behavior stick.

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How habits work -

According to Charles Duhigg, author of 'The Power of Habit,' routines are made up of a "habit loop" consisting of a cue, a behavior, and a reward. Understanding and interrupting that loop is how you make or break a habit.

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The neuroscience of repetition -

Clinical psychologist Nicole Lippman-Barile, Ph.D. told MBG that when you engage in a behavior, certain neurons start firing together, and "the more that they fire together, they wire together." Repetition builds and strengthens neural pathways, creating a mental shortcut.

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Habits are relaxation for your mind -

Habits greatly reduce decision-making fatigue and stress, and they relax your mental state as your mind passes through a familiar framework.

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Habits can regulate your hormones -

A 2019 study on adolescents found that consistent meal and bedtimes led to greater emotional self-regulation and lower levels of epinephrine, a fight-or-flight hormone released with stress.

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A regular rhythm of life has endless benefits -

Integrative neurologist Ilene Ruhoy, M.D., Ph.D. says habits are important because our brains are circadian organs that, with a consistent rhythm across sleep, meals, and exercise, show improved focus, cognition, and energy.

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Habits are good for your immune system -

Routine actually helps keep your immune system strong, as immune cells have circadian rhythms too. An improved immune system also means you won’t have as many sick days throwing off your schedule, and habits are easier to keep.

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Repetition is the best way to improve -

Practice makes perfect, and it’s true too that habits like intermittent fasting or bringing a reusable bag to go shopping will help you reach bigger goals of losing weight or living a greener lifestyle.

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Easy steps to forming better habits -

Habits are hard to change because your brain has been conditioned, in a way similar to Pavlov’s dog, to have biological responses associated with specific anticipated rewards. Your brain loves repetition and patterns, but you can hack them with different rewards!

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But first, make your intentions more specific -

Wanting to exercise more will not become a habit because it’s too vague. Changing into comfortable shoes right after breakfast and going for a brisk walk is much more likely to stick.

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Implementation intention -

One study found that people who set specific days, times, and locations to work out (AKA implementation intention) were 55% more likely to do so than those who were simply asked to track their workout habits.

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Alter your environment to make the habit easier for you -

For example, putting your alarm device far from your bed so that you’re forced to actually get up instead of hitting snooze will help you improve your morning habits.

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Habits that involve a physical element stick better - If you want to create a non-physical habit, like taking a moment to plan out your day, try to involve a physical aspect, even just using a whiteboard. When the behavior has an external cue, it will persist after your motivation or interest fades, experts say.

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Create auditory and/or visual cues -

One reason we habitually spend so much time on our phones is because it is constantly lighting up and making noise with notifications, creating a conditioned response.

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Create auditory and/or visual cues -

Leaving sticky notes on your fridge or at your desk with some sort of reminder can help stimulate new conditioned responses for better habits.

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The best way to break a habit is to replace it -

The brain is quite resistant to breaking old habits, but it’s good at creating new ones. Pushing out an old habit with a new one is more effective and easier than going cold turkey.

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The best way to break a habit is to replace it -

If you snack on junk food while on the computer, the best way to stop is to replace it with a healthier snack. If you’re consistent, it may only take two weeks to adapt.

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The best time to change a habit is on vacation -

Charles Duhigg says the best time to form a new pattern is when you're apart from all your old cues and rewards, which can be on vacation, or in the unique circumstances of self-quarantine, too. 

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Practice "habit stacking" -

Habit stacking is a variation on implementation intention, but instead of using a time and place as your cue, you link your desired habit to an established one.

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An example of habit stacking -

Say you want to do yoga in the morning, but in the morning you like to enjoy a slow cup of coffee. While it brews, move through some flows. You take away the “I have no time” excuse, and create a new cue-behavior-reward loop.

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Try "temptation bundling" to build a reward response - This is similar to habit stacking, except you link a new habit with something you love that isn’t necessarily productive but gives you a dopamine boost.

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An example of temptation bundling -

If you love watching Netflix whilst snacking on your favourite chocolate, but you want to read more, keep the candy but attach it to reading a book instead.

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Have a plan B -

Even the most disciplined people can’t control when life decides to throw obstacles in their way. Having a plan B can be just as important as being specific about the details of your habit repetition.

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Have a plan B routine -

For example, if you can’t find the energy to cook a healthy dinner, have a reliable, healthy takeout option. This way, your repetition won’t be completely thrown off.

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What to do when even your plan B fails -

Something will inevitably get in the way, whether it’s your own misstep or something external. Perhaps self-quarantine stopped your progress! The best reaction is not to punish yourself, but to take the time to check in with your body and your routine, and adjust as necessary.

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Ultimately, positive feedback systems work best -

Focus on the difference between how you feel in your routine versus out of it, and use that as motivation. The more you focus on the reward of a habit, the more likely it will stick.

See also: Childhood habits that affect your adult life

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