How To Develop A New Habit

Habits make up a significant part of our lives. Whether we want to create positive habits or eliminate negative ones, the key to develop a new habit has been studied for centuries. The idea of being able to channel our behaviour and develop healthy habits is an appealing one.

What exactly is a habit?

Habits are defined as actions “triggered automatically in response to contextual cues that have been associated with their performance”.¹ For example, brushing your teeth after getting out of bed or putting on your helmet before you ride your bike. Repetition of a particular action in this context leads to the development of a habit that is activated following exposure to these cues. After a while, these actions become more automatic and require less of our attention.

The process of habit formation 

There are three main parts of habit loop formation: the cue, the routine and the reward. As discussed above, the cue is the main trigger and context for the action. What follows is called the routine and is essentially the actions that you then perform. The third part is the reward or the outcome that results, whether it’s the feeling of satisfaction, the release of endorphins after exercise, etc. This reward is what helps reinforce this habit loop.

How long does it take to develop a new habit?

There is a common belief that it takes 21 or 30 days to build a habit. In actual fact, the number is closer to 66 days, or roughly over two months. This is also the average time but developing a habit can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days. Don’t let this longer period of time discourage you, if anything, it may help explain why you haven’t been able to engrain a habit after only a few weeks.

So what are some tips to developing a new habit more effectively?

1. Make a schedule

As discussed above, the cue and routine are an important part of the habit process. When you are first developing a habit, it will obviously not yet be a habit and therefore, you will need to put some work in to start making these actions more routine and automatic. A good way to start is by making a schedule and planning when you will perform this activity. This will free up time in your day and allow you to set the early foundations for the habit.

2. Focus on one habit at a time

It’s not uncommon for people to have many habits they are keen to implement at the same time. Depending on the habit, it can be difficult enough to develop one habit process, let alone trying to accomplish multiple at once. Not only does this spread your efforts and energy more thinly but it can also mean that having difficulty with one particular habit can affect your performance in others. For instance, if you’re feeling defeated and unable to commit to your new exercise routine, this feeling can negatively impact other goals you are trying to simultaneously achieve. So don’t make things unnecessarily difficult- focus on one habit and once you succeed with that, let the boost in motivation help you kickstart the next habit. Have a look at my post on goal setting to help you think about the habits you want to develop.

3. Address your cues

Pause and think about the context of your actions, whether you are trying to break a habit or create a new one. If you have an unhealthy habit you are trying to break, think about what leads to your action. What are you feeling beforehand, what are you doing immediately prior? For instance, if you are trying to stop the habit of going to get a snack in the afternoon, think about what you are doing it in the first place. Are you actually hungry? Or is it a habit that stems out of boredom? Thinking about the context helps to isolate the particular cue triggering your habit routine. In the same way, if you are trying to develop a new habit, you should think about what will be the trigger- another particular action, another feeling, or a particular time of day? Consider your cue to maximise your success in implementing a habit.

4. Take small steps

When developing a new habit, it is important to be realistic and create achievable steps. Someone aiming to run for an hour daily will find it very challenging to go from not running to 1 hour daily. Not to mention, your body will have difficulty with the sudden jump in activity and you risk getting injured. When planning a habit, it’s important to take bite-sized chunks that you can master first. Using the running example, it would be a good idea to start with shorter running intervals every few days, then gradually building it up to longer and more frequent running sessions as you build confidence and fitness. 

5. Get back on track

If you find yourself struggling to implement a habit, take a step back and look at your progress. What is the obstacle(s) in your way? What can you do differently? Try to address this and learn from your experience and most importantly, get back on track. Remember, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to develop a habit. We would all love to be able to pick up a new habit within 20 days but depending on your own personality, skills and the habit, it can take much longer. So don’t give up early if you aren’t feeling progress. Just stick with it and persevere!

6. Consistency is key

The final tip is also about perseverance and staying on course. Habits are actions that becoming routine, so for a routine to develop, consistency is crucial. You need repetition to link the cue with the routine, and the more consistent you are, the more efficient this process will be. Try using a habit tracker, such as the one in my goal setting planner, to help monitor your progress. Sticking with your habit can challenge your motivation and test your willpower but at the end of the day, it will be a rewarding achievement.

So these are my tips for developing a habit. What do you think? Have you tried any of them? Let me know in the comments!