What is a habit?

A Psychological Guide for Developing and Maintaining Healthy Habits

Habits are behaviors that are triggered automatically when we encounter situations in which we have repeatedly done them in the past. Habits can be beneficial for our health, well-being, and productivity, but they can also be hard to form and maintain. In this article, we will explore the underlying mechanisms of habit formation, the common obstacles that people face when trying to change their behavior, and some practical strategies for overcoming these challenges.

What is a Habit and How Does it Form?

According to psychology, a habit is a process whereby contexts prompt action automatically, through activation of mental context–action associations learned through prior performances. For example, if you always brush your teeth after breakfast, seeing your toothbrush in the morning may trigger an urge to brush your teeth, without much conscious thought or effort.

Habit formation involves three main components: the cue, the routine, and the reward. The cue is a trigger that encourages the following behavior. Anything around you that reminds you of the habit or makes you want to put it in action is the cue. The routine is the behavior itself, which can be physical, mental, or emotional. The reward is the benefit that you get from performing the behavior, which can be intrinsic or extrinsic. The reward reinforces the behavior and makes it more likely to be repeated in the future.

Habits form through a process of repetition and reinforcement. The more you perform a behavior in the same context, the stronger the association between the context and the behavior becomes. Eventually, the context cues the behavior automatically, and the behavior becomes habitual. Studies have shown that habit strength is characterized by initially rapid growth, which decelerates until a plateau is reached. The time it takes to form a habit depends on various factors, such as the type, complexity and frequency of the behavior, as well as the individual’s personality, motivation and environment.

What are the Benefits and Challenges of Habit Formation?

Habits can have positive or negative effects on our lives, depending on the nature and consequences of the behavior. Some habits, such as eating healthy, exercising regularly, and meditating, can improve our physical and mental health, enhance our well-being, and increase our productivity. Other habits, such as smoking, drinking, and procrastinating, can harm our health, well-being, and productivity.

One of the main benefits of habit formation is that it can help us maintain our desired behaviors over time, even when we lose motivation or face distractions. Habits are regulated by an impulsive process, and so can be elicited with minimal cognitive effort, awareness, control, or intention. When an initially goal-directed behavior becomes habitual, action initiation transfers from conscious motivational processes to context-cued impulse-driven mechanisms. This means that we can perform the behavior without having to rely on our willpower or rationality, which can be depleted or influenced by external factors.

However, habit formation also poses some challenges for behavior change. One of the challenges is that habits are hard to break or modify, because they are deeply ingrained in our neural pathways and resistant to change. Habits can also interfere with our ability to adapt to new situations or goals, as they may prompt us to act in ways that are no longer appropriate or beneficial. For example, if you have a habit of snacking when you watch TV, you may find it hard to stop eating even when you are not hungry or when you want to lose weight.

Another challenge is that habits can override our motivational tendencies, unless we have strong self-control or a compelling reason to act differently. Habits can influence our behavior with or without our conscious awareness or consent, and sometimes in conflict with our intentions or preferences. For example, if you have a habit of checking your phone every few minutes, you may find it hard to focus on your work or your conversation with someone, even when you want to pay attention or be productive.

"Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure."- Og Mandino

How to Overcome Obstacles to Habit Formation?

Despite the challenges, habit formation is not impossible or irreversible. There are some strategies that can help us form and maintain healthy habits, and break or replace unhealthy habits. Here are some of the most effective and evidence-based strategies:

• Start small and simple. Choose a behavior that is easy to do, realistic to achieve, and aligned with your goals and values. Break down complex or challenging behaviors into smaller and simpler steps, and focus on one step at a time. For example, if you want to start meditating, you can begin with just a few minutes a day, and gradually increase the duration and frequency as you get more comfortable and confident.
• Choose a specific and consistent cue. Identify a cue that will reliably and regularly trigger your behavior, and make sure it is clear and noticeable. The cue can be based on time, location, event, emotion, or other people. For example, if you want to exercise more, you can choose a cue such as every morning after waking up, every evening after work, every time you feel stressed, or every time you see your workout buddy.
• Reward yourself for performing the behavior. Provide yourself with a reward that is immediate, enjoyable, and compatible with your behavior and your goal. The reward can be intrinsic or extrinsic, but it should not undermine or contradict the purpose or outcome of the behavior. For example, if you want to eat healthier, you can reward yourself with a compliment, a sticker, a relaxing activity, or a healthy treat, but not with a junk food or a binge eating session.
• Track your progress and celebrate your achievements. Monitor your behavior and habit strength using a journal, a calendar, an app, or any other tool that works for you. Record when, where, how, and why you performed the behavior, and how you felt before, during, and after. Review your records regularly and reflect on your successes and challenges. Acknowledge and appreciate your efforts and improvements and reward yourself for reaching milestones or overcoming difficulties.
• Make a plan for potential obstacles and setbacks. Anticipate and prepare for situations or factors that may hinder or disrupt your behavior or habit formation. Identify the triggers, barriers, or temptations that may interfere with your cue, routine, or reward, and devise strategies to avoid, cope, or overcome them. For example, if you want to quit smoking, you can plan to avoid places or people that remind you of smoking, use nicotine patches or gum to cope with cravings, or seek support from friends or professionals to overcome relapses.
• Replace bad habits with good habits. Instead of trying to stop or suppress a bad habit, try to substitute it with a good habit that serves the same or a similar function or need. Find a cue that is similar to the one that triggers the bad habit, but leads to a different and healthier behavior. Find a reward that is similar to the one that reinforces the bad habit, but is more satisfying and sustainable. For example, if you have a habit of biting your nails when you are nervous, you can replace it with a habit of chewing gum or playing with a stress ball, which can also help you relieve tension and anxiety.

Habit formation is a powerful and pervasive process that can shape our behavior and our lives. By understanding the mechanisms and challenges of habit formation, and applying the strategies and techniques discussed in this article, we can harness the power of habit to create and sustain positive changes in our behavior and our well-being.