How to make habits stick

Even when it isn’t intended, some activities become habitual through repetition. From nail biting to doom scrolling to mindless drinking, automated associations and steps can turn a one-time act into second nature. With every repetition, these unwanted actions transition into behaviours that barely require conscious thought to execute.

Whether through environmental, visual, logistical or schedule cues, this is the same way positive habits can be acquired, say researchers in a paper published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences.Cognitive neuroscientists from Trinity College Dublin have found that our brains can be leveraged to make and break real-world behaviours.

"Habits play a central role in our daily lives, from making that first cup of coffee in the morning to the route we take to work and the routine we follow to prepare for bed. Our research reveals why these automatic behaviours are so powerful — and how we can harness our brain’s mechanisms to change them.”

The research outcomes show that habit formation occurs when the influence of the stimulus-driven system outweighs the engagement of the goal-directed system. Making habits is facilitated by repetition, reinforcement, disengagement of goal-directed processes, and stable contexts.

“By working with, rather than against, how our brains naturally form habits, we can create strategies that make healthier choices more automatic at both individual and societal levels,” say the researchers. “We are all different; depending on your neurobiology, it might make more sense to focus on avoiding cues than reducing stress or allowing yourself more time for your daily routine.”

Here are some of their tips for habit formation:

“Again and again” is the gateway to success, say the researchers. Repetition and reinforcement are essential to making habits stick. Repeating a behaviour builds strong associations between environmental cues and responses, while rewarding the behaviour makes it more likely to be repeated. In leveraging the same mechanism to break habits, we can replace old behaviours with new ones to create competing automatic responses.

To build a habit, build a conducive space. Environments also play a key role in habit change. Adjusting your surroundings can help: making desired behaviours easier to access encourages good habits, while removing cues that trigger unwanted behaviour disrupts bad habits.

Minimise disruption and change. To adopt a new habit effectively, aim to consistently perform the desired behaviour in a stable context with predictable outcomes. This consistency can lead to chunking, which is a psychological process in which the brain converts a series of actions into an automatic routine, such as the steps taken to make a cup of tea. Stability can also help with habit stacking: a strategy where new habits are linked to existing ones, such as flossing immediately after brushing your teeth.

Give it time. Habit formation typically involves fewer daily repetitions over longer periods. Studies of real-life habits show that the nature of the habit itself likely influences the speed of automation; for example, simple hand-washing habits in a hospital setting take weeks to form, whereas a regular gym routine often requires several months. Variability in both the number of repetitions and the time required for habit formation may stem from multiple factors, such as cue intensity and specificity, repetition frequency, and the strength of internal and external motivations.

Free up brain space by automating. Because habits require fewer cognitive resources, they also serve as a fail-safe for challenging conditions, such as when we’re feeling rushed, distracted, or stressed. Rather than trying to problem-solve each desired habit or multi-task habits into your lifestyle, decide what you will do and when you will do it, regardless of motivation for execution.