HOW MUCH TIME IS NEEDED TO DEVELOP A HABIT? STUDIES SHOW IT'S LONGER THAN YOU MAY THINK
In his 1960 self-help book Psycho-Cybernetics, plastic surgeon Maxwell Matz emphasised the long-held notion that habits can be formed in as little as 21 days. Although no official trial was carried out to confirm his assertion that it took his patients around 21 days to get used to their new appearance following surgery, Matz's observation eventually became an enduring myth in the public consciousness. However, the actual process of developing a habit is far more intricate.
For centuries, there was a lack of thorough research on habits and habit formation. A seminal study conducted in 2009 ultimately demonstrated that, in contrast to Matz's theory, habits normally form between 18 and 254 days. One of three new daily activities—eating a piece of fruit with lunch, drinking a bottle of water with lunch, or exercising for 15 minutes before dinner—took survey respondents an average of 66 days to consistently incorporate into their life. Additionally, it was found that repetition was essential for "automaticity," or the ability to perform a habit without necessarily thinking about it.
But certain behaviors are simpler to adopt than others. For instance, a 2012 study discovered that basic behaviors, like drinking water, promoted more automaticity than complex routines, like exercising every day. Similar findings were made by a 2015 study that found that in order for new gym patrons to truly form an exercise habit, they needed to work out at least four times per week for six weeks.
So, how does one go about successfully forming a habit? Consistency is crucial, as one might expect. Daily repetition of a routine eventually results in automaticity, particularly if it is carried out in the same setting, such as with the same people, at the same time of day, or connected to a particular item, such as an alarm clock. According to a 2016 study, cues also increase the desire to carry out a behaviour, especially when they are unique.
“Cue-based reminders are more potent when the cues they employ are distinctive relative to other regularly encountered stimuli and other stimuli encountered concurrently,” the study’s authors write. “They can be more effective than written or electronic reminder messages.”
Incentives can also be beneficial, but only if they are immediately enjoyed. According to Phillippa Lally, a senior psychology lecturer at the University of Surrey in England, rewards are much more effective when given during a task than when they are given after it has been completed, as she told Scientific American. This was confirmed by a 2014 study that found that those who listened to audiobooks at the gym first visited 51% more often than the control group.
Long-lasting habits are eventually produced by consistently reinforcing behaviours through repetition and cue-based linkages. This process typically takes longer than 21 days, but even if it takes several months, the habit will remain.