essay on what is habit

How Are Habits Formed? The Psychology of Habit Formation

Actions that are repeated over time gradually became habits, with a curious life of their own.

Ravaisson was most fascinated by positive or adaptive habits, those we develop mindfully (Malabou, 2008).

Of course, not all habits are developed mindfully.

Some habits develop unconsciously, from internal or external stress. These tend to be negative or maladaptive habits.

Neuroscientists have also had much to say about habits, including how positive ones are formed and how negative ones can be broken (Yin & Knowlton, 2006).

We will look into opinions and research, and then answer the question of how habits are formed  in this article.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Goal Achievement Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients create actionable goals and master techniques to create lasting behavior change.

This Article Contains:

How are habits formed 101, the psychology behind habits: 3 theories, habits and the brain: 5 fascinating studies, 5 habits that will improve your life, positivepsychology.com’s helpful resources, a take-home message.

The question of habit formation can be approached from a scientific perspective or a more subjective and experiential one.

The subjective experience of habit formation

Bergson was a French philosopher who took cues from Ravaisson’s prior discussion of habits and their formation.

Bergson (1911) wrote of both active and passive habits.

Passive habits  arise from exposure to things we eventually get used to. High-altitude climbers gradually adapt their bodies to the lower levels of oxygen available as they climb above 7,000 feet.

Active habits are those we develop by repeated intention and effort, crystalizing as skills we perform with little or no thought. A gymnast practices walking, jumping, and flipping on a narrow beam until she can do all these maneuvers smoothly without falling.

Habits as skills can also be seen as a springboard to creativity. Based on what we can habitually do, we reach new heights, as when a jazz musician ingrains the playing of a basic melody, then improvises new and adventurous notes on top of the underlying theme.

The scientific perspective on habit formation is exemplified today by neuroscience research . This research has highlighted crucial brain pathways involved in forming habits.

The neuroscience of habit formation

When you first learn to tie your shoes, the attempts are quite conscious and effortful. As you practice this skill, it becomes a habit, something you can do easily and automatically, even while thinking of other things.

Neuroscience has asked how conscious and goal-directed actions are converted into a habit (Yin & Knowlton, 2006).

Clues to the mystery of habit formation can be found in an ancient area of the brain called the basal ganglia (Yin & Knowlton, 2006).

The basal ganglia are deep structures near the base of the brain that developed early in the evolution of our nervous system.

These structures play a major role in coordinating all kinds of voluntary movements, including the complex motions involved in walking, running, eating, talking, and grasping and manipulating with the hands, etc.

The basal ganglia, in conjunction with the brain’s frontal or “executive” lobe, also help perform the crucial task of rapidly selecting which type of movement should be made, out of the many options available in a given situation.

When faced with a tiger suddenly springing from the bushes, what should you do? Stand still, run to climb a tree, or make a dash for the river and hope the tiger can’t swim? The movement program chosen at this point might determine whether you get to pass your genes along to any offspring.

Since movements are most effective when well learned or habitual, the basal ganglia are also very involved in habit formation.

Certain habits appear to be formed through the interplay between two distinct basal ganglia pathways (Yin & Knowlton, 2006).

One of these pathways is associative . It consciously collects information needed for reaching goals such as staying warm, finding food, finding a mate, and expressing oneself artistically.

A second pathway is more automatic . This route takes those lessons learned from the first pathway and includes them in a repertoire of stored habits.

These habits are then available to be called upon, when cued by a given situation.

When I sit down on my stoop before going for a run, this triggers the habit of putting on my running shoes, in a sequence of actions that is well learned and often automatic.

Another key aspect to habit formation is positive reinforcement or reward. For an activity to become a habit, it helps if it’s not only repeated often, but also positively reinforced.

We can trigger positive reinforcement through an external reward, like money, food, or praise. Such experiences release dopamine, one of the brain’s favorite “feel good” neurochemicals. A rewarding dopamine release can also occur through internal triggers, like visualizing yourself reaching a cherished goal (Neuroscience News, 2015).

Dopamine release has been shown to depend on neurons within the limbic system, another ancient brain circuit that processes emotions and the experience of reward. The limbic system is deeply connected with the basal ganglia and can stamp our memories and habits with emotional and reward value (Trafton, 2012).

James (1914) thought of habit as the result of repeating the same action over and over, in similar circumstances, until it is ingrained in our brain circuitry.

He also believed that ingrained habits would automatically arise in the face of strong cues associated with their formation. When walking into your darkened room, the room and darkness cue the automatic habit of reaching for the light switch.

Behaviorists such as B. F. Skinner would expand on James’s insights into habit, with animal studies that emphasized how habit formation is fueled by rewards.

Skinner (1953) created cages for pigeons with buttons that dropped a food pellet when pushed. In exploring the cage, the hungry pigeons would eventually peck the button on the wall. They soon came to realize that pecking the button would produce a food pellet.

This experimental scenario included what for Skinner were the primary factors in producing a habit:

• Stimulus, like the button to be pecked
• Behavior, like pecking the button
• Reward, like the food pellet

Skinner (1953) believed that behaviors repeatedly engaged in for the sake of a reward will become habits. This hypothesis was borne out by his pigeons repeatedly pressing the button, even when that action was no longer followed by a food pellet.

Other theories sought to go beyond behaviorism’s focus on observed behavior alone, to include a mental or cognitive component in habit. Edward Tolman (1948, 1954) believed that repeated or habitual responses involved the use of internal ideas, or “maps,” as cognitive components that helped navigate mazes, etc.

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Dr. Wendy Wood, a psychologist at the University of Southern California’s Habit Lab, found that an estimated 43% of the activities engaged in each day by her study participants were done habitually, while they were thinking of something else (Wood, Quinn, & Kashy, 2002).

How do we know when to start and stop such habitual activities if they are not done consciously?

Neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that when practicing a habitual routine such as brushing one’s teeth, certain neurons in the basal ganglia will activate or “fire” at the beginning of the routine. Then, they lay quiet while the routine proceeds. Finally, they fire again when the routine is completed (Martiros, Burgess, & Graybiel, 2018).

This means that even if you are thinking about something else, you can automatically start and then finish a habitual routine, because these specialized neurons will tell you to do so.

Another common question about habits is: How long does it take to form new ones?

One often-cited study (Lally, van Jaarsveld, Potts, & Wardle, 2010) indicated an average of 66 days to establish a new pro-health habit, such as exercising for at least 30 minutes per day.

Research suggests the following tips for breaking negative habits and forming new and more positive ones.

Find ways to lower your stress level.

Many negative habits such as smoking, overeating, and oversleeping have developed as a response to stress (Schwabe & Wolf, 2009).

If you lower your stress level, you should be less inclined to take that cigarette break, eat that snack you don’t really need, or flop down on the couch in the middle of the day.

Simple measures can reduce stress like taking a walk or practicing techniques such as yogic breathing and mindfulness exercises .

Become aware of your negative habits.

Since they are largely automatic, we are often unaware of our habits and their associated experiences. Being mindful of our negative habits and what they involve can make them easier to break (Brewer, 2019).

For example, when asked to become mindful of what cigarette smoking tastes and smells like, some smokers realize that the actual sensations of smoking are not pleasant for them. Reflecting on the sensory experience of smoking can make the habit easier to break (Brewer, 2019).

Avoid cues that were associated with developing the negative habit in the first place.

Most habits can be triggered by the cues or contexts in which they developed (Dickinson & Balleine, 1994).

Negative habits can therefore be left dormant if their associated cues or contexts are avoided. For example, in trying to weaken the habit of snacking between meals, I should avoid leaving out easily accessible snacks.

Replace the old habit with a new one that opposes it.

This can be done by explicitly planning a different course and repeating what it prescribes.

This technique was used successfully in a study on breaking old and random recycling habits in the workplace and replacing them with a clear strategy for consistent recycling (Holland, Aarts, & Langendam, 2006).

The following are five habits highlighted by Kanaat for improving health, financial status, career, and psychological wellbeing (adapted from Wanderlust Worker ).

A key health habit: 10,000 Steps per day

Kanaat describes this as a “keystone habit,” one that lends support to other positive health habits such as drinking enough water, being conscious of what we eat, and leaving sufficient time for exercise.

This basic habit can be supported by using a pedometer or smartphone health app to track one’s steps toward the daily goal of 10,000.

A positive financial habit: Expense journaling

According to Kanaat, this keystone financial habit supports financial awareness, financial planning, and positive spending habits.

He cites the example of John D. Rockefeller, whose mother instilled in him the habit of writing down every penny he spent from an early age. She also encouraged him early in the habits of saving and wisely investing his money. Rockefeller credited his mother and the habits she instilled as keys to his financial success (Rockefeller, 2019).

A critical success habit: Active goal setting

Kanaat distinguishes active from passive goal setting. In the latter, we set goals that are usually longer term, then tend to forget about them. Active goal setting involves tracking your progress toward each goal every day. He also advocates for “SMART” goal setting: making sure goals are:

A crucial career habit: Time management

Kanaat recommends using the “quadrant” system for time management, first developed by Dwight D. Eisenhower and later included in the bestselling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  (Covey, 2020).

In this system, each activity we do can be categorized as involving some combination of urgency and importance. We naturally tend to focus on short-term, quadrant-1 objectives, which are both urgent and important.

We need to be even more mindful of long-term quadrant-2 objectives, which, while not urgent, are very important.

The remaining third and fourth quadrant activities are distractions and time-wasters, and should be avoided and strictly limited, respectively.

An important wellness habit: Daily gratitude.

If we focus on what we lack, we will see and experience what is missing.

On the other hand, if we focus on and are grateful for what we have now, we will see and experience gratitude and fullness.

Kanaat recommends practicing daily gratitude for 15 minutes each morning, by writing down everything for which we are grateful. He further recommends doing this every day for 90 days to set the habit. He adds that this can bring a positive transformation in mindset, from thinking only of lack to being mindful of and grateful for all we have.

The science of making & breaking habits – Andrew Huberman

The following resources can help you or your clients break negative habits and form new and positive ones.

• Building New Habits This tool is designed to help you develop an “If-Then” plan for positive habits you want to cultivate, concerning health, finances, relationships, and wellbeing.
• Goal Setting Our article on goal setting with templates and worksheets includes various tips and resources for the important habit of active goal setting.
• Nurturing vs. Depleting Activities This tool can help you become aware of and make adjustments to your habits around using and restoring personal energy through healthy eating, sleeping, exercising, etc.
• Gratitude Journal A tool to help cultivate daily gratitude and the various benefits that come with it.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others reach their goals, this collection contains 17 validated motivation & goals-achievement tools for practitioners. Use them to help others turn their dreams into reality by applying the latest science-based behavioral change techniques.

17 Tools To Increase Motivation and Goal Achievement

These 17 Motivation & Goal Achievement Exercises [PDF] contain all you need to help others set meaningful goals, increase self-drive, and experience greater accomplishment and life satisfaction.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Habits are a force in each of our lives, often with positive, but sometimes with negative, results.

Although negative habits can be stubborn things, research has shown they can be broken and replaced with more positive ones.

Awareness of our habits can help distinguish between those that align with our goals and those that stand in our way.

Positive habits that we consciously form retain elements of the mindful intention that initiated them. At their best, such habits assure mastery. They can also become a springboard to creativity, as when an experienced mountaineer picks just the right route up a new and challenging face.

Certain positive habits can also be “keystones” for others, as when the daily habit of taking at least 10,000 steps helps reinforce other habits like healthy eating and spending some time outside each day.

We hope the tools and techniques offered in this article for strengthening positive habits and breaking negative ones will be useful for you or your clients.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Goal Achievement Exercises for free .

• Adams, R. L. (2013). The art of persistence: The simple secrets to long-term success . Author.
• Adams, R. L. (2014). Habit flip: Transform your life with 101 small changes to your daily routines . Author.
• Bergson, H. (1911). Matter and memory (N. M. Paul & W. S. Palmer, Trans.). George Allen & Co.
• Brewer, J. (2019). Mindfulness training for addictions: Has neuroscience revealed a brain hack by which awareness subverts the addictive process? Current Opinion in Psychology , 28 , 198–203.
• Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic . Simon and Schuster.
• Dickinson, A., & Balleine, B. (1994). Motivational control of goal-directed action. Animal Learning & Behavior , 22 , 1–18.
• Holland, R. W., Aarts, H., & Langendam, D. (2006). Breaking and creating habits on the working floor: A field-experiment on the power of implementation intentions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , 42 (6), 776–783.
• James, W. (1914). Habit . H. Holt.
• Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology , 40 , 998–1009.
• Malabou, C. (2008). Addiction and grace: Preface to Felix Ravaisson’s Of Habit. In F. Ravaisson, Of habit (pp. vii – xx). Continuum.
• Martiros, N., Burgess, A. A., & Graybiel, A. M. (2018). Inversely active striatal projection neurons and interneurons selectively delimit useful behavioral sequences. Current Biology , 28 (4), 560–573.
• Neuroscience News (2015, November 24). The role of dopamine in motivation and learning. Neuroscience News. Retrieved March 8, 2021, from https://neurosciencenews.com/dopamine-learning-reward-3157/
• Ravaisson, F. (2008). Of habit (C. Carlisle and M. Sinclair, Trans.). Continuum (Original work published 1838).
• Rockefeller, J. D. (2019). The classic autobiography of John D. Rockefeller: Random reminiscences of men and events . Compass Circle.
• Schwabe, L., & Wolf, O. T. (2009). Stress prompts habit behavior in humans. The Journal of Neuroscience , 29 (22), 7191–7198.
• Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior . Macmillan.
• Tolman, E. C. (1948). Cognitive maps in rats and men. Psychological Review , 55 , 189–208.
• Tolman, E. C. (1954). Freedom and the cognitive mind. American Psychologist , 9 (9), 536–538.
• Trafton, A. (2012). How the brain controls our habits. MIT News . Retrieved March 8, 2021, from https://news.mit.edu/2012/understanding-how-brains-control-our-habits-1029
• Wood, W., Quinn, J. M., & Kashy, D. A. (2002). Habits in everyday life: Thought, emotion, and action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 83 (6), 1281–1297.
• Yin, H., & Knowlton, B. (2006). The role of the basal ganglia in habit formation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience , 7 , 464–476.

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Habit Formation

Behavioral Change

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Habit formation is the process by which behaviors become automatic. Habits can form without a person intending to acquire them, but they can also be deliberately cultivated—or eliminated—to better suit one’s personal goals .

• How We Form Habits
• How to Build Better Habits

People develop countless habits as they navigate the world, whether they are aware of them or not. The knee-jerk nature of these behaviors can help people get their needs met more efficiently in everyday life. Yet the fact that habits become deeply ingrained in our brains means that even if a particular habit creates more problems than it solves, it can be difficult to break. Understanding how habits take shape to begin with may be helpful in dismantling and replacing them.

Habits may be harmful or health-promoting. Instinctively reaching for a cigarette after waking up—or any drug associated with particular cues—is a habit. So is picking up a pair of running shoes after getting home each day or buckling your seatbelt without thinking about it.

One likely reason people are creatures of habit is that habits are efficient: People can perform useful behaviors without wasting time and energy deliberating about what to do. This tendency toward quick-and-efficient responses can backfire, however—as when it gets hijacked by the use of addictive drugs or consumption of unhealthy food.

Habits are built through learning and repetition. A person is thought to develop a habit in the course of pursuing goals (such as driving to a destination or satisfying an appetite ) by beginning to associate certain cues with behavioral responses that help meet the goal (turning at certain streets, or stopping at a drive-thru with a familiar sign). Over time, thoughts of the behavior and ultimately the behavior itself are likely to be triggered by these cues.

A “habit loop” is a way of describing several related elements that produce habits . These elements have been called the cue (or trigger), the routine (or behavior), and the reward. For example, stress could serve as a cue that one responds to by eating, smoking , or drinking, which produces the reward (the reduction of stress—at least temporarily). The “habit loop” concept was popularized by Charles Duhigg in The Power of Habit .

While a routine involves repeated behavior, it’s not necessarily performed in response to an ingrained impulse, like a habit is. You might routinely wash the dishes or go to the gym without feeling an impulse to do so because you feel you need to do those things .

Widespread bad habits include drinking or eating more than is recommended, smoking, and drug misuse. Other common and potentially harmful habits include excessive viewing of phones or other devices (which can, for example, be disruptive to sleep when done at night).

A person may not be fully aware of how her habit works—habits are built to make things happen without us having to think much about them. Consciously intervening in one’s own habitual behavior likely won’t come naturally, so breaking a habit can require some consideration and effort.

Old habits can be difficult to shake, and healthy habits are often harder to develop than one would like. But through repetition, it's possible to form—and maintain—new habits. Even long-time habits that are detrimental to one’s health and well-being can be broken with enough determination and a smart approach.

Consider the context and dynamics that lead to habits. Building healthy habits can involve putting yourself in situations in which you are more likely to engage in the desired behavior, planning to repeat the behavior, and attaching a small reward to the behavior that doesn’t impede it (such as by watching TV or listening to music while exercising).

While intrinsic motivation —the internal force pushing us to engage in a behavior—is ultimately invaluable, incentives or rewards may help with habit-building by getting a person to begin to engage in the hoped-for behavior (such as working out) in the first place. 

The amount of time needed to build a habit will depend on multiple factors, including the individual and the intended behavior. While you might be able to pick up a new habit in a matter of weeks, some research indicates that building healthy habits can also take many months .

Habits are a person’s behavior running on auto-pilot: The brain is likely not used to scrutinizing why a bad habit is carried out. Bad habits are also ingrained in the mind due to the rewarding feelings that they bring—or used to bring, when the habit was formed. 

Trying to mindfully consider why you engage in a bad habit —and what other options there are—may help. So could taking some time to think about what prompts the bad habit and reevaluating what you get out of it (or don’t). Consider and keep in mind why you want to make a change , including how the change reflects your values. When a habit is part of an addiction  or other mental health condition, professional treatment may be the best way to achieve change.

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Article contents

Habit formation and behavior change.

• Benjamin Gardner Benjamin Gardner Department of Psychology, King's College London
•  and  Amanda L. Rebar Amanda L. Rebar Department of Human, Health, and Social Sciences, Central Queensland University
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.129
• Published online: 26 April 2019

Within psychology, the term habit refers to a process whereby contexts prompt action automatically, through activation of mental context–action associations learned through prior performances. Habitual behavior is 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. Regulation of action becomes detached from motivational or volitional control. Upon encountering the associated context, the urge to enact the habitual behavior is spontaneously triggered and alternative behavioral responses become less cognitively accessible.

By virtue of its cue-dependent automatic nature, theory proposes that habit strength will predict the likelihood of enactment of habitual behavior, and that strong habitual tendencies will tend to dominate over motivational tendencies. Support for these effects has been found for many health-related behaviors, such as healthy eating, physical activity, and medication adherence. This has stimulated interest in habit formation as a behavior change mechanism: It has been argued that adding habit formation components into behavior change interventions should shield new behaviors against motivational lapses, making them more sustainable in the long-term. Interventions based on the habit-formation model differ from non-habit-based interventions in that they include elements that promote reliable context-dependent repetition of the target behavior, with the aim of establishing learned context–action associations that manifest in automatically cued behavioral responses. Interventions may also seek to harness these processes to displace an existing “bad” habit with a “good” habit.

Research around the application of habit formation to health behavior change interventions is reviewed, drawn from two sources: extant theory and evidence regarding how habit forms, and previous interventions that have used habit formation principles and techniques to change behavior. Behavior change techniques that may facilitate movement through discrete phases in the habit formation trajectory are highlighted, and techniques that have been used in previous interventions are explored based on a habit formation framework. Although these interventions have mostly shown promising effects on behavior, the unique impact on behavior of habit-focused components and the longevity of such effects are not yet known. As an intervention strategy, habit formation has been shown to be acceptable to intervention recipients, who report that through repetition, behaviors gradually become routinized. Whether habit formation interventions truly offer a route to long-lasting behavior change, however, remains unclear.

• automaticity
• behavior change
• dual process

What Are Habits and Habitual Behaviors ?

Everyday behaviors shape human health. Many of the dominant causes of death, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and stroke, are preventable (World Health Organization, 2017 ). Adopting health-promoting behaviors such as eating more healthily or increasing physical activity may improve quality of life, physical and mental health, and extend lives (Aune et al., 2017 ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014 ; Rebar et al., 2015 ; World Health Organization, 2015 ). For some behaviors, one performance is sufficient to attain desired health outcomes; a single vaccination, for example, can yield immunity to disease (e.g., Harper et al., 2004 ). For many behaviors, however, achieving meaningful health outcomes depends on repeated performance: Going for a run once, for example, will not achieve the same health benefits as regular activity over a prolonged period (Erikssen et al., 1998 ). In such instances, behavior change must be viewed as a long-term process, which can be conceptually separated into stages of initiation and maintenance (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1986 ; Rothman, 2000 ). This distinction is important from a practical perspective because while people may possess the capability, opportunity, and motivation to initiate behavior change (Michie, van Stralen, & West, 2011 ), they often fail to maintain it over time, lapsing back into old patterns of behavior (Dombrowski, Knittle, Avenell, Araujo-Soares, & Sniehotta, 2014 ). Some have attributed this to changes in motivation after initial experiences of action (Armitage, 2005 ; Rothman, 2000 ). People may overestimate the likelihood of positive outcomes or the valence of such outcomes, or they may fail to anticipate negative outcomes (Rothman, 2000 ). Alternatively, a newly adopted behavior may lose value and so become deprioritized over time. Motivation losses threaten to derail initially successful behavior change attempts.

Habit formation has attracted special attention as a potential mechanism for behavior change maintenance (Rothman, Sheeran, & Wood, 2009 ; Verplanken & Wood, 2006 ) because habitual behaviors are thought to be protected against any dips in conscious motivation. Viewing habit as a means to maintenance may seem truistic; in everyday discourse, a habit is an action done repetitively and frequently, and so making action habitual will necessarily entail maintenance. Within psychology, however, the term habit denotes a process whereby exposure to a cue automatically triggers a non-conscious impulse to act due to the activation of a learned association between the cue and the action (Gardner, 2015 ). Habit is learned through “context-dependent repetition” (Lally, van Jaarsveld, Potts, & Wardle, 2010 ): Repeated performance following exposure to a reliably co-occurring cue reinforces mental cue-action associations. As these associations develop, the habitual response gradually becomes the default, with alternative actions becoming less cognitively accessible (Danner, Aarts, & de Vries, 2008 ). Habit is formed when exposure to the cue is sufficient to arouse the impulse to enact the associated behavior without conscious oversight (Gardner, 2015 ; Neal, Wood, Labrecque, & Lally, 2012 ; Wood, Labrecque, Lin, & Rünger, 2014 ). In the absence of stronger influences favoring alternative actions, the habit impulse will translate smoothly and non-consciously into action, and the actor will experience behavior as directly cued by the context (Wood & Neal, 2007 ).

Defining habit as a process that generates behavior breaks with earlier definitions, which depicted habit as a form of behavior (see Gardner, 2015 ). This definition of habit as a process resolves a logical inconsistency that arises from portraying habit as a determinant of behavior (e.g., Hall & Fong, 2007 ; Triandis, 1980 ); as Maddux ( 1997 , pp. 335–336) noted, “a habit cannot be both the behavior and the cause of the behavior.” It also allows for the habit process to manifest in multiple ways for any behavior. A distinction has been drawn between habitually instigated and habitually executed behavior (Gardner, Phillips, & Judah, 2016 ; Phillips & Gardner, 2016 ). Habitual instigation refers to habitual triggering of the selection of an action and a non-conscious commitment to performing it upon encountering a cue that has consistently been paired with the action in the past. Habitual execution refers to habit facilitating completion of the sub-actions that comprise any given action such that the cessation of one action in a sequence automatically triggers the next. Take, for example, “eating a bag of chips.” While people typically mentally represent this activity as a single unit of action (Wegner, Connally, Shearer, & Vallacher, 1983 , cited in Vallacher & Wegner, 1987 ), it can be deconstructed into a series of discrete sub-actions (e.g., “opening bag,” “putting hand in bag,” “putting food in mouth,” “chewing,” “swallowing”; Cooper & Shallice, 2000 ). “Eating a bag of chips” is habitually instigated to the extent that the actor is automatically cued to select “eating chips” from available behavioral options. This may also activate the first sub-action in the sequence (“opening bag”). “Eating a bag of chips” is habitually executed to the extent that the cessation of, for example, “putting my hand in the bag” habitually cues “putting food in mouth,” the cessation of which habitually cues “chewing,” and so on, until the perceptually unitary action (“eating a bag of chips”) is complete. 1 The term habitual behavior describes any action that is either instigated or executed habitually. This includes actions that are habitually instigated but non-habitually executed (e.g., habitually triggered to begin eating a bag of chips, but deliberates about how many chips to put in mouth), non-habitually instigated but habitually executed (e.g., consciously decides to eat a bag of chips, but habitually puts the chips in mouth, chews, and swallows), or both habitually instigated and habitually executed (e.g., habitually starts eating chips, and habitually puts them in mouth, chews, and swallows; Gardner, 2015 ). This description allows for a behavior to be habitual, yet not fully automated (see Aarts, Paulussen, & Schaalma, 1997 ; Marien, Custers, & Aarts, 2019 ) and better resonates with everyday experiences of complex health behaviors such as physical activity, which may be partly habit-driven, yet also require conscious oversight to be successfully completed (Rhodes & Rebar, 2019 ).

Habit has been implicated in behaviors across a range of domains, including media consumption (LaRose, 2010 ), purchasing patterns (Ji & Wood, 2007 ), environmentally relevant actions (Kurz, Gardner, Verplanken, & Abraham, 2014 ), and health behaviors. Studies have pointed to a multitude of health-related actions that may potentially be performed habitually, including dietary consumption (Adriaanse, Kroese, Gillebaart, & De Ridder, 2014 ), physical activity (Rebar, Elavsky, Maher, Doerksen, & Conroy, 2014 ), medication adherence (Hoo, Boote, Wildman, Campbell, & Gardner, 2017 ), handwashing (Aunger et al., 2010 ), and dental hygiene (Wind, Kremers, Thijs, & Brug, 2005 ). Habit strength is consistently found to correlate positively with behavioral frequency (Gardner, de Bruijn, & Lally, 2011 ; Rebar et al., 2016 ) and may bridge the “gap” between intention and behavior, though there are varying accounts regarding interplay between habits and intentions in regulating behavior. Some have argued that people are more likely to act on intentions when they have habits for doing so (Rhodes & de Bruijn, 2013 ). When motivation is momentarily low upon encountering associated contexts, habit may translate into performance despite motivational lapses. In this way, habit has been proposed to represent a form of self-control, protecting regularly performed behaviors that are desired in the longer-term against shorter-term motivation losses (Galla & Duckworth, 2015 ). Other studies have suggested that habit can direct action despite intentions not to act (Neal, Wood, Wu, & Kurlander, 2011 ; Orbell & Verplanken, 2010 ; but see Rebar et al., 2014 ). For example, one study showed that United Kingdom smokers with habits for smoking while drinking alcohol reported “action slips” after the introduction of a smoking ban in public houses; despite intending to adhere to the ban, several reporting “finding themselves” beginning to light up cigarettes while consuming alcohol (Orbell & Verplanken, 2010 ). These two perspectives concur in highlighting the potential for habit to override conscious motivational tendencies. Such effects may be attributable to habitual instigation rather than execution (Gardner et al., 2016 ); someone who is habitually prompted to act is more likely to frequently perform those actions and to do so without relying on intention.

The effects of habit—or more specifically, instigation habit (Gardner et al., 2016 )—have important implications for behavior maintenance. By virtue of their cue-dependent, automatic nature (Orbell & Verplanken, 2010 ), habitually instigated behaviors should, in theory, persist even when they no longer serve the goal that initially motivated performance, or where motivation has eroded (Wood & Neal, 2007 ). For example, a person starting a new job out of town may consistently decide to commute by bicycle, which will likely create a habit for bicycle commuting whereby the workday morning context automatically prompts bicycle use without any deliberation over available alternatives (Verplanken, Aarts, Knippenberg, & Moonen, 1998 ). This may, however, lead to instances whereby the commuter “accidentally” uses the bicycle out of habit, despite, for example, knowing of road closures that will slow the journey and which would render alternative transport modes preferable (see Verplanken, Aarts, & Van Knippenberg, 1997 ). This example demonstrates several key features of habitual responses: learning via consistent pairing of cues (e.g., 8 a.m. on a workday) and action (selecting the bicycle); cue-dependent automaticity (using the bicycle at 8 a.m. on a workday without deliberation); and goal-independence, persisting even where an actor no longer has the motivation to act or is motivated to act in another way (e.g., when roads are closed). It also demonstrates how habit formation can maintain behavior by “locking in” new behaviors, protecting them against losses in conscious motivation. Habit development may also play a useful role in cessation of unwanted behaviors. Many ingrained behaviors—for example, eating high-calorie snacks—persist because they have become habitual and so are difficult to change. The lack of reliance on conscious intentions that is characteristic of habitual behavior, and which is thought to protect new behaviors against motivation losses, makes it difficult to break unwanted habits despite strong intentions to do so (Webb & Sheeran, 2006 ). While habit formation per se is not a sufficient strategy for “giving up” an unwanted behavior, behavior change can be made easier by seeking to form a new (“good”) habit in place of the old (“bad”) habit, rather than attempting only to inhibit the unwanted action (Adriaanse, van Oosten, de Ridder, de Wit, & Evers, 2011 ). Indeed, in the real world, habit development often involves displacing existing actions with more desirable alternatives such as eating healthy snacks in place of higher-calorie foods (Lally, Wardle, & Gardner, 2011 ; McGowan et al., 2013 ). Such “habit substitution” can take one of two basic forms, involving either avoidance of cues to the unwanted action or the development of new responses that compete with the unwanted habitual response. The “habit discontinuity hypothesis” speaks to the former of these, arguing that naturally occurring disruption of contexts—such as a residential relocation, for example—discontinues exposure to old habit cues (Walker, Thomas, & Verplanken, 2015 ). This represents an opportunity for people to act on their conscious motivation in response to newly encountered cues, and so to develop new, potentially more desirable habitual responses such as using active travel modes in place of more sedentary travel options like driving (Verplanken & Roy, 2016 ). Bad habits offer established cue-response structures that can hasten learning of new, good habits. Thus, where discontinued cue exposure is not feasible, people may seek to develop new cue-behavior associations to compete with and ultimately override old associations (Bouton, 2000 ; Walker et al., 2015 ). For example, people wishing to reduce habitual unhealthy snacking may form plans that dictate that when they are watching television and wish to snack (cue), they will eat fruit (new, desired behavior) instead of high-calorie foods (undesired, habitual behavior; e.g., Adriaanse, Gollwitzer, De Ridder, De Wit, & Kroese, 2011 ). In both instances of discontinued cue exposure and the adoption of competing responses to existing cues, the development of new habit associations and the decaying (or deprioritizing) of old habit associations are thought to occur concurrently (Adriaanse et al., 2011 ; Walker et al., 2015 ; Wood & Neal, 2007 ).

How Does Habit Form?

There have been calls for habit formation, whether focused solely on establishing new actions or displacing unwanted actions, to be adopted as an explicit goal for behavior change interventions (Rothman et al., 2009 ; Verplanken & Wood, 2006 ). Developing effective habit formation interventions requires an understanding of how habit forms.

The concept of behavior as an automatic response to covarying contextual cues, directed by learned cue-action associations, is rooted in behaviorist principles and studies of animal learning (e.g., Hull, 1943 ; Skinner, 1938 ; Thorndike, 1911 ). For example, in his maze-learning studies, Tolman ( 1932 ) noted that his rats, having repeatedly run down the route at the end of which was a food reward, continued to pursue that route even when the reward was removed. Adams ( 1982 ) trained rats to press a lever in a cage so as to receive intermittently delivered sucrose pellets. After receiving a lithium chloride injection that caused ingestion of the sucrose to induce nausea, those rats that were more highly trained (i.e., had pressed and received the sucrose reward a greater number of times in the training phase) were likely to persist longer in pressing the lever. Of course, unlike rats, humans possess the cognitive capacity to anticipate and reflect on their actions, and health-related behaviors among humans are inherently more complex than selecting maze routes or pressing levers. Yet, homologous neural processes are implicated in the acquisition and practice of habitual responses in rats and humans (Balleine & O’Doherty, 2010 ), and, like rats, people can acquire habitual behavioral responses despite a lack of insight into those behaviors or the associations that govern their performance (Bayley, Frascino, & Squire, 2005 ).

The route to human habit formation is conceptually simple: A behavior must be repeatedly performed in the presence of a cue or set of cues (i.e., context) so that cue-behavior associations may develop. For behaviors that are initially purposeful and goal-directed, the habit-formation process represents a period of transition whereby behavioral regulation transfers from a reflective and deliberative processing system to an impulsive system, which generates action rapidly and automatically based solely on activation of associative stores of knowledge (Strack & Deutsch, 2004 ). While there has been much lab-based research into the learning of relatively simple habitual responses in humans (e.g., button pressing; Webb, Sheeran, & Luszczynska, 2009 ), only relatively recently have studies focused on formation of real-world health-related habits (Fournier et al., 2017 ; Judah, Gardner, & Aunger, 2013 ; Lally et al., 2010 ). This work has largely been facilitated by the development of the Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI; Verplanken & Orbell, 2003 ), which affords reflections on the “symptoms” of habit, such as repetitive performance, mental efficiency, and lack of awareness.

Lally et al.’s ( 2010 ) seminal habit formation study used an SRHI sub-scale to assess the trajectory of the relationship between repetition and habit development among 96 participants for a 12-week period. They were instructed to perform a self-chosen physical activity or diet-related behavior (e.g., “going for a walk”) in response to a naturally occurring once-daily cue (e.g., “after breakfast”). Each day, they reported whether they had performed the action on the previous day, and if so, rated the experienced automaticity of its performance. Habit development within individuals was found to be most accurately depicted by an asymptotic curve, with early repetitions achieving sharpest habit gains, which later slowed to a plateau. The level at which habit peaked differed across participants, with some reportedly attaining scores at the high end of the automaticity index and others peaking below the scale mean. This plateau was reached at a median of 66 days post-baseline, though there was considerable between-person variation in the time taken to reach the plateau (18–254 days, the latter a statistical forecast assuming continued performance beyond the study period). These findings were echoed in a study of adoption of a novel stretching behavior (Fournier et al., 2017 ). Once-daily performance was found to yield asymptotic increases in self-reported habit strength. Habit plateaued at a median of 106 days for a group that performed the stretch every morning upon waking, and 154 days for those who stretched in the evening before bed, which the authors interpreted as evidence of the role of cortisol (which naturally peaks in the morning) in habit learning.

These studies reveal that habit development is not linear; if this were so, the fourth repetition of a behavior would have the same reinforcing impact on habit as would, say, the 444th. Rather, the asymptotic growth curve demonstrates that initial repetitions have the greatest impact on habit development. This in turn demands that the habit formation process be broken down into discrete phases and that the early phase, characterized by the sharpest gains in automaticity, may be a critical period during which people require most support to sustain motivation before the action becomes automatic (Gardner, Lally, & Wardle, 2012 ). Lally and Gardner ( 2013 ) have proposed a framework that organizes habit formation (and substitution) into four interlinked phases (see also Gardner & Lally, 2019 ). It argues that, for new behaviors initially driven by conscious motivation, habit forms when a person (1) makes a decision to act and (2) acts on his or her decision (3) repeatedly, (4) in a manner conducive to the development of cue-behavior associations. Phases 1 and 2 may be taken together to represent pre-initiation, occurring before the first enactment of the new behavior, whereas phases 3 and 4 are post-initiation phases, addressing the motivational and volitional elements needed to sustain behavior after initial performance (phase 3) and the effect of repetition on habit associations (phase 4) (see also Kuhl, 1984 ; Rhodes & de Bruijn, 2013 ; Rothman, 2000 ). Phase 3 captures the critical period after initiation but before habit strength has peaked (Fournier et al., 2017 ; Lally et al., 2010 ).

The framework is not intended as a theory or model of the habit formation process, but rather as a means to conceptually organize the processes and mechanisms that underpin habit development. According to the framework, any variable can promote habit formation in one or more of four ways: It may enhance motivation (phase 1) or action control (i.e., the enactment of intentions into behavior; Kuhl, 1984 ; Rhodes & de Bruijn, 2013 ) (phase 2) so as to initiate the behavior; it may modify motivation and other action control processes to continue to perform the behavior (phase 3); or it may strengthen cue-behavior associations (phase 4). One variable may operate through multiple processes: For example, anticipating pleasure from action can motivate people to perform it for the first time (phase 1) and to continue to perform it (phase 3) (Radel, Pelletier, Pjevac, & Cheval, 2017 ; Rothman et al., 2009 ). The experience of pleasure can also quicken learning of cue-behavior associations (phase 4) (de Wit & Dickinson, 2009 ). By extension, Lally and Gardner’s ( 2013 ) framework categorizes techniques that promote habit formation according to their likely mechanism (or mechanisms) of action; techniques may enhance motivation (phase 1) or action control (phase 2) to initiate change, sustain motivation and action control over time (phase 3), or reinforce cue-behavior associations (phase 4).

Which Behavior Change Techniques Should Be Used to Form Habit?

The most comprehensive taxonomy of behavior change techniques currently available defines habit formation as a discrete technique, which it defines as any effort to “prompt rehearsal and repetition of the behavior in the same context repeatedly so that the context elicits the behaviour” (Michie et al., 2013 , Suppl. Table 3 , p. 10). Yet, this definition incorporates only context-dependent repetition and not any other technique that may promote habit by increasing the likelihood of context-dependent repetition (i.e., promoting motivation or action control; phases 1–3 of Lally and Gardner’s framework) or enhancing the contribution of each repetition to the learning of habit associations (phase 4). Although context-dependent repetition is necessary for habit to form, it realistically requires supplementation with techniques targeting pre- and post-initiation phases en route to habit formation (Gardner Lally, & Wardle, 2012 ). While Michie et al. ( 2013 ) treat habit formation as a unitary technique, habit formation may perhaps be more realistically seen as an intervention approach that comprises a broader suite of techniques, which marry context-dependent repetition with strategies that: reinforce motivation; boost action control capacity, opportunity, or skills; facilitate post-initiation repetition; or quicken the learning of associations arising from repetition.

Theory points to techniques that may facilitate progression through these phases. Intention formation (phase 1 of Lally & Gardner’s [ 2013 ] framework) is likely when people anticipate that the action or its likely consequences will be positive and believe that they have a realistic opportunity and capability to perform the behavior (Ajzen, 1991 ; Bandura, 2001 ; Michie et al., 2011 ; Rogers, 1983 ; Schwarzer, Lippke, & Luszczynska, 2011 ). Providing information on the likely positive consequences of action, or choosing to pursue actions that are already most highly valued, may therefore aid habit development by enhancing motivation. Action control skills are required to initiate intention enactment (phase 2) and to maintain the behavior by consistently prioritizing the intention over competing alternatives (phase 3). This will likely be facilitated by self-regulatory techniques such as planning, setting reminders, self-monitoring, and reviewing goals to ensure they remain realistic and attractive, and receiving (intrinsic) rewards contingent on successful performance (Gardner et al., 2012 ; Lally & Gardner, 2013 ). People are most likely to engage in context-dependent repetition in response to highly salient cues (e.g., event- rather than time-based cues, which likely require conscious monitoring; McDaniel & Einstein, 1993 ). Pairing the action with more frequently and consistently encountered cues may quicken habit learning at phase 4 (Gardner & Lally, 2019 ). Highly specific action plans detailing exactly what will be done and in exactly which situation (i.e., implementation intentions; Gollwitzer, 1999 ) should therefore be conducive to the acquisition of associations (but see Webb et al., 2009 ). Implementation intentions can also facilitate habit substitution: By consistently enacting new, pre-specified cue responses that directly compete with existing habitual responses, such as feeding children water instead of sugary drinks (McGowan et al., 2013 ), new responses may acquire the potential to override and erode old habitual responses (Adriaanse et al., 2011 ). The reinforcing value of repetition may also be strengthened where intrinsic reward is delivered or attention is drawn to an undervalued intrinsic reward arising from action (Radel et al., 2017 ).

Which Behavior Change Techniques Have Been Used to Form Habit, and with What Effect?

While theory can recommend techniques that should be used to promote habit formation, evaluations of habit-based interventions are needed to show which techniques have been used, and with what effect, in real-world behavior change contexts. To this end, a systematic literature search was run to identify habit-based health-promotion interventions and to document the behavior change methods used.

Four psychology and health databases (Embase, Medline, PsycInfo, Web of Science) were searched in March 2018 to identify sources that had cited one of nine key papers about habit and health. These sources were selected to capture topics of habit measurement (Gardner, Abraham, Lally, & de Bruijn, 2012 ; Ouellette & Wood, 1998 ; Verplanken & Orbell, 2003 ), principles and processes of habit formation (Gardner, Lally, & Wardle, 2012 ; Lally & Gardner, 2013 ; Lally et al., 2010 ; Lally et al., 2011 ), and conceptual commentaries (Gardner, 2015 ; Wood & Rünger, 2016 ). Papers were eligible for review if they (a) were published in English, (b) were peer-reviewed, (c) reported primary quantitative or qualitative data, (d) had tested efficacy or effectiveness for changing behavior or habit, (e) used interventions designed to promote habit formation for health behaviors, (f) targeted context-dependent repetition, and (g) were informed by theory or evidence around habit, operationalized as a learned automatic response to contextual cues or a process that generates such responses. Interventions adopted primarily to elucidate the habit formation process (rather than to develop or assess intervention effectiveness; e.g., Judah et al., 2013 ; Lally et al., 2010 ) and any that focused exclusively on breaking existing habits (e.g., Armitage, 2016 ) were excluded. For each eligible intervention, all available material was coded, including linked publications (e.g., protocols), to identify component techniques using the Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy v1 (Michie et al, 2013 ).

Twenty papers, reporting evaluations of 19 interventions, were identified. Four of the 19 interventions represented variants of interventions used elsewhere in the 20 papers. For example, one trial evaluated the same habit-based intervention component in two conditions, which varied only in the frequency of supplementary motivational interviews and booster phone calls (Simpson et al., 2015 ). Thus, the 19 could be reduced to 15 unique habit-based interventions, of which four focused on both dietary and physical activity habits, six on physical activity (or sedentary behavior) only, two on dietary consumption only, two on dental hygiene, and one on food safety. In all of the studies, habit measures were self-reported.

Diet and Physical Activity Interventions

One randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared, in overweight and obese adults, an intervention that included advice on forming and substituting healthy for unhealthy habits, with a non-habit-based intervention that emphasized relationships with food, body image, and weight biases (Carels et al., 2014 ; see also Carels et al., 2011 ). Those in the habit-based intervention received training on changing old routines and developing new ones, including advice on using cues and forming implementation intentions. Both intervention groups received weekly weight assessments and monitored their physical activity, calorie intake, and output. At a 6-month follow-up, both the habit-based ( n = 30) and non-habit intervention groups ( n = 29) were eating a healthier diet, exercising more regularly, and had lost weight. Physical activity habit strengthened and sitting habit weakened in both groups, though no between-group differences were found in weight loss or habit strength.

Lally et al.’s ( 2008 ) “Ten Top Tips” weight loss intervention centered on a leaflet outlining recommendations for forming healthy eating and physical activity habits, as supplemented by a daily adherence monitoring diary. The leaflet included advice on routinization, identifying effective cues, and habit substitution. A small non-randomized trial compared the intervention, augmented with monthly ( n = 35) or weekly weighing ( n = 34), against a no-treatment control. The intervention group lost more weight than the control group at 8 weeks and maintained weight loss at 32 weeks. Scores at 32 weeks suggested the tips had become habitual, and habit change correlated positively with weight loss (Lally et al., 2008 ; see also Lally et al., 2011 ). In a subsequent RCT (Beeken et al., 2012 , 2017 ), intervention recipients ( n = 267) lost more weight at 3 months than did a usual-care group ( n = 270). At 24 months, the intervention group had maintained weight loss, though the usual care group had lost a similar amount of weight. Habit strength, measured only at baseline and 3 months, increased more in the intervention than in the control group (Beeken et al., 2017 ). Weight loss at 3 months was attributable to gains in both habit and self-regulatory skill (Kliemann et al., 2017 ).

Simpson et al.’s ( 2015 ) weight-loss intervention provided participants with motivational advice designed to prompt intention formation, with information about how to form dietary and activity habits, and social support. Two intervention variants, differing according to the frequency of sessions, were evaluated against a minimal-treatment control, which did not feature habit-based advice, in a feasibility RCT among obese patients. Recipients of the more intensive intervention variant ( n = 55) showed greater BMI reduction at a 12-month follow-up than did the less intensive intervention ( n = 55) or control groups ( n = 60). There were no between-group differences at 12 months in physical activity or overall healthy eating, nor were there differences in activity or diet habit scores.

One RCT compared an 8-week computer-tailored intervention designed to reduce cardiovascular risk against a no-treatment control among cardiac and diabetes rehabilitation patients who already intended to increase their activity and fruit and vegetable consumption (Storm et al., 2016 ). The intervention provided information about health risks of inactivity and unhealthy diet and enhancing self-regulatory skills. Immediately following intervention cessation, fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity habit and behavior scores were greater among the intervention ( n = 403) than control group ( n = 387), but no differences were observed 3 months post-baseline.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Interventions

An intervention for new gym members promoted habits for both physical activity and preparatory actions for gym attendance (e.g., packing a gym bag; Kaushal, Rhodes, Meldrum, & Spence, 2017 ). Members received advice on how to form habits, including selecting time cues, setting action plans, and using accessories to increase enjoyment and so support cue-consistent performance and foster intrinsic motivation, which theory suggests can strengthen the impact of repetition on habit development (Lally & Gardner, 2013 ). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gains, objectively observed at an 8-week follow-up, were greater among intervention recipients ( n = 47) than the no-treatment control group ( n = 47). Habit strength was not assessed.

All 49 participants in Fournier et al.’s ( 2017 ) RCT were given access to twice-weekly, 1-hour tailored physical activity sessions for 28 weeks, with one group ( n = 23) also sent SMS reminders targeting intrinsic motivation and consistent performance to the intervention group to foster habitual attendance. Although physical activity habit strength (assessed using a subscale of the SRHI) increased for both groups immediately post-intervention, the SMS group experienced quicker habit gains. Marginally greater activity was observed in the SMS group at 12 months.

One 4-month intervention for middle- to older-aged adults comprised seven 2-hour group sessions and sought to create new balance and strength exercise habits by recommending small modifications to everyday routines (e.g., placing frequently used items on high shelves to promote stretching to reach them) (Fleig et al., 2016 ; see also Clemson et al., 2012 ). An uncontrolled trial among 13 participants showed that, while there were no apparent changes in objectively measured physical performance, there were considerable habit strength gains for the recommended actions over 6 months. Notably, participants reported in interviews that the exercises had become automatically triggered, yet they performed them consciously, suggesting that the intervention promoted habitual instigation rather than execution.

Another intervention promoting small activity changes in older adulthood was evaluated in two papers (Matei et al., 2015 ; White et al., 2017 ). Drawing on Lally et al.’s ( 2008 ) “Ten Top Tips,” it comprised a leaflet offering recommendations for integrating and substituting light-intensity physical activities into everyday routines, with supplementary self-monitoring record sheets (Gardner, Thune-Boyle, et al., 2014 ). An 8-week uncontrolled trial was undertaken among two discrete samples (Matei et al., 2015 ). No changes were found in sitting time, physical activity, or sitting or physical activity habit among one sample ( n = 16), but a second sample ( n = 27) reported decreased sitting time and increased walking. Qualitative data suggested both groups experienced automaticity gains and some health benefits. A subsequent pilot RCT showed that intervention recipients ( n = 45) experienced no greater change than did a control group ( n = 46) who received a pre-existing fact sheet promoting activity and reducing sitting, but with no habit-based advice (White et al., 2017 ). Both groups reduced sitting time and sitting habit and increased activity and activity habit.

Using an experience sampling design, Luo et al. ( 2018 ) tracked change in standing or moving breaks from sedentary behavior in office workers given 3 weeks of access to automated computer-based reminders to break up sitting, timed to occur based on daily self-selected work and break durations. Although sitting behavior was not monitored, habit strength and self-regulation for taking “moving breaks” during work hours both increased significantly across the study.

Similarly, Pedersen et al. ( 2014 ) evaluated a software package that automatically deactivated desk-based employees’ computer screens every 45 minutes to substitute new physical activity habits for existing prolonged sitting habits. Although all participants received information on the detrimental health impact of sitting and benefits of activity, self-report activity data suggested that those who used the software for 13 weeks ( n = 17) expended greater energy per day than did those not given the software ( n = 17).

Dietary Interventions

One intervention promoted habitual healthy child-feeding practices among parents of children aged 2–6 years (McGowan et al., 2013 ). On each of four occasions over 8 weeks, parents chose to pursue one of four families of habit formation targets (increased feeding of fruit, vegetables, water, and healthy snacks). They received advice on the importance of child dietary consumption and on self-regulatory strategies, including action planning, goal setting, and context-dependent repetition. An RCT showed that intervention parents ( n = 58) reported greater child intake of vegetables, water, and healthy snacks but a waiting-list control group ( n = 68) did not. Habit strength increased for all three behaviors, and a habit score averaged across behaviors correlated with behavior change (McGowan et al., 2013 ; see also Gardner, Sheals, Wardle, & McGowan, 2014 ).

In one RCT, fruit and vegetable consumption changes were compared between participants who received habit-based messages, and those receiving general, non-habit-based tips for increasing consumption or messages about healthy eating more broadly (Rompotis et al., 2014 ). Notably, habit-based messages focused on anticipating stimulus control and environmental modification and on eating the same fruits and vegetables at the same time each day, so targeting both habitual instigation and execution (see Phillips & Gardner, 2016 ). The intervention was delivered via SMS in one set of conditions and email in the other. At 8-weeks post-intervention, both intervention groups (SMS n = 26, email n = 30) had increased fruit consumption and fruit habit strength, but those in all other conditions had not (SMS fruit and vegetable tips, n = 24, SMS healthy eating tips, n = 23; email fruit and vegetable tips, n = 29, email healthy eating n = 29). No effects were found on vegetable consumption or habit.

Oral Hygiene

Two school-based interventions aimed to increase tooth brushing in primary school children. One involved weekly dental hygiene lessons and daily tooth brushing practice time (Gaeta, Cavazos, Cabrera, & Rosário, 2018 ). School visits were also made by health promoters, and a seminar was held for teachers. One control group ( n = 52) received the visits and seminar only, and a second control group ( n = 52) received the seminar only. A quasi-experiment showed that children in the habit-based intervention ( n = 106) and visits-and-seminar control group had less dental plaque, and a stronger tooth brushing habit at 12-week follow-up than did the seminar-only control group. The habit-based intervention group had the lowest plaque.

Wind et al.’s ( 2005 ) intervention also involved allocation of a designated tooth brushing time during the school day and encouragement from teachers. Tooth brushing rates increased in the intervention group ( n = 141) during treatment but not in the control group (the nature of which could not be identified from the published report; n = 155). There were no differences in behavior at 12-months post-intervention nor in habit at any follow-up.

Food Safety

An intervention promoted the microwaving of dishcloths or sponges, for hygiene reasons (Mullan, Allom, Fayn, & Johnston, 2014 ). Recipients received emails and a poster providing instructions on how and why to microwave the dishcloths and sponges, designed to be placed in kitchens to act as a cue to the action. In an RCT, one intervention group was instructed to self-monitor their action, for intervention purposes, every 3 days ( n = 15) and another every 5 days ( n = 17). Relative to those who received an unrelated control treatment ( n = 13), frequency and habit strength increased in the two intervention groups at 3 weeks and was sustained to the final 6-week follow-up.

Behavior Change Techniques Used in Previous Interventions

A total of 32 discrete behavior change techniques were each identified in at least one of the 15 interventions (see Table 1 and Table 2 ). Aside from context-dependent repetition itself—which, as an inclusion criterion, was necessarily present in all interventions—the most commonly used were “use prompts and cues” (present in 11 interventions; 73%), “action planning” (8 interventions; 53%), “provide instruction on how to perform the behavior” (8 interventions; 53%), “set behavioral goals” (8 interventions; 53%), and “self-monitor behavior” (7 interventions; 47%). Also common were “behavioral practice or rehearsal” (6 interventions; 40%), “provide information on health consequences” (6 interventions; 40%), and “problem solving” (5 interventions; 33%). “Behavioral substitution” and habit substitution (labeled “habit reversal” in the taxonomy) were each used in 4 interventions (27%).

Table 1. Behavior Change Techniques Identified in 15 Habit Formation Interventions

Note . With the exception of “context-dependent repetition,” all technique labels are taken from the BCT Taxonomy v1 (Michie et al., 2013 ).

* This technique is labeled “habit formation” in the BCT Taxonomy v1 (Michie et al., 2013 ). Rephrasing this as “context-dependent repetition” more clearly delineates the underlying technique (i.e., to consistently repeat behavior in an unvarying context) from the outcome that it is designed to serve (i.e., to form habit). It also better acknowledges the possibility that such repetition may not lead to the formation of habit. For example, Lally et al. ( 2010 ) observed some participants who failed to attain peak habit strength in an 84-day study period, and some who experienced gains that peaked at low levels, suggesting that while repetition had rendered the behavior more habitual, the action remained predominantly regulated by conscious motivation rather than habit.

Table 2. Behavior Change Techniques Documented in 15 Habit Formation Interventions

Note . All technique labels are taken from the BCT Taxonomy v1 (Michie et al., 2013 ).

While all 15 interventions were based on the principle of habit formation, none used context-dependent repetition as a standalone technique. 2 The use of techniques additional to repetition echoes the view that in the real world, habit is best promoted by embedding context-dependent repetition into a broader package of techniques that also target motivation and action control, which are prerequisites for repetition (Lally & Gardner, 2013 ). Techniques most commonly adopted in past interventions have focused predominantly on action control (e.g., planning, goal-setting, identifying cues, rehearsing action, problem solving). The relative paucity of techniques targeting motivation may reflect an assumption that, for most of the behaviors targeted, intervention recipients generally recognize the value of behavior change, but lack the volitional skills, opportunities, or resources to change. Whether motivation should be targeted as part of a habit-formation intervention will depend on whether target populations understand the need for change and prioritize the target behavior above alternatives.

Fewer than half of the 15 interventions appear to have addressed factors that may moderate the relationship between repetition and habit development. Theory and evidence suggest that the mental associations that underlie habit will develop most strongly or quickly where actions are more simple or intrinsically rewarding and in response to cues that are salient and consistently encountered (Lally & Gardner, 2013 ; McDaniel & Einstein, 1993 ; Radel et al., 2017 ). Several of the reviewed interventions purposively promoted habit formation for simple behaviors (Beeken et al., 2017 ; Fleig et al., 2016 ; Lally et al., 2010 , 2011 ; Matei et al., 2015 ; Mullan et al., 2014 ; White et al., 2017 ). Kaushal et al. ( 2017 ) emphasized the importance of intrinsic reward in their physical activity promotion intervention, and Fournier et al. ( 2017 ) targeted intrinsic motivation. These studies highlight how interventions may move beyond simply promoting repetition toward targeting factors that may reduce the number of repetitions required for a target behavior to become habitual.

How Should Habit-Based Interventions Be Evaluated?

Previous interventions attest to the potential for habit-based approaches to change behavior. Although many intervention studies were not designed to test effectiveness, 13 of the 15 interventions were associated with positive change on at least one index of behavior or behavior-contingent outcomes (e.g., weight loss) at one or more follow-ups. Process evaluations pointed to the strengthening of habit as a key mechanism underpinning behavioral change based on increases in self-reported automaticity scores or qualitative reflections on the subjective experience of automaticity (Fleig et al., 2016 ; Gardner, Sheals, et al., 2014 ; Kliemann et al., 2017 ; Lally et al., 2011 ; Matei et al., 2015 ). Additionally, acceptability studies have suggested that recipients find the concept of context-dependent repetition—which distinguishes habit-based and non-habit-based interventions—easy to understand and follow (Fleig et al., 2016 ; Gardner, Sheals, et al., 2014 ; Lally et al., 2011 ; Matei et al., 2015 ).

Limitations of evaluation methods preclude understanding of how best to support habit formation. It is not yet clear whether promotion of context-dependent repetition is necessary for habit to develop or, indeed, whether it represents the most “active” ingredient of a habit formation intervention. One study found that a control group that did not receive habit-based advice reported similar physical activity habit gains to those among a group that received habit guidance (White et al., 2017 ). Conversely, another study showed that intervention recipients deviated from habit-based advice (e.g., by setting goals that were not specific, measurable, or achievable), yet habit strengthened (Gardner, Sheals, et al., 2014 ). Habit formation may therefore arise as a byproduct of interventions that do not explicitly target habit development. The unique contribution of context-dependent repetition to behavior change remains unclear because none of the reviewed studies compared a habit-based intervention with an otherwise identical non-habit-based equivalent. Indeed, most studies have evaluated habit formation interventions against minimal-treatment control groups or used uncontrolled designs. Future research should seek to compare matched habit- and non-habit-based interventions or otherwise use factorial designs, which allow testing for isolated effects within a multicomponent intervention, or mediation analyses, which can assess whether habit change underpins intervention effects.

Intervention evaluations have also been limited by short follow-up periods, which is ironic given that the key purported benefit of incorporating habit formation into interventions is the potential to increase longevity of behavior change. Few studies evaluated outcomes over 12 months or longer, with the longest observed follow-up being 24 months (Beeken et al., 2017 ). Beeken et al.’s ( 2017 ) “Ten Top Tips” intervention showed greater impact than did a non-habit-based usual-care treatment on dietary and physical activity habits, and weight loss, at the 3-month follow-up, which the authors found to be due in part to habit development (Kliemann et al., 2017 ). Yet, while weight loss was maintained at 24 months, the advantage conferred by the habit-based intervention over usual care was lost, suggesting that any habit gains may have dissipated, or alternatively, that for those who were successful in maintaining the behaviors over the 2-year period, habit formation had occurred regardless of condition. These possibilities cannot be investigated because habit strength was not evaluated at 24 months. Elsewhere, however, a small exploratory (non-intervention) study suggested that habit gains may erode over time: Among a group of participants forming dental flossing habits over 8 weeks, habit strength had considerably eroded in the subgroup of participants who provided data at a 6-month follow-up (Judah et al., 2013 ). Until more is done to assess the longevity of habit-based intervention effects, the hypothesis that habit persists over time, and so supports behavior maintenance, remains insufficiently tested.

Theory proposes that, through consistent performance, behaviors become habitual such that they are initiated automatically upon encountering cues via the activation of learned context-behavior associations. Habitual behaviors are thought to be self-sustaining, and so forming a habit has been proposed as a means to promote long-term maintenance of behavior. Interventions that seek to promote habit formation should include not only advice on context-dependent repetition, but also techniques that support the motivation and action control needed to repeat the action and that may enhance the reinforcing value of repetition on habit development. Fifteen interventions were found to have used habit formation principles to encourage engagement in health-promoting behaviors, and these have tended to supplement advice on repetition with action control techniques. Previous research suggests a habit-based approach has much to offer to behavior change initiatives; habit formation offers an acceptable, easily understood intervention strategy, with the potential to change behavior and yield favorable health outcomes. Yet, the unique effects of habit-specific techniques, and the longevity of effects, have not been adequately explored. The central assumption of the habit-based approach—that habit gains translate into long-term behavior maintenance—remains largely untested.

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• Wood, W. , & Neal, D. T. (2007). A new look at habits and the habit-goal interface . Psychological Review , 114 (4), 843–863.
• Wood, W. , & Rünger, D. (2016). Psychology of habit. Annual Review of Psychology , 67 , 289–314.
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• World Health Organization . (2017). Global health observatory data . Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

1. Rhodes and colleagues have extended this line of thinking by incorporating preparatory actions into the process, showing that habitual preparation for an activity (e.g., packing a gym bag) can influence frequency of engagement in the focal behavior (in this case, exercise; Kaushal, Rhodes, Meldrum, & Spence, 2017 ). However, this differs from the instigation–execution distinction in that it focuses on the role of habit in different behaviors (preparatory actions vs. focal actions) rather than different roles of habit in the same behavior.

2. This is perhaps inevitable given the present review criteria, which excluded studies that used context-dependent repetition to study the habit formation process itself. However, real-world studies of the formation of health habits have not been based on context-dependent repetition alone; both Lally et al. ( 2010 ) and Fournier et al. ( 2017 ) instructed participants to use prompts and cues and set action plans or implementation intentions (see also Judah et al., 2013 ).

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William James on the Psychology of Habit

By maria popova.

I found this interesting not merely out of solipsism, as it somehow validated my having had the same breakfast day in and day out for nearly a decade (steel-cut oats, fat-free Greek yogurt, whey protein powder, seasonal fruit), but also because it isn’t a novel idea at all. In fact, the same tenets Obama applies to the architecture of his daily life are those pioneering psychologist and philosopher William James wrote about in 1887, when he penned Habit ( public library ; public domain ) — a short treatise on how our behavioral patterns shape who we are and what we often refer to as character and personality .

When we look at living creatures from an outward point of view, one of the first things that strike us is that they are bundles of habits. In wild animals, the usual round of daily behavior seems a necessity implanted at birth in animals domesticated, and especially in man, it seems, to a great extent, to be the result of education. The habits to which there is an innate tendency are called instincts; some of those due to education would by most persons be called acts of reason. It thus appears that habit covers a very large part of life, and that one engaged in studying the objective manifestations of mind is bound at the very outset to define clearly just what its limits are.

James begins with a strictly scientific, physiological account of the brain and our coteries of ingrained information patterns , exploring the notion of neuroplasticity a century before it became a buzzword of modern popular neuroscience and offering this elegant definition:

Plasticity … in the wide sense of the word, means the possession of a structure weak enough to yield to an influence, but strong enough not to yield all at once.

He then bridges the body and the mind to shed light on how “habit loops” dominate our lives :

What is so clearly true of the nervous apparatus of animal life can scarcely be otherwise than true of that which ministers to the automatic activity of the mind … Any sequence of mental action which has been frequently repeated tends to perpetuate itself; so that we find ourselves automatically prompted to think, feel, or do what we have been before accustomed to think, feel, or do, under like circumstances, without any consciously formed purpose, or anticipation of results.

He eventually brings this lens to social science, painting a somewhat ominous picture of habit as a kind of trance:

Habit is thus the enormous fly-wheel of society, its most precious conservative agent. It alone is what keeps us all within the bounds of ordinance, and saves the children of fortune from the envious uprisings of the poor. It alone prevents the hardest and most repulsive walks of life from being deserted by those brought up to tread therein. It keeps the fisherman and the deck-hand at sea through the winter; it holds the miner in his darkness, and nails the countryman to his log cabin and his lonely farm through all the months of snow; it protects us from invasion by the natives of the desert and the frozen zone. It dooms us all to fight out the battle of life upon the lines of our nurture or our early choice, and to make the best of a pursuit that disagrees, because there is no other for which we are fitted, and it is too late to begin again. It keeps different social strata from mixing. Already at the age of twenty-five you see the professional mannerism settling down on the young commercial traveller, on the young doctor, on the young minister, on the young counsellor-at-law. You see the little lines of cleavage running through the character, the tricks of thought, the prejudices, the ways of the ‘shop,’ in a word, from which the man can by-and-by no more escape than his coat-sleeve can suddenly fall into a new set of folds. On the whole, it is best he should not escape. It is well for the world that in most of us, by the age of thirty, the character has set like plaster, and will never soften again.

This brings us to the question of education, whose responsibility it is to chaperone the formation of habit and curtail the very daily deliberations of which Obama has gladly rid himself:

The great thing, then, in all education, is to make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy. It is to fund and capitalize our acquisitions, and live at ease upon the interest of the fund. For this we must make automatic and habitual, as early as possible, as many useful actions as we can, and guard against the growing into ways that are likely to be disadvantageous to us, as we should guard against the plague. The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their own proper work. There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drinking of every cup, the time of rising and going to bed every day, and the beginning of every bit of work, are subjects of express volitional deliberation.

He proceeds to offer three maxims for the successful formation of new habits:

The acquisition of a new habit, or the leaving off of an old one, we must take care to launch ourselves with as strong and decided an initiative as possible. Accumulate all the possible circumstances which shall reenforce the right motives; put yourself assiduously in conditions that encourage the new way; make engagements incompatible with the old; take a public pledge, if the case allows; in short, envelop your resolution with every aid you know. This will give your new beginning such a momentum that the temptation to break down will not occur as soon as it otherwise might; and every day during which a breakdown is postponed adds to the chances of its not occurring at all. Never suffer an exception to occur till the new habit is securely rooted in your life. Each lapse is like the letting fall of a ball of string which one is carefully winding up; a single slip undoes more than a great many turns will wind again. Continuity of training is the great means of making the nervous system act infallibly right … It is surprising how soon a desire will die of inanition if it be never fed. Seize the Very first possible opportunity to act on every resolution you make, and on every emotional prompting you may experience in the direction of the habits you aspire to gain. It is not in the moment of their forming, but in the moment of their producing motor effects, that resolves and aspirations communicate the new ‘set’ to the brain.

Of course, as is often the case with famous advice , James immediately follows up with a disclaimer that echoes Joan Didion’s eloquent definition of character :

No matter how full a reservoir of maxims one may possess, and no matter how good one’s sentiments may be, if one have not taken advantage of every concrete opportunity to act , one’s character may remain entirely unaffected for the better. With mere good intentions, hell is proverbially paved. And this is an obvious consequence of the principles we have laid down. A ‘character,’ as J. S. Mill says [ed: James misattributes the quotes — Mills is quoting Novalis], ‘is a completely fashioned will’; and a will, in the sense in which he means it, is an aggregate of tendencies to act in a firm and prompt and definite way upon all the principal emergencies of life. A tendency to act only becomes effectively ingrained in us in proportion to the uninterrupted frequency with which the actions actually occur, and the brain ‘grows’ to their use.

He makes a case, once again, for the consistency of effort, offering one final maxim:

Just as, if we let our emotions evaporate, they get into a way of evaporating; so there is reason to suppose that if we often flinch from making an effort, before we know it the effort-making capacity will be gone; and that, if we suffer the wandering of our attention, presently it will wander all the time. Attention and effort are … but two names for the same psychic fact. […] Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exercise every day. That is, be systematically ascetic or heroic in little unnecessary points, do every day or two something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved and untrained to stand the test. Asceticism of this sort is like the insurance which a man pays on his house and goods. The tax does him no good at the time, and possibly may never bring him a return. But if the fire does come, his having paid it will be his salvation from ruin.

He cautions about the gravity of our habitual choices, however small they may seem:

The physiological study of mental conditions is thus the most powerful ally of hortatory ethics. The hell to be endured hereafter, of which theology tells, is no worse than the hell we make for ourselves in this world by habitually fashioning our characters in the wrong way. Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in the plastic state. We are spinning our own fates, good or evil, and never to be undone. Every smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves its never so little scar. … Nothing we ever do is, in strict scientific literalness, wiped out.

James concludes with a timeless validation of grit as the secret to success :

Let no youth have any anxiety about the upshot of his education, whatever the line of it may be. If he keep faithfully busy each hour of the working-day, he may safely leave the final result to itself. He can with perfect certainty count on waking up some fine morning, to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation, in whatever pursuit he may have singled out. Silently, between all the details of his business, the power of judging in all that class of matter will have built itself up within him as a possession that will never pass away. Young people should know this truth in advance. The ignorance of it has probably engendered more discouragement and faint-heartedness in youths embarking on arduous careers than all other causes put together.

Habit is now in the public domain and is available for free in its entirety in multiple formats.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Habit Formation and Behavior Change

Introduction, general overviews.

• How and Why Should We Change Behavior?
• What Is a “Habit”?
• Are Habits Goal-Directed?
• How Should Habit be Measured?
• How Does Habit Form?
• How Does Habit Influence Behavior?
• Theories and Principles of Habit Formation for Behavior Change
• Illustrative Examples of Habit Formation Interventions

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Habit Formation and Behavior Change by Benjamin Gardner , Amanda L. Rebar LAST REVIEWED: 15 January 2019 LAST MODIFIED: 15 January 2019 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199828340-0232

Many of the most pressing societal issues—e.g., health, illness, and associated costs; climate change—are rooted in behavior. Even small changes to everyday behaviors can bring considerable benefits. Many people successfully adopt new behaviors but fail to maintain them over time. This problem has inspired interest in habit. Within psychology, habitual behaviors are defined as actions triggered automatically when people encounter situations in which they have consistently done them in the past. Repeating behavior in the same context reinforces mental associations between the context and behavior. Habit is said to have formed when exposure to the context non-consciously activates the association, which in turn elicits an urge to act, influencing behavior with minimal conscious forethought. As an initially goal-directed behavior becomes habitual, control over behavior is transferred from a reasoned, reflective processing system, which elicits behavior relatively slowly based on conscious motivation, to an impulsive system, which elicits behavior rapidly and efficiently, based on learned context-behavior associations. Habitual behaviors thus become detached from conscious motivational processes. Spurred by development of self-report habit measures, studies have modeled the relationship between behavioral repetition and the strengthening of habit, showing that habit is characterized by initially rapid growth, which decelerates until a plateau is reached. Theories propose that habit has two effects on behavior in the associated context: habit will prompt frequent performance, and will override motivational tendencies in doing so, unless self-control is particularly strong in that moment. People may therefore continue to perform a habitual action even when they lack motivation. These characteristics have generated interest in the potential for habit to support long-term adoption of new behaviors. People often fail to maintain behavior changes because they lose motivation, but if people were to form habits for new behaviors, they should in theory continue to perform them despite losing motivation. This has prompted calls for interventions to move beyond merely promoting new behaviors, toward advocating context-dependent habitual performances. Some have also argued that habit formation may be fruitful for stopping unwanted behaviors, because new, “good” habits can be directly substituted for existing “bad” habits. Realistically, habit formation is not a viable standalone behavior change technique, as it requires that people first adopt a new behavior, which through repetition will become habitual. The promotion of context-dependent repetition should complement techniques that reinforce the motivation and action control required for behavioral initiation and maintenance prior to habit forming. Real-world behavior change interventions based on these principles have been found to be acceptable and appealing, and show promise for changing behavior, though few have used long-term follow-up periods. This entry highlights leading work in the application of habit formation to behavior change interventions, drawing on the most methodologically and conceptually rigorous empirical research available. Most of the development and application of habit theory to real-world social contexts has been undertaken in health and pro-environmental domains. This entry thus focuses most heavily on these domains, but the principles outlined are thought to be applicable across behaviors and settings.

While no source provides a comprehensive overview of habit as it applies to behavior change, several texts offer useful introductions to the main issues. Remarkably, the textbook chapter James 1890 , which seeks to understand repetitive and persistent everyday actions, retains its relevance and accessibility today. Verplanken and Aarts 1999 summarizes the key characteristics of habit from a social psychological perspective. Habit is however studied across various sub-disciplines of psychology, and Wood and Rünger 2016 brings together research from social and applied psychology with insights from neurobiology and computational modeling. Wood and Neal 2016 sets out evidence-based guidance for applying habit principles to behavior change policy and practice in the health domain.

James, W. 1890. Habit. In The principles of psychology (chap. 4) By William James. London: Macmillan.

A classic chapter that is not only of historical significance as the first treatise on the psychology of habit, but also touches on issues that remain topical in the field today. James views habitual action as inflexible responses to everyday settings and, despite predating most empirical research into habit processes, touches on key characteristics of habit, such as repetition, associative learning, cue-dependence, and potential dissociation between habit and motivated tendencies.

Verplanken, B., and H. Aarts. 1999. Habit, attitude, and planned behavior: Is habit an empty construct or an interesting case of goal-directed automaticity? European Review of Social Psychology 10.1: 101–134.

DOI: 10.1080/14792779943000035

This review provides broad and still-relevant coverage of many key topics, and provides an excellent introduction for a newcomer to the theoretical concepts in the field, though the measurement section should be read alongside more recent sources.

Wood, W., and D. T. Neal. 2016. Healthy through habit: Interventions for initiating & maintaining health behavior change. Behavioral Science & Policy 2.1: 71–83.

DOI: 10.1353/bsp.2016.0008

Written for a policymaker audience, this review presents the rationale for using habit formation and disruption as mechanisms for behavior change for public health. Drawing on evidence from previous real-world habit-related interventions, it summarizes possible policy strategies for making and breaking habits.

Wood, W., and D. Rünger. 2016. Psychology of habit. Annual Review of Psychology 67:289–314.

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417

This paper offers a state-of-the-art review of habit formation, habitual performance, and interventions designed to make or break habits. It effectively synthesizes material across social psychology, neurobiology and computational modeling approaches, so providing an accessible and broad introduction to the field from multiple perspectives.

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Psychology Discussion

Essay on a habit | psychology.

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After reading this article you will learn about Habit:- 1. Nature of Habit 2. Characteristics of Habit 3. Relationship between Habit and Actions 4. Laws 5. Functions 6. Rules of Breaking Bad Habits .

Essay # Nature of Habit:

A habit is the product of repeated voluntary actions. When a voluntary action is repeated very often, it is turned into a habit. Voluntary actions involve an effort of will or volition. But when they become habitual, they dispense with the guidance of attention and volition, and become automatic. Habitual actions are acquired.

They are sometimes called secondarily automatic actions, because they are uniform and mechanical, and are performed with ease and facility. Running, reading, writing, type-writing, swimming, etc., are habitual actions. They are the results of repeated voluntary actions. They are learned actions as distinguished from unlearned actions. Instinctive acts also may by repeated and fixed as habits.

Essay # Characteristics of Habit:

(a) Habitual actions are uniform actions. Voluntary actions vary in their nature in order to adjust the organism to new situations. But habitual actions performed in the same way. A person talks or writes in the same way.

(b) Habitual actions are performed prom­ptly. The stronger is the habit, the quicker is the motor response to the situation. The soldiers who parade every day perform the required movements quickly as soon as they hear the commands of an officer.

(c) Habitual actions are performed not only prom­ptly, but also accurately. The stronger is the habit the more precise is the motor response. The soldiers perform the precise movements in a parade in execution of the officer’s commands.

(d) Habitual actions are performed automatically without the guidance of attention and consciousness. If they are attended to, they are hindered. When we attend to buttoning our coats or tying the laces of our shoes, the normally habitual actions are thwarted and lose their automatic nature. But habitual actions are started by attention, and carried on automatically without attention.

(v) Habitual actions are performed with ease and facility. As habits are firmly established, they diminish fatigue. The miners do not feel fatigue when they are accustomed to their work. The chief difference between the skilled and the unskilled workman is that the former trains his brain and the letters trains his muscles.

(f) The stronger is the habit, the greater is the difficulty of breaking it. An inveterate drunkard finds it extremely difficult to break the habit of drinking. Habits leave mental dispositions and physiological dispositions which compel the individual to perform them.

A habitual opium-eater feels an irresistible impulse to take doses of opium regularly. Habits resists modification. They are characterised by resistance to modification.

Essay # Relationship between Habit and Actions:

(a) Habit and Instinct:

Habits and instincts are alike marked by uniformity and facility. They are both mechanical and accurate. They both give rise to periodic cravings, as in smoking, drinking, etc. They both dispense with the guidance of volition. They are non-voluntary in their nature.

But there is an important difference between them. Instincts are innate, while habits are learned by repeated voluntary actions. Sometimes instincts are said to be racial habits while habits are said to be individual habits.

(b) Habit and Reflex Action:

A habit and a reflex action are alike prompt and uniform in character. Both are automatic and mechanical. Both are without the guidance of consciousness, attention, and volition. But the reflex action is native, while the habitual action is acquired.

The former is simple, while the latter is complex. For example, swimming is a very complex action, while sneezing is a simple action. Swimming is a habitual action, while sneezing is a sensation-reflex.

(c) Habit and Voluntary Action:

A habit is the product of repeated voluntary actions. It is mechanical and uniform in nature. But a voluntary action is the new response to a novel situation. The new response is exploratory and tentative, while habit is fixed and definite. The new response is slow and uncertain, while habit is fairly quick and accurate. The new response is variable, while habit is regular.

The new response is attended by effort and strained attention, while habit is easy and often, only half-conscious. The new response is apt to be un­satisfying to the one who makes it, whole habit is comfortable and a source of satisfaction. To break a habit is most uncomfortable. To do it we must form a counter-habit, or opposite habit.

(d) Habit, Character and Conduct:

Habits are results of repeated voluntary actions. They are the foundation of character. Good habits build good character. Bad (habits build bad character. Character is the permanent bent of the mind, constituted by settled habits of will. It is a system of permanent tendencies or dispositions to thought, emotions and actions voluntarily acquired.

Character is the result of habits of thought, emotion and will. Ethical writers lay stress on habits of the will in the formation of character.

But habits of thought and emotional habits are equally important factors in the formation of character McDougall emphasize the importance of sentiments, especially the sentiment or self-regard, as the foundation of character. The sentiment of self-regard is the highest sentiment under which all other sentiments are organized.

Character is different from nature. Nature is innate, but charac­ter is acquired. Character is acquired by an individual who has voluntary actions. It is built up by a person out of his natural impulses by controlling and regulating them by reason.

Natural impulses are converted into desires by self-consciousness. The desires are turned by the self into volitions. These volitions are converted into habits by repetition. Habits produce a permanent disposition which we call character. Natural impulses are the given elements which supply the self with raw materials for the formation of character.

Character, on the other hand, is the acquired habit of controlling and regulating these impulsive tendencies by will or volition in conformity with consciously conceived ends. Character is the habitual mode in which the will regulates natural impulses and desires.

It is the result of volitions, which, are, in their turn, regulated by it. The self-acquired character is the result of volitions. Volitions are determined by the character of the self.

Character is expressed in conduct. Conduct is the outer expression of character. It includes voluntary and habitual actions. They are overt or outward actions. They are determined by charac­ter of the self. Character is not absolutely fixed and permanent.

It grows and develops. Free acts of will alter the character already formed. These volitions are partly determined by past character. But they are free volitions of the self, though they are influenced by past character. Thus, neither character nor conduct is fixed and unalterable. They are plastic and modifiable. They are modified by each other.

Essay # Laws of Habit- Formation of Habit:

William James gives four laws of formation of habits.

They are the following:

(a) Begin a new habit with a firm resolution. If you make a start with a firm determination, it often carries you along and fixes the habit. If you want to rise early in the morning, first make a firm resolve to do it.

(b) Seize the first opportunity to put the new resolve into practice. When you have made a firm resolve to rise early, begin it the very next day. Do not wait for the first day of the next months or the New Year’s Day to start to work. If you do so, your resolution will become weak and inspiration will vanish.

(c) Never allow an exception to occur till the new habit is well-learned. Once you have started rising early, continue the action from day to day and never allow an exception on any pretext. If you break it once, the pathway that is formed in the nervous system will become faint, your resolve will become weak, and you may revert to your old habit. But do not permit an exception to occur, and the new habit will be formed.

(d) Keep yourself young by a little free practice every day. In order to cultivate the strength of mind, you should perform a difficult action every day which requires a great effort of will. Habits make us conservative. We move in fixed grooves of thought and action.

But we must be open to new ideas, to new methods. We can best do this according to James, by a little practice of doing some­thing new and difficult every day.

Essay # Functions of Habits:

Many bodily habits e.g., habits of personal cleanliness are fixed during childhood. Habits of dressing, behaving with others, moral and religious habits, are fixed during adolescence. Pro­fessional habits are naturally acquired later. The people belonging to different professions have their characteristic gestures, attitudes, and habits of thought and action. These habits help mental develop­ment.

Habits play an important role in mental development. They set the mind free to acquire knowledge of new things and perform new actions in new situations. The mind can pass from victory to victory on account of habits which are handed over to the body. Without habits we can never make any progress.

But habits are also a drag to mental progress. They keep the mind within the fixed grooves of thought and action. They make the mind conservative. So the mind should be on the alert to respond to new ideas and new ways, of life in novel situations.

The mind should be alive to broader and truer ideas of life and cultivate wider and wider interests. It should not be a slave of habits. When Harvey discovered circulation of blood in the body, men above forty shook their heads, but younger men readily accepted the truth of his new discovery.

Essay # Rules of Breaking Bad Habits:

Habits may be either good or bad. Good habits should be cultivated. Bad habits should be broken.

We should observe the following rules to break bad habits:

(a) Stop the bad habit at once; do not wait for a suitable opportunity. Do not gradually break a bad habit, if the result be not physically injurious. Stop the habit of smoking or drinking or rising late at once.

(b) Cultivate a positive counter-habit. Do not try merely to stop the bad habit. Try, if possible, to from a good habit in place of it. If you are in the habit of going to the cinema every evening, try to form the habit of listening to radio music at that time.

A drunkard may cultivate the habit of taking hot milk instead of wine at stated times. He should continue the habit until he feels sure that the grip of the old habit is loosened.

(c) Live in an environment, which is favourable to the forma­tion of a good habit and the breaking of a bad habit, and which offers the least possible temptation. Try to have a congenial environ­ment. Give up the company of the habitual cinema-goers if you want to break the habit of cinema-going. A drunkard must give up the company of drunkards and keep the company of sober people.

(d) Make your body an ally instead of your enemy. The nervous system is the physiological basis of habits. Nervous path-ways are formed in the nervous system by habitual actions. There must be effected by steady, persistent and continuous formation of positive counter-habits. Mere penitent mood will not be enough to break old habits. Form good habits in place of bad habits.

Related Articles:

• Habits: Meaning, Characteristics and Role
• Difference between Voluntary and Non-Voluntary Actions | Psychology
• Habit Formation: Basis, Types and Measures for Effective Habit Formation
• Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Habit Formation

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What Does It Really Take to Build a New Habit?

• Kristi DePaul

That hack you read on the internet is wrong.

Habit and routines are not interchangeable. A habit is a behavior done with little or no thought, whereas a routine is a series of behaviors frequently, and intentionally, repeated. To turn a behavior into a habit, it first needs to become a routine. How do you start?

• First set your intentions and be realistic. Know that some routines can become habits, but not all will. It takes patience, self-discipline, and commitment.
• Prepare for roadblocks. Think about what has kept you from building this routine in the past. Work proactively to remove those barriers before they show up.
• Support your efforts with nudges, like blocking time on your calendar to practice the behavior or starting with smaller microhabits.
• Lastly, don’t forget to be compassionate with yourself. There will be ups and downs.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Our habits govern our lives, literally. Research shows that around half of our daily actions are driven by repetition . This is probably why behavioral scientists and psychologists have spent so much time writing about how to establish and keep positive habits. Regular sleep and exercise, a healthy diet, an organized schedule, and mindfulness are just a few examples of practices that — if done regularly — can improve our work, relationships, and mental health.

• KD Kristi DePaul is a content creator whose writing on career navigation and personal branding has appeared in international outlets and has been cited by prominent think tanks and universities. She is founder and principal at Nuanced, a thought leadership firm for executives, and serves as CEO of Founders , a fully remote content agency focused on the future of learning and the future of work. She earned a master’s degree from the H. John Heinz III College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University.

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Essay on My Habits

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Habits in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Habits

Introduction.

Habits are routine behaviors that we perform regularly. They can be good, like brushing our teeth, or bad, like biting our nails. I have several habits that shape my daily life.

Good Habits

I have a few good habits. I wake up early in the morning, which helps me start my day positively. I also love reading books, which improves my knowledge and imagination.

Everyone has some bad habits, and so do I. Sometimes, I procrastinate on my homework, which isn’t good for my studies. I am trying to overcome this habit.

Habits play a crucial role in our lives. They shape our health, productivity, and happiness. It’s important to cultivate good habits and get rid of the bad ones.

250 Words Essay on My Habits

Habits are the building blocks of our character, shaping our daily routines and, ultimately, our lives. They can be powerful tools for self-improvement, or they can act as obstacles that hinder our progress. As a college student, my habits have evolved over time, reflecting the complexity of my academic and personal journey.

Academic Habits

My academic habits are a blend of discipline, curiosity, and resilience. I have a strict study schedule, dedicating specific hours each day to each subject. This routine has helped me maintain a consistent academic performance. However, it’s not just about rote learning; I also cultivate the habit of critical thinking. I constantly question, analyze, and synthesize information, a habit that has deepened my understanding of the subjects.

Physical Habits

Physical habits play a crucial role in my well-being. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are non-negotiable aspects of my daily routine. These habits not only keep me physically fit but also boost my mental agility, enhancing my overall academic performance.

Social Habits

My social habits are about maintaining a balance between solitude and companionship. While I value my alone time for introspection and self-growth, I also understand the importance of social interactions. Engaging in meaningful conversations, participating in group activities, and volunteering are habits that have enriched my college experience.

In conclusion, my habits are a reflection of my commitment to personal growth and academic excellence. They are the outcome of conscious choices, driven by the desire to make the most of my college years. As I continue to evolve, I am certain that my habits will, too, adapt to serve my changing needs and aspirations.

500 Words Essay on My Habits

Introduction to my habits.

Habits, the regular tendencies or practices that one engages in, are often seen as a reflection of one’s character. They serve as a mirror, reflecting our personality, values, and lifestyle. As a college student, I have cultivated a set of habits that I believe contribute significantly to my personal and academic growth.

Embracing the Morning

I am an ardent believer in the power of mornings. I have made it a habit to rise early, usually around 5 a.m. This practice provides me with a quiet, uninterrupted space to plan my day, meditate, and engage in a brief exercise routine. The tranquility of the morning hours helps me to start my day with a clear mind and a calm spirit.

Continuous Learning

The habit of continuous learning is another cornerstone of my lifestyle. I dedicate a portion of my day to reading, be it academic literature, novels, or news articles. This habit not only broadens my knowledge but also helps me to develop critical thinking skills, fostering a deeper understanding of the world around me and my place within it.

Self-Care and Wellness

In the hustle and bustle of college life, self-care is a habit that is often overlooked but is of paramount importance. I make it a point to engage in activities that nourish my body, mind, and spirit. This includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. Additionally, I engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga, which help to maintain my mental well-being.

Time Management

Time is a precious resource, and managing it effectively is a habit I have deliberately cultivated. I use various tools and techniques, such as to-do lists and time blocking, to ensure that I make the most of my day. This habit has increased my productivity and reduced stress, allowing me to balance my academic responsibilities with leisure and relaxation.

Reflection and Gratitude

Each day, before I retire to bed, I spend a few moments reflecting on the day’s events. I consider the lessons learned, the achievements made, and the challenges faced. This habit of reflection helps me to grow and evolve continually. Alongside reflection, I practice gratitude, acknowledging the positive aspects of my life. This habit has cultivated a positive outlook and has significantly improved my overall happiness and satisfaction.

In conclusion, my habits serve as the framework for my daily life. They are the building blocks that shape my character, influence my actions, and guide my journey towards personal and academic growth. While these habits have been beneficial, I am aware of the need for flexibility and adaptation, as change is a constant part of life. As I continue to grow and evolve, I am open to cultivating new habits that contribute positively to my life’s journey.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Health and Food Habits
• Essay on Food Habits
• Essay on Habits

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Good Habits Essay

Good habits are the most important in our life . They are mostly instilled in us in childhood and stay with us until the end. There are several benefits of adopting healthy habits. Here are a few sample essays on good habits.

100 Words Essay On Good Habits

You become the person you want to be with good habits . Good habits facilitate successful behaviour. Good habits are appreciated around the world. Everyone loves and respects you when you have good habits. Establishing good habits in your routine can help you learn self-control. It is crucial for developing a positive social reputation, and adopting good habits helps in that. Healthy routines can raise your standard of living, and good habits are important for adopting healthy routines and behaviours that put you in good shape—both mentally and physically. The secret to happiness is a healthy habit. A positive habit attracts a positive environment and a positive companion.

200 Words Essay On Good Habits

It's crucial to have good habits if you want to succeed in life. A person with good habits advances steadily in all areas of their life— studying, working, and personal . On the other hand, a person with terrible habits will eventually lose their triumphs in life, regardless of how talented they are. Success in life depends on having good habits. They are advantageous to both the owner and others in addition to themselves. The following are the good habits that are necessary for a successful existence—

Rising and going to bed early.

Always be considerate and polite to others.

Showing courtesy to friends, instructors, and elders.

Being with a good group of people.

Being consistent studying and reading.

Exercising discipline during studying.

Benefits Of Adopting Good Habits

These are some advantages of having healthy daily habits:.

Assist you in achieving your goals and aspirations.

Make lifelong, dependable friends.

You gain more respect from your loved ones, your peers, and society as a whole.

Your life will be better if you develop good habits.

You increase your output and achieve success.

You win the respect of those willing to assist you in times of need.

For both success and advancement in daily life, good habits are necessary. You won't have much to stress and worry about if you develop excellent habits and adhere to them consistently.

500 words essay on good habits

In many respects, having good habits is important in life. Regardless of age, everyone should care about it. Good habits are just as important for children as they are for adults. Your social life and your accomplishments are built on good habits.

Good habits typically refer to your moral behaviour and way of life. It is how you interact with and treat other people. Being thoughtful and courteous to others is regarded as a positive habit. You have good social habits if you greet people with a smile and treat them respectfully. In addition to having good social habits, it's important to take care of your environment and yourself. Always keeping your surroundings tidy is regarded as a positive habit.

Similarly to this, it is a good practice to keep your room neat and organised. Some beneficial habits include not littering, trimming your nails occasionally, and brushing your teeth twice a day.

Significance Of Adopting Good Habits

Due to their many benefits, adopting good habits are crucial in life. They have some influence on our social and personal life as well as the lives of others. Some of the significance of healthy habits are described below, along with an explanation of how they help us.

Guarantees good health | Personal hygiene practices that are good for you are essential to maintaining your health and protecting you from illnesses. Regular hand washing, tooth brushing, and wearing clean clothes are a few beneficial practices that will protect you from illnesses and infections.

More favourable Social Recognition | Everyone respects and loves someone with good habits. You will make new acquaintances if you are well-groomed and courteous. Such a person is revered in society at all times and remembered or contacted on any given occasion. If you have good habits, people will associate with you without hesitation.

It makes life worth living | Good habits improve your life and increase its value. You will get more well-known, acknowledged, and promoted in many circles, which is valuable. You will succeed to the fullest extent in anything you pursue. Your life will be valuable to you and those around you, including your family, friends, relatives, and coworkers.

Enables productivity | Your life is more productive when you have good routines. This impacts your health and sense of self-worth. If you have healthy habits, you'll not only feel good about yourself, but you'll also give your all at work. Additionally, you will receive assistance from outside sources.

Ensures Your Success | There are multiple ways that good habits may help you thrive in life. If you have good manners, people are more than willing to assist you, including coworkers, friends, and family. Your boss will support you and respect you as you overcome obstacles. Over time, all the wonderful things in your life contribute to your success.

Good habits are crucial to advance in life and leave a positive legacy. They are the most priceless possession a person can have. Money and material goods might be lost, but if your habits are good, you can get them back with work and the help of friends and family.

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Good Habits Essay and its Importance | 10 lines on Good Habits for Children

May 23, 2020 by Study Mentor 2 Comments

Table of Contents

Good Habits Essay – 1

Introduction:.

A habit is something that you often do and almost without thinking, especially something that is hard to stop doing. The easier it is to fall for bad habits, the harder it is to develop good ones.

Way back in 1735, Benjamin Franklin, in his book (Poor Richard’s Almanac), wrote a very beautiful quote- “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” This quote is one of the finest examples of a good habit. Waking up early provides freshness to the body and peace to the mind.

However, the current scenario is quite the opposite. People stay up late at night and wake up even later. This reduces the efficiency of the mind and body, and as a result, the person becomes lethargic. 

All of us have habits, be it good or bad. Depending on person to person, it can be classified into two categories: Good habits and bad habits. These habits are developed from different sources. Most of the habits that we have has been inculcated in early age itself. Drinking water, taking breakfast, lunch, and dinner, taking naps and sleeping at nights are habits, based on instinct.

We have no control over thirst, hunger, and sleep. We search for water when we are thirsty, look for food when hungry, and lie down when sleepy. These are, therefore, Inborn habits. Other than this, there are many man-made habits like brushing your teeth, taking a bath, wearing clothes, combing your hair, cleaning your room, etc. which help a man to look neat and clean. Good habits help us in leading a better life.

List of various good habits:

There are various good habits which must be followed in life. Some of them are 

• Punctuality

1. Disciplined Daily Schedule

Following a disciplined daily schedule or routine helps in leading a healthy and a life full of contentment. For example: Brushing teeth, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner on time, sleeping at a time are the little things that mark a great difference. One must drink lots of water and maintain a health regimen such as walking or jogging in the evening or morning.

A proper schedule keeps the body fit, and a healthy body is a key to a healthy mind. Apart from a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen, sleep is very crucial for us. So, we must ensure that we give our body a good eight to ten hours of sleep minimum every night.

Going to sleep early can relieve tension from the mind and help the body to wake up fresh and alert the next morning to face a new day.

2. Punctuality, Promptness, and Regularity

The second good habit necessary for success in life is punctuality, which is essential in every sphere of life. Punctuality is an etiquette that encourages a person to perform a task on time. In simple words, a punctual person is someone who knows the true value of time. It helps in building the integrity of a person. A punctual person can be described as a person who is always on time, in arrival and departure, and in meeting deadlines for tasks and assignments.

Regularity in the study, work, and schedules make people look up to the person as a credible and sincere worker who will deliver the work on time. It does not just help in earning respect but also opens doors for numerous opportunities.

3. Honesty and Truthfulness

Honesty is a very important good habit in everyone’s life. It shapes the character of a human being. Honesty can be developed in many ways. Sometimes by saying the truth, by admitting to faults, by accepting and rectifying mistakes when corrected, by refraining from gossip, slander, and misrepresentation of facts, and sometimes by self-analysis and self-improvement.

It creates a reputation. It not just increases our respect in the eyes of others but also in our own. It entrusts credibility to our efforts and creates respect for our beliefs. Honesty brings trust, and trust brings happiness.

Honesty creates a stress-free environment. It keeps our mind relaxed and conscience clear. Telling lies and indulging in dishonest activities make it far difficult for our minds to relax. A dishonest person is always bothered about something or the other. He always feels tensed and anxious if someone or the other will get to know about his lies.

Honest people are daring, polite, and confident. They can easily face any challenges of life, whereas dishonest people are cowardice, unsure, and hesitant.

4. Kindness

One of the most beautiful habits is kindness. Our purpose in living in a society is to help our fellow citizens. In order to lead a successful life, goodness of heart must be imbibed within.

Goodness and kindness are two branches of the same tree. It is very essential for human beings to be kind, generous, helpful, and friendly to others. We should always spread our hands in order to help those in need. It provides fulfillment. People with a good kind heart can be truly successful in life. Philanthropy, kindness, and help must be done selflessly without the expectation of any reward in return. 

5. Hard work and Perseverance

We all must have heard that hard work is the key to success. In today’s world, there is huge competition in every aspect of life. One must be sincere and dedicated to his work in order to succeed in life. Hard-work is incomplete without Perseverance. The goal should be to excel but without harming others and also to put in maximum effort in work given to bring the best output and results. One must work hard and never give up because today or tomorrow, it pays off positively.

Importance of Good habit:

A man with good habits plays an important role in the development of the nation. He is an asset. If we once allow a bad habit to grow, it becomes a part of our nature. Accordingly, we should form good habits such as reading, studying, morning walking, waking up early, eating healthy foods, etc. Moreover, we should stay away from bad habits such as smoking, procrastination, etc. With time, habits change into character. Our impression on someone is the reflection of our actions. We should try to develop a habit of positive thinking to be tension free.

Conclusion:

Good habits are the building blocks of a better world. Without good habits, life is meaningless. It leads to self-development and that of society. It is human nature that we tend to have bad influences much more easily than good ones. If we inculcate good habits in our children from the very beginning, then only they will be able to differentiate between good ones and bad ones. Kindness, hard work, honesty, and punctuality are some of the most essential good habits every person should have. It brings a sense of contentment, happiness, prosperity, and success to the person. We, as a person, must inculcate these habits in our child, which will help in building a better society, surroundings, nation, and eventually, a better world.

Good Habits Essay – 2

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. ”

These are the famous opening lines of a very popular childhood rhyme that most of us have grown up hearing or singing or reading. Yet these lines are not merely jingles. They are very valuable as they tell us about the importance of good habits.

Good habits are the keystone of success. Without good habits a person cannot mentally, morally or physically develop. Good habits shape our lives and our actions. They instil discipline and order into our lives and guide us on the path of success and achievements.

Various Good Habits

Some key good habits which must be followed in life are:  discipline, punctuality, honesty, industriousness, and kindness to others.

Proper and Disciplined Daily Schedule

Maintaining an orderly schedule in our daily lives is a very good and essential habit. One must eat healthy food at regular intervals in the day in the form of three to four meals where possible, drink lots of water and maintain a health regimen such as walking or jogging or running outdoors.

This schedule will keep the body fit and a healthy body is the key to a healthy mind as it ensures a healthy life. Apart from a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen, sleep is very essential for the body and thus we must ensure that we get a good eight to ten hours of sleep minimum every night.

Going to sleep early can relax the mind and body and enable us to wake up fresh and alert the next morning to face a new day.

Punctuality, Promptness and Regularity

The next good habit necessary for success in life is punctuality. This is essential in every sphere of life. It means maintaining time. A punctual person is always on time, in arrival and departure and in meeting deadlines for tasks and assignments.

Punctuality instills respect in others because it evokes admiration and bears testimony to the persons’ genuine interest and sincerity in the work. Regularity in study, work and schedules makes people look up to the person as a reliable and sincere worker who will deliver the goods on time.

It increases professional and personal respect. Thus more and more opportunities to shine can come our way.

Honesty and Truthfulness

Honesty is an indispensable good habit in everyone’s life because it is the shaping factor of human being’s character. Honesty can be instilled in many ways— by saying the truth, by admitting to faults, by accepting and rectifying mistakes when corrected, by refraining from gossip, slander and misrepresentation of facts, by self-analysis and self-improvement. Honesty increases our respect in the eyes of others.

It creates goodwill and enhances our reputation. It lends credibility to our actions and creates respect for our opinions.

On the personal level it keeps our minds stress-free and our conscience clear because telling lies and indulging in dishonest actions and practices make it for difficult for our minds to relax since we are always bothered about somebody coming to know the truth behind our subterfuge.

Honest people are thus daring, courageous and confident. They can easily face the challenges of life.

Hard work and Perseverance

In today’s world of cut-throat competition in every aspect of life, one must be sincere and hard working to succeed in life. Hard work is incomplete without perseverance. One must work hard to the best of his or her ability and also work with sincerity and dedication.

The aim must be to excel, to show that one is better than the rest and also to put in maximum effort in the work given for best output and results.

Whether it is in studies or jobs, industriousness and sincerity is the best habit a person can cultivate. It pays off positively in the long run.

Kindness and Philanthropy

The purpose of living in a society is to help your fellow-citizen. In all religious texts also the moral advice given is “Love and help your neighbour and fellow man.” In order to be successful in life, goodness of heart must be imbibed within.

Goodness and kindness go hand in hand. Thus it is very essential for human beings to be kind, charitable, helpful and friendly to others. Whether it is a stray homeless hungry animal or a poor sick and ailing person, we must have an ingrained habit of being kind and helpful to those in needs.

Only people with a good kind heart can be truly successful in life. Charity, kindness and help must be done selflessly without the expectation of any reward in return. Only then are we blessed by God.

God habits are very important in life. They are essential for success, peace of mind and for building a better society. Our children will learn good habits from us and make the world a better place in the future.

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Essay on Good Habits

Good habits are very important in life. They are instilled mostly during childhood and stay with us till the end. We have covered below many aspects of good habits through three different essays, of varying word lengths, on good habits. These essays cover all the significant points about good habits. Hope you will enjoy reading and learning them:

Short and Long Essays on Good Habits in English

Essay on Good Habits for students of class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and class 12 in English in 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 500 words. Also find short Good Habits essay 10 lines.

Good Habits Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) Good habits make you a good person.

2) Good habits help you to achieve success.

3) People with good habits are respected everywhere.

4) Good habits make you everyone’s favorite.

5) Good habits help you to develop self-discipline.

6) It is important in making a good social reputation.

7) Good habits can improve your quality of living.

8) Good habits help to keep you healthy.

9) A good habit is a key to happiness.

10) A good habit gives you a good friend and a good environment.

Essay 1 (250 Words) – What are Good Habits and Benefits

Introduction

Good habits are essential for making success in life. They are beneficial not only to the one who possesses them but also to others as well.

Good Habits for Success in Life

Good habits are very important to be successful in life. A person with good habits makes steady progress in studies, career, personal life, and all. On the other hand, a person with bad habits, however talented he/she is, will one day lose the successes in life.

List of Good Habits for a Successful Life

These are the list of good habits essential for a successful life –

• Going to bed early and waking up early.
• Always polite and considerate towards others.
• Being respectful to elders, teachers, and friends.
• Spending time in a good company.
• Constantly reading and learning.
• Studying in a disciplined way.

Benefits of Good Habits in Daily Life

These are some benefits of good habits in daily life –

• Help you achieve your dreams and objectives.
• Earn you good friends for life.
• You earn more respect from family, friends, and society as well.
• Good habits improve the quality of your life.
• You become more productive and gain success.
• You gain the trust of people who are ready to help you in need.

Good habits are very essential for making progress in everyday life and also for making success. If you have good habits and follow them every day, then there is nothing you should be worrying about.

Essay 2 (400 Words) – List of Good Habits and How to Develop Them

Good habits are like a virtue in life. If you keep your habits good, you will keep moving up in life and gain respect. One could possess several good habits to get benefit from. Good habits are mostly instilled during childhood and stay till the end. In this essay, we will know about some essential good habits, how to develop them in kids and also their benefits in everyday life.

List of Some Important Good Habits

One could possess hundreds of good habits; however, I have given below some of the essential good habits required in daily life.

You should look neat and clean as well as adopt good personal hygiene. Cleanliness is a habit and essentially a good one.

You should be polite to others you meet, irrespective of their weaknesses or strengths. If you are so, you have definitely some good habits.

Discipline is the most important good habit that one can possess. It helps at every stage in life. A disciplined person always progresses in life.

Being respectful to others, whether they are poor, weak, or small, is definitely a good habit. It will also earn you respect and love from others.

Gratitude is also a good habit and an essential one at that. It is the quality of being thankful for an act of kindness, others have done to you.

How to Develop Good Habits in Kids and Children

The earlier good habits are developed in humans the better. Therefore, it is advisable to develop good habits in children. Below are some of the ways to develop good habits in kids and children.

• Become a Role Model Yourself

Kids learn from their parents. They copy your behavior and conduct in their own real-life situations. So, the first thing to do if you want your child good mannered is to be good mannered yourself.

• Express Compassion

You must teach your kids to be compassionate towards others. Teach them to respect weak and poor, Tell them that all humans and animals can feel pain and insult and must be treated with respect.

• Instill Discipline

If you want your child to be well mannered, first teach him/her discipline. Only a disciplined child will be open for all the teaching and guidance, necessary for a productive life.

• Reward and Interrupt

Reward the children appropriately when you see then displaying good mannerism, but also remember to interrupt them when they cross the limit.

Developing good manners in children is a continuous and ongoing process and will require time. But in the end, it will turn them into productive and successful adults.

Essay 3 (500 – 600 Words) – Meaning and Importance of Good Habits

Good habits are very essential in life in several ways.  It is important for everyone irrespective of age. It is as important for a child to have good habits as it is important for an adult. Good habits are the foundation of your social life and also your achievements. In the essay, we will discuss several aspects of good habits like meaning, importance, benefits, etc.

Meaning of Good Habits

Good habits usually refer to your moral conduct and also your way of living. It is the way you treat others and behave with them. Being polite and considerate toward others is considered a good habit. If you meet others with a smile and treat everyone with respect then you have good social habits.

Apart from good social habits, how you treat yourself and your surroundings also matters. Keeping yourself neat and tidy always is considered a good habit. Similarly, if you keep your room clean and tidy, it is also a good habit. Brushing your teeth twice daily, clipping your nails from time to time, not littering are some of the good habits.

Likewise, there are many good habits that one can possess. These habits shape up your complete personality and define who you are and how you are. The society we live in, value good habits and acknowledge it.

Importance of Good Habits

Good habits in life are very important due to their several advantages. They impact our social and personal lives as well as the lives of others, up to some extent. Below listed are some of the importance of good habits, explaining how they benefit us.

• Ensures Good Health

Good habits pertaining to your personal hygiene play a vital role in keeping you healthy and out of the reach of diseases. Washing hands regularly, brushing teeth, wearing tidy clothes are some of the good habits that will keep you away from diseases and infections.

• Better Social Recognition

A person with good habits is loved and respected by everyone. If you look tidy and have polite manners, you will attract new friends. Such a person is always treated with respect in society and is remembered or called on every occasion. People don’t hesitate to associate with you if you have good habits.

• Makes Life Valuable

Good habits have an obvious impact on your life, making it more valuable. Valuable in the sense, that you will be more recognized, acknowledged, and promoted in different quarters. You will achieve the maximum in whatever you seek. Your life will not only have value for yourself but also for others in your life – family, friends, relatives, and all.

• Makes Life Productive

Good habits also make your life more productive. This has something to do with your own self-esteem and personal health. If you have good habits then you will not only feel good about yourself but also give your 100% in your work. Apart from that, you will get support from external quarters as well.

• Helps You Succeed

Good habits help you succeed in life in several ways. People, colleagues, friends, and relatives all are more than eager to help you if you are well mannered. Your boss will love you too, guiding you through hurdles.  So many good things in your life gradually become a reason for your success.

Good habits are very essential to progress in life and leave a mark. They are the most valuable asset a human can possess. You can lose money and materialistic possessions, but if your habits are good, you will regain them with hard work and support of friends and family.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans . It is important for parents to teach their children good habits at an early age so that doing it repeatedly will come into a regular habit.

Ans . The three magic words for developing good habits are Please, Thank you, and Sorry.

Ans . Children who respect their elders and do their work on time are called obedient children.

Ans . Good habits are taught to us by our parents and teachers.

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Essay on “Habits” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Essay No. 01

Man is a bundle of habits. Anything done often and repeatedly is called a habit. It is an acquired pattern of action which becomes easy and automatic because of repetition. Thus, habits, once formed, are difficult to be removed. That is why the saying, ‘Old habits die hard’. The root of habit is practice and regularity. The more we repeat a habit, the more easy and permanent it becomes. We are bound to repeat a habit, because if we do not we feel uncomfortable and uneasy. This is called the force of habit.

Habits can be good as well as bad. But it is very easy to acquire bad habits. Bad habits once acquired become the bonds and chains forever. If one becomes a victim of bad habits, they render his escape impossible. Habits become part of a man’s nature. They cannot be changed, specially at advanced stage. As a cat cannot change its stripes, so you cannot change or get rid of evil habits. Like ones name they stick fast till the grave. Habits make or spoil our destiny. They actually form the foundation of our fortunes. In the words of an author: “Sow an ‘act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit, and you reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” Thus, habits form the cornerstone of one’s personality and destiny. We are the maker of our destiny because we acquire good or bad habits and have the results accordingly. It is the use which causes origin and growth of a habit. Without use and frequency there would be no habit at all. A thing done occasionally, say once in a blue moon, cannot be called a habit. 1 n the words of Dryden “Ill habits gather by unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.” The same fact is underlined by the poet Hannah More in the following words: “Small(evil) habits, well pursued betimes, May reach the dignity of crimes.” The same principle applies to the formation of good habits. But healthy and good habits can be formed only with a great labour and long continuous practice. You cannot acquire a good habit simply by determination, chance or by fits and starts. You have to perspire and persevere to acquire a good habit. It is far more easy to acquire good habits early in life when there is lot of flexibility both in body and nature. Once you have attained a good habit, it will always stand you in good stead. By possessing them you become quite capable to bear the ups and downs of life like a real, man. Good habits, like those of hard working, sincerity, honesty, courtesy, punctuality, simplicity, frugality, accuracy, tenacity of purpose, etc., constitute a sure security against ills of fortune and circumstances. They form a firm ladder to success and happiness. They are to be acquired, cultivated and possessed by hard labour, practice and constant use. And early youth is the best period to have them because then they make not so much demand on us. In brief, habits make the man. What actually you are, depends on your habits. You are good, excellent, bad or worse in proportion to your good and evil habits and their intensity.

There are many forces which play an important role in forming habits. Early education, impressions, company, association, etc., are some of the major factors in habit-formation. Gradually they get ingrained in our nature. Idleness, smoking, drinking, telling lies, flattery, gambling, cheating, stealing, spitting here and there are some of the major evil habits. Habits are also acquired because of imitation. Parents, elders, friends, etc., help them in their formation, and development. For example, a boy, who sees his father smoking, is likely to acquire the evil habit of smoking. The boy may think that in smoking there should be some pleasure and excitement that is why his father is a smoker. And then he may try it stealthily as smoking material is easily available to him. Gradually he may become a habitual smoker. Curiosity, routine and boredom also help in acquiring bad habits. One may start drinking or taking a drug just out of curiosity, or to have a little thrill and excitement at first, but rater may become a hardened drinker and drug-addict. Bad company generally leads innocent and good people into evil habits. A drinker may offer drinks fret of cost first, to his friend, and thereby help him form a bad habit of drinking. One bad habit leads to another bad habit. It is a vicious circle from which, there is hardly any rescue and escape. Therefore, we should be very cautious in choosing company and friends. One requires a lot of money to satisfy bad habits which the young men and women are not likely to have, they being students in schools and colleges. Therefore, they may take to stealing or such other undesired activities.

Even good things become evil when done too often. For example, work is good. Hard and continuous work is necessary for success in life. But excess of work, beyond ones capacity, is harmful. It would soon start telling upon ones health both mental and physical. That is why it is said, “Excess of everything is bad”. We should maintain a proper balance even in doing good things. All excess is dangerous and sinful whether it is work or rest, eating or enjoying life. We should ever be temperate in all things. One should never overwork or give way to free self – indulgence. We must attempt things according to our own strength, measure and capacity. We must always be on our guard against every type of excess, even that of good things.

Essay No. 02

Outline: All have habits-anything done repeatedly becomes, a habit – habits may be good or bad – necessary to cultivate good habits and avoid bad ones – good habits help us to succeed in life.

All of us have habits. Anything that is done repeatedly becomes a habit. Once we get into a habit we do a thing without thinking about it. Habits may be good or bad. Rising early, working hard, being punctual are good habits. Gambling, swearing, lying, using bad language, drinking, stealing- and quarrelling are bad habits.

It is necessary to cultivate good habits and avoid bad ones. There is a saying that habits are at first cobwebs but after- wards cables. This shows that habits might be weak at first, but, once they become strong, they are difficult to break. Hence we should try to acquire only good habits.

Everyone respects a man who has good habits. Good habits help one to succeed, in life. A person with bad habits is despised and mocked at.

Childhood is the right time to instill good habits in children. If a child grows up with bad habits no one can make him unlearn them when he grows up. Hence parents should be careful to see that children have only good habits.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Study — What is a study habit

What is a Study Habit

• Categories: Habits Study

About this sample

Words: 911 |

Published: Jan 29, 2019

Words: 911 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

• Try not to do too much studying at one time.
• Plan specific times for studying.
• Try to study at the same times each day.
• Set specific goals for their study times.
• Start studying when planned.
• Work on the assignment they find most difficult first. Your most difficult assignment will require the most effort. Start with your most difficult assignment since this is when you have the most mental energy.
• Review their notes before beginning an assignment. Reviewing your notes can help you make sure you are doing an assignment correctly. Also, your notes may include information that will help you complete an assignment.
• Call another student when they have difficulty with an assignment.
• Review their schoolwork over the weekend. Yes, weekends should be fun time. But there is also time to do some review. This will help you be ready to go on Monday morning when another school week begins.
• Procrastination
• Connectivity
• Lack Of Preparation
• Insufficient Time
• Wrong Study Partners

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Porsche-driving Indian teenager who killed two people ordered to write essay

A n Indian court granted bail to a drink-driving teenager who rammed his Porsche into a motorbike and killed two people, on the condition that he “write an essay” about the incident.

The court also told the 17-year-old boy from Pune in the western state of Maharashtra to undergo treatment for his drinking habit, take counselling sessions and work with the local police for 15 days.

The teenager, who has not been named, is the son of a prominent real estate magnate, and the perceived leniency shown by the judge has sparked outrage in the country .

The accident occurred at around 3.15am in Kalyani Nagar in Pune on Sunday.

A group of friends was returning home on motorbikes after a party at a local restaurant. When they reached the Kalyani Nagar junction, one of their motorcycles was hit by the teenager’s Porsche, police say, causing its two riders to fall and die instantly.

After hitting the riders, the teenager crashed his car into some railings, police say.

A video that has been widely shared on social media shows a group of passersby attacking the driver as he tries to exit the vehicle.

The deceased were identified as software engineers Anis Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both 25.

A case was registered against the driver at a local police station and he was charged with rash driving, causing death by rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide and endangering life or personal safety of a person.

The accused is reportedly four months shy of 18, the minimum legal age to drive a car in India .

He was reportedly out celebrating his Class 12 exam results.

He was driving at 200 kmh when he collided with the motorcycle.

The boy’s lawyer, Prashant Patil said: “The juvenile accused who was arrested by Pune Police has been granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board on certain conditions, including that the accused should work with the traffic police of Yerawada for 15 days, accused should write an essay on accident, should get treatment from the concerned doctor to help him quit drinking and should take psychiatric counselling and submit the report.”

Police said they will appeal the bail order and treat the accused as an adult.

“We will not leave any stone unturned to prove that this is a heinous crime,” Pune’s police chief, Amitesh Kumar, told India Today .

Police have also arrested the boy’s father and owners of the two bars that allegedly served him alcohol.

The legal drinking age in Maharashtra is 25.

“We’re in shock,” Jugal Kishor Koshta, an uncle of one of the victims, told NDTV. “It’s condemnable that he should get bail in 15 hours. He and his parents should be investigated. We will discuss the matter once Ashwini’s last rites are over tomorrow.”

“We want his bail cancelled and he should remain in police custody. Because of him, an innocent girl, who has seen nothing of life, died," Sachin Bokde, another uncle of the victim, said.

Sanjay Raut, a prominent member of the opposition party Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, accused Pune police of serving pizza and burgers to the accused teenager after the crash, India Today reported.

“Police commissioner should be suspended. He tried to protect the accused. A young couple was killed and the accused was granted bail within two hours,” he told the ANI news agency.

“In the video, it can be seen that he was drunk, but his medical report was negative. Who is helping the accused? Who is this police commissioner? He should be removed or the people of Pune will come on the streets.”

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