How Do Habits Work?

Habits are the things you do so often that they become second nature to you. And it usually entails a trigger or a cue for you to do it. It can be brushing your teeth before you sleep or washing your hands before eating.

You have to stick to an action for a while for it to become a habit. The time varies for each person but it takes an average of 66 days to form it.

Every time you repeat an action, your brain will make shortcuts for it. Eventually, the action turns into something that you can easily do without much thought. This will free up your mental space for other things.

The benefits of habits go beyond saving time and mental energy, though. The right ones can make you more productive and even lead you to your ideal self and goals.

If you want to find out how to turn your actions into good habits, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll go through everything you need to know to start building them.

Why Do Certain Behaviours Become Habits?

A habit and behaviour are similar in the way they’re both actions that we do. However, the difference between habit and behaviour is that a habit is the result of repeating the same behaviour.

And here are the things that can make a behaviour turn into a habit:

• The type of action
• Your environment
• The time you do it
• How often you do it
• The way you do it
• The rewards you get

The type of action

Not all habits are the same. Some habits in life are easier to build because they are simpler actions. Plus, our brains love easy wins, so they’re quicker to stick to easy routines.

For instance, it is easier to make yourself drink eight glasses of water daily than going to the gym daily. This is because drinking water doesn’t take much effort, whereas going to the gym requires more energy and planning.

Your environment

The space you’re in can help you form habits. This is because our brains can get used to pairing certain places with certain actions. 

If you always stretch in your room, just being there can make you want to stretch. This explains why some students only get the motivation to study at certain places, like libraries or their study rooms. 

The time you do it

Doing something at the same time daily can also solidify the habit. It is like setting a mental schedule for your brain to follow naturally. 

The best example of this is when you set your sleeping schedule. If you keep going to bed at 10 p.m., you’ll naturally feel sleepy around the same time every night. Similarly, you’ll get up around the same time your alarm rings.

How often you do it 

Consistency is the key to sticking to an act. So, the more often you do an action, the more it sticks with you. And it gets easier over time.

Think of it like exploring a new city. The more you explore it, the more familiar you are with the place. Eventually, you’ll know the place like the back of your hand.

The same goes for any habit you want to build. Jogging might sound hard now, but it will be as easy as breathing once you do it regularly. 

The way you do it 

Having a bit of freedom to choose how you do the action can actually help it stick. So, just keep it flexible and less stressful.

If you want to get fit, you can set different workout routines to choose from depending on the day. Making the activities fun and interesting also helps you stick with them for the long run.

The rewards you get

The habits of a person also form through rewards. In psychology, this is known as “positive reinforcement”. It means that when you do something that leads to a good feeling, you’re more likely to do it again.

Let’s say you treat yourself to a good meal every time you go for a walk. The meal becomes your reward, and it sends a signal to your brain that it makes you feel good. Eventually, your brain will start linking taking a walk with the reward, which makes it easier to keep doing it.

Replacing Bad Habits with Good Ones

We all have bad habits we’d rather not keep, be it procrastinating for hours or eating junk food. It can be hard to stop doing them. But the good news is that you can swap them with the good ones instead, which is easier to do.

Removing a bad habit can leave a void that makes you crave the old behaviour even more. However, replacing it with a better one helps you to focus on something new rather than being completely deprived.

You can make the switch easier by starting with good weekly habits. For instance, you can start with one or two servings of fruits per week to replace snacking. Other examples of habits you can try are going for a run or stretching.

Habit Formation Tools

It is easier to build and get the benefits of habits with a productivity tool. In this context, your best companion would be a habit tracker, which is great for tracking habits and staying motivated.

You’ll find it in many forms, including apps, bullet journals, and spreadsheets. You can even make it out of your calendar simply by checking off the days you do the act.

Using an app is great if you want to get reminders from push notifications. It is also handy if you just want something that helps you track on the go. On the other hand, a journal lets you manually record your progress and jot down notes. 

But if you want something that can give you more details on your progress, go for a spreadsheet tracker. It lets you log your activities, see your streaks, and see how well you do through visual data. 

For the best spreadsheet tracking experience, try our all-in-one 30-day habit tracker. It has everything you need to improve yourself and stick to good acts.