How to change your habits for good?

What are habits and where do they come from?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it is “something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it.” We all know this term and we have various habits: positive and not so much positive, healthy, and harmful. Almost everyone has some acquired tendency. But before we start changing our habits, it is worth understanding where they come from. 

At the heart of habit formation lies a process in which the brain transforms a sequence of actions into an automatic response – also known as “chunking.” We can say that there are hundreds of such behavioral “chunks” that we deal with every day. Some of them can be considered simple and uncomplicated, such us putting toothpaste on a toothbrush before washing your teeth. Dressing up or making breakfast may be classified as more complex and others are so demanding and complicated that it is sometimes hard to believe that they have become a habit. A perfect example is parking a car – at the beginning, it requires full focus. After some time, with experience gained, it becomes an almost automatically performed activity. 

According to research conducted by scientists, habits are created as a response to the brain’s pursuit of limiting effort. If the brain had a chance, it would constantly attempt to change every routine action into a habit, which would allow it to save energy and have more time to rest.

The habit loop

The process of habit formation, or the habit loop, is a pattern of action consisting of three elements. Charles Duhigg described it very clearly in his book “The Power of Habit.”

The first element of the habit loop is a cue, also known as a trigger. It tells the brain it is the time to go into auto mode. It also indicates which habit to choose.

The second element of the habit loop is a routine, which may be physical, emotional, or mental.

The third elements of the habit loop is a reward – the effect of action. The reward is the one that helps the brain decide whether it is worth remembering a given loop.

After some time, the three-element loop becomes more and more automatic. The reward and the cue combine to create an intense feeling of “desire”, and thus a habit is formed.

It is worth acknowledging that habits are not imposed upon us, we have influence on them, we may get out of them, change them, or replace them. Understanding the habit loop mechanism is extremely valuable – it makes it possible for us to see when the habit is formed, the brain switches off and does not take part in making the decision. It starts working at low speed and focuses on other tasks. In summary, without conscious action and changing your habits, this pattern will automatically repeat itself. Learning the habit loop functioning and its elements helps you control your own habits. 

What is neuroplasticity?

Neuroplasticity, which is the ability of nerve cells to respond to stimuli from the internal and external environment, is linked to the habit loop. According to the definition of the Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, neuroplasticity is a process in which nerve cells form new connections. It makes it possible for the brain to adapt to the changing environment, conditions learning and memory.

The term “neuroplasticity” can be split into two separate words. The first one, “neuro”, refers to the nervous system and the second one, “plasticity”, may sound a bit puzzling when it comes to the brain. What is plasticity? Jerzy Konarski, an eminent neurobiologist, presented the following definition: “The first property that allows nerve cells to respond to incoming impulses with a specific cycle of changes is called excitability. The second property, thanks to which permanent functional transformations occur in specific neural networks as a result of specific stimuli or their combinations, will be referred to as plasticity, and the corresponding changes will be referred to as plastic changes.” This definition is broad enough to apply to all manifestations of neuroplasticity, as well as the many ways it happens.

What are the types of neuroplasticity?

In Dr Joanna Podgórska’s book, “How the Brain Works. How to take care of its functioning” (Jak działa mózg. Jak mądrze dbać o jego funkcjonowanie), we read that there are 6 types of neuroplasticity. They are:

1. Developmental plasticity – the ability of the developing brain to form new neural connections associated with acquiring new skills (learning to walk, speech development, etc.).
2. Compensatory (post-injury) plasticity – thanks to it, the damaged brain of a child or adult is able to form new neural networks.
3. Experience-induced plasticity – the ability of the brain (healthy or damaged) to change as a result of intense, repeated motor or sensory experience.
4. Plasticity related to learning and memory – the ability of the brain (healthy or damaged) to create new neural connections associated with repetition and consolidation in memory.
5. Plasticity that occurs in the development of addictions – the body’s ability to repeat activities that are beneficial to it – applies, for example, to the effects of psychoactive substances.
6. Pathological plasticity – examples of this type of plasticity include neuropathic pain, tics, and epilepsy.

Factors supporting neuroplasticity

Based on the information on neuroplasticity presented above, it can be concluded that habits are the result of this process. According to prof. Małgorzata Kossut, a small child’s brain learns the fastest, but the good news is that neuroplasticity is not limited to youth. The adult brain can also be stimulated.

Biological age is not the only factor impacting neuroplasticity, it is also health, lifestyle (travelling, experiencing different cultures), physical and mental activity (neurons die in a bran that does not learn), playing instruments, proper diet, using both hands, juggling, proper thyroid functioning, body oxygenation, sleep and regeneration.

Habit building myths

It takes only 21 days to change a habit

There are many myths on changing habits. One of them is that it takes only 21 days to change a habit. Scientific research shows that it is an oversimplified theory. Some analyses show that it takes 66 days, while others indicate even 254 days, the time depending on individual features of a given person, habit type and circumstances.

Magdalena Kazienko’s work “Habitual actions and goal-directed behaviour” (Działania nawykowe a zachowania kierowane przez cele) refers to an experiment (Lally et al., 2009), which covered 96 people interested in getting into a new good habit – for example, doing 50 pushups in the morning or eating a fruit everyday after lunch. The aim of the study was to determine when new behaviours become automatic and performed “without thinking about them.”
In the first days, a rapid increase in automation was observed, which reached a peak, after which the pace of this process slowed down. In case of some habits, such as drinking a glass of water, automation was extremely fast, it required just 18 days of repeating the action, while for others it took even 254 days. It was also generally accepted that full automation took place after approximately 66 days. An interesting conclusion from the study is also the fact that getting into a new habit was more difficult for some participants, which may indicate that there are people facing a bigger challenge when it comes to adopting new behaviours.

Due to this, changing habits should be tailored to individual needs because not every person responds the same, which is a common belief.

On the Multi.Life platform, you can find several webinars, which will make it possible for you to effectively change your habits. Just log in and enjoy!

Changing habits is a linear and simple process

It is also worth debunking the myth that during process of changing a habit, every day will be easier – it is not true. It is better not to take this approach because in reality the change process is not a linear process. It means that there may be moments of doubt, crises, or regress. The key is to get back on track, not to strive for perfection.

Sudden changes are effective

Next, we can look at the proponents of radical and sudden change. According to experts, the brain responds better to small, repetitive changes with real objectives. It includes, for example, the Kaizen method or the “Atomic Habits” concept, which are more effective than “New Year revolutions.”

All it takes to change your habits is strong willpower

Why are good intentions and determination not enough to change habitual behaviour? Even deep motivation is not enough to effectively change your habits. It is fundamental in the process to focus on external factors that trigger the behaviour. 

You should completely eliminate unwanted habits

The last myth is the belief that to get rid of an unwanted habit, you have to eliminate it completely. In reality, the brain cannot “delete” old connections; instead, it creates new paths that can replace them. The most important thing is to replace a bad habit with a new and better one.

Changing habits – how to start?

It is hard to change the performance of habitual actions due to the automatic, unconscious activation. Behavioral patterns practiced for years may come back even after a long time if there is a right trigger. This is the reason people struggling with alcohol addiction often call themselves alcoholics, even if they have not been drinking alcohol for years. Scientists recommend replacing a negative habit that we want to get out of with a different habit. Using this tactic, you do not have to avoid triggers of the habit, while the reward is the same.

Changing a habit should be preceded by the habit loop analysis. It is essential to determine the trigger – circumstances of the habit, such as time of the day, place, your mood, or presence of other people. The next step is to properly recognise the reward related to a given behaviour. For example, if you want to eliminate the habit of snacking, you should think whether you eat unhealthy snacks because you are hungry, stressed or because you spend time around people who do this. A properly identified trigger enables replacing it with a different, healthier action. Instead of turning to crisps to relieve tension, you could, for example, go for a short walk or listen to music.

In the process of forming new habits, self-control will also be useful. If it is weakened, e.g. due to lack of sleep or insufficient regeneration of the body, it will be more difficult to resist habitual behaviours. In order to successfully change habits, it is necessary to adopt the right approach – it is important to work on them systematically every day in specific situations. The trigger should be clear, and the repetitive behaviour must lead to the reward.

Other effective methods of changing habits

In the behaviour change psychology, there are also the following methods referred to above:

1. Kaizen method – its name comes from Japanese (“kai” – change, “zen” – good). This method involves making small improvements every day. Even though we take small steps forward every day, sometimes barely visible, we are still in a constant process of improvement. Minor changes are easier to implement and maintain, and consistently lead to the desired results.
2. “Atomic Habits” concept – presented by James Clear in his book of the same title. The author emphasises that introducing changes is an effect of making micro-decisions and not only focusing on the main goal. According to this theory, instead of immediately introducing the habit of reading 20 pages of a book a day, you can start with one page and slowly increase the number to reach your goal.

The support of the environment is also important in the process of changing habits. Research proves that people talking openly about their goal, who have a support group, even online, or regularly inform others about their progress, show a much higher consistency and they are more successful in achieving their goals than people who are alone.

^References: 

1. ^{Online Cambridge Dictionary.}   
2. ^{Duhigg C., The Power of Habit, Publisher: Wydawnictwo Grupa PWN, 2014.}
3. ^{Kossut M., Neuroplastyczność, Publisher: Wydawnictwo Medyk Sp. z o.o., 2018.}
4. ^{Podgórska J., “Tak działa mózg. Jak mądrze dbać o jego funkcjonowanie”, Publisher: Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal, Warsaw 2023.}
5. ^{Kazieko M., Działania nawykowe a zachowania kierowane przez cele, https://journals.kozminski.edu.pl/} 

            ^{https://journals.kozminski.edu.pl/pub/6801}

            ^{https://repozytorium.kozminski.edu.pl/en/system/files/Kazieko2013.pdf}