How long to create a habit
- Thread starter Jon
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Ok, my insight was that "how long does it take to create a habit?" is actually the wrong question. Habits are something you do regularly. Instead, a better way to look at it, is how easy is it after what time period? When you start off a habit, it is difficult. It takes a lot of energy and thought, but over time it becomes progressively easier. But even after a year of doing something, if you stop doing it, the habit has stopped. So, the habit you are regularly doing has a difficulty level tied to it. Going to the gym as a habit just gets easier with time. Can you really say that you have the habit now? How is that any different to when you are first forming it, since you are still doing it then. The distinction is in the level of difficulty.
Some years ago, I got caught doing a foolish thing - I locked my keys in my car and had to call a mobile service that did that kind of services. (Local chain was "Sir Pop-a-Lock".) After that, I remembered that it cost me money so I never again locked a car by pushing down the button and slamming the door. Instead, I either used the key on the door OR used the remote. Took my about a month for that to become automatic. So I guess in the case of a favorable habit with a trivial physical component, "how long" = about 1 month.
You bring up a good point Doc, which is that the simpler the habit, the easier it is to form and the less effort. Perhaps simple is not quite the right word, as eating less is simple, but very difficult! But an easy physical action would be easier to forge, and much faster to establish so it becomes effortless.
In a Bayesian manner, I would also like to modify my insight with a further nuance. You have two behaviours: A or B. Press down the door lock, or use the remote. Each has its own level of difficulty. While you are trying to forge habit B, the cognitive effort required for B is more than the cognitive effort required for A. You have to think about doing it. However, after a while, there comes a tipping point where it is easier to do B than A. This then becomes your default choice, and with further repetition it continues to get easier and automatic.
Perhaps this is slightly different from the habit of going to the gym, because the gym itself will always require a large exertion of effort.
In any case, learning how to form habits effectively will give anyone an advantage over not knowing.
In a Bayesian manner, I would also like to modify my insight with a further nuance. You have two behaviours: A or B. Press down the door lock, or use the remote. Each has its own level of difficulty. While you are trying to forge habit B, the cognitive effort required for B is more than the cognitive effort required for A. You have to think about doing it. However, after a while, there comes a tipping point where it is easier to do B than A. This then becomes your default choice, and with further repetition it continues to get easier and automatic.
Perhaps this is slightly different from the habit of going to the gym, because the gym itself will always require a large exertion of effort.
In any case, learning how to form habits effectively will give anyone an advantage over not knowing.
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