Winton Eliott
Any behavior that is repeated frequently can become a habit. Some habits, like brushing your teeth, are beneficial and relatively easy to maintain.
Other habits, like biting your nails, may be less desirable but still fairly easy to break. Then there are habits that are difficult to change, such as smoking or overeating.
So how long do habits last?
There is no definitive answer, as it depends on the individual and the behavior in question.
Generally speaking, simple behaviors that offer immediate rewards (such as eating a tasty snack or smoking a cigarette) are harder to break than complex behaviors that provide delayed gratification (such as going to the gym or saving money).
In addition, some research suggests that bad habits tend to be more resistant to change than good ones. So if you’re trying to break a habit, be prepared for a long and difficult battle. But with perseverance and a bit of luck, you just might succeed.
You’ve probably heard it said that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. But is there any truth to this claim? And if so, how long do habits actually last?
According to some experts, the answer depends on the type of habit you’re trying to form.
Simple habits, like brushing your teeth or making your bed in the morning, can be solidified relatively quickly. However, more complex habits, such as exercising regularly or eating healthy, tend to take longer to stick.
In general, it is thought that it takes anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a new behavior to become automatic.
So if you’re trying to form a new habit, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen overnight. Just keep at it, and eventually, it will become second nature.
Do habits ever go away?
The answer to this question depends on what you mean by “go away.” If you are asking if habits can be broken, then the answer is yes.
It is possible to break any habit, although it may take some time and effort to do so. However, if you are asking if habits can be completely eradicated, then the answer is less clear.
It is true that once a habit is formed, it can be difficult to completely eliminate it.
However, it is also possible to reduce the frequency or intensity of a habit over time. So, while habits may never completely go away, it is possible to change them in meaningful ways.
Why it can be difficult to break a habit?
Habits are difficult to break for a number of reasons.
Habits are often deeply ingrained in our lives and can be hard to change.
It’s no secret that habits can be hard to break. Whether it’s a bad habit like smoking or a good habit like exercising, once something becomes a part of our daily routine, it can be difficult to change.
This is because habits are often deeply ingrained in our lives. They become a part of who we are and how we operate on a day-to-day basis.
This can make it very challenging to break a habit, even if we really want to. However, it’s important to remember that habits are only as strong as we allow them to be.
With time and effort, it is possible to overcome even the most deeply ingrained habits. So if you’re looking to make a change in your life, don’t be discouraged – just keep at it and eventually you’ll succeed.
Habits often provide some sort of reward that makes them enjoyable
Anyone who has ever tried to break a bad habit knows that it can be difficult to do so. However, the fact that habits often provide some sort of reward that makes them enjoyable can actually help to explain why they are so hard to break.
When we engage in a habit, our brain actually releases chemicals that make us feel good. This reinforces the behavior and makes it more likely that we will repeat it again in the future.
In order to break a habit, it is important to find an alternative activity that can provide the same level of satisfaction.
For example, if you want to break the habit of watching too much television, you might try going for a walk or reading a book instead. By substituting a healthy activity for an unhealthy one, you can train your brain to seek out new sources of enjoyment.
Habits can be difficult to break because they often serve some sort of purpose in our lives
Another reason why habits can be difficult to break is that they often serve some sort of purpose in our lives.
For example, if you’re used to eating unhealthy junk food, it might be because it provides a quick and easy source of energy. Or if you’re used to procrastinating, it might be because it provides a way to avoid difficult tasks.
In order to break a habit, it is important to identify the purpose it serves in your life and find an alternative activity that can serve the same purpose. Once you’ve done this, breaking the habit will be much easier.
For example, let’s say you want to break the habit of eating junk food. One way to do this is to identify the purpose that junk food serves in your life.
Perhaps it provides a quick and easy source of energy. If this is the case, then you can try replacing junk food with healthy snacks that will give you the same boost of energy.
Once you’ve made this switch, you’ll be less likely to crave junk food and more likely to stick with your healthy habits.
Habits are often ingrained in our lives and can be hard to change
As we’ve seen, habits are often deeply ingrained in our lives and can be hard to change. However, it is possible to overcome even the most deeply ingrained habits.
The key is to identify the purpose that the habit serves in your life and find an alternative activity that can serve the same purpose. With time and effort, you can break even the toughest of habits.
How to change a habit?
Understand why the habit exists
In order to change a habit, it is important to first understand why the habit exists. Habits are often formed as a way of coping with stress or anxiety.
For example, someone may develop the habit of nail-biting when they are feeling nervous. Or, someone may begin overeating as a way of dealing with emotional pain.
Once the reasons for the existence of the habit are understood, it becomes easier to find alternative coping mechanisms. For instance, instead of nail-biting, someone could try to keep their hands busy with a fidget toy.
And instead of overeating, someone could journal about their feelings or reach out to a friend for support. Understanding the why behind a habit is an important first step in changing it.
Find an alternative activity
As we’ve seen, habits often serve some sort of purpose in our lives. In order to break a habit, it is important to find an alternative activity that can serve the same purpose.
For example, if you want to break the habit of watching too much television, you might try going for a walk or reading a book instead.
By substituting a healthy activity for an unhealthy one, you can train your brain to seek out new sources of enjoyment.
Make a plan
After you’ve identified the reasons for your habit and found an alternative activity to replace it, it’s important to make a plan. This plan should include when and how you will execute the alternative activity.
For instance, if you want to start going for walks instead of watching television, you might plan to go for a walk every day after work.
Having a specific plan makes it more likely that you will stick to your goals and successfully change your habit.
Be patient
Habits can be difficult to break because they often serve some sort of purpose in our lives.
In order to change a habit, it is important to find an alternative activity that can serve the same purpose. However, it is important to be patient when trying to break a habit.
It takes time and effort to change the way we think and act. So, don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately.
The bottom line
People often ask “how long do habits last?” The answer, unfortunately, is not always straightforward. While it is possible to break some habits relatively easily, others can be much more difficult to change.
This is because habits are often deeply ingrained in our daily routine and can be supported by various environmental cues. For example, someone who bites their nails may do so unconsciously while watching TV or talking on the phone.
In order to change this habit, they would need to become aware of when they are doing it and make a conscious effort to stop. Similarly, someone who overeats may do so in response to emotional triggers such as stress or boredom.
In these cases, simply changing the behavior is not enough – the underlying trigger needs to be addressed as well. Ultimately, the length of time it takes to break a habit depends on a variety of factors and cannot be predicted with any accuracy.
However, with commitment and patience, it is possible to change even the most entrenched habits.
