A new habit usually takes about two months to feel automatic, and sometimes far longer. The most-cited study on the question found a median of 66 days, with a range from 18 to 254 days. The key ingredient is repetition in the same situation, not willpower. This piece is part of our guide to habits and learning.
How long does it take to form a habit?
In a 2010 study in the European Journal of Social Psychology, 96 volunteers chose an eating, drinking or activity behavior to do daily in the same context, such as after breakfast, for 12 weeks, and rated each day how automatic it felt. The time it took to reach a plateau ranged from 18 to 254 days, with a median of 66 days.
Two caveats. The upper end was a projection, because the study lasted 84 days.
Is it true that a habit takes 21 days?
Not according to this research. The fastest time was 18 days, and the median was more than three times longer than 21. Expecting 21 days sets you up to feel you have failed just as the habit is starting to take hold.
What makes a habit stick?
| Principle | In practice |
|---|---|
| Same situation each time | Tie the habit to something you already do daily |
| Small and repeatable | A version you can do on a bad day |
| Decided in advance | An if-then plan for when, where and what to do if something gets in the way |
Deciding in advance has strong support. A 2006 meta-analysis of 94 tests found that if-then plans had "a positive effect of medium-to-large magnitude (d= .65) on goal attainment." The if-then habit planner helps you write one.
Does missing a day ruin a habit?
No. In the same study, missing one opportunity did not materially affect the habit formation process. The useful rule is to pick it up again the next day rather than treating one miss as a reason to quit.
How do you break a bad habit?
The same principles work in reverse: the cue that triggers it matters as much as the behavior. Changing or avoiding the situation that sets it off, and planning a specific alternative for when it happens, gives you more to work with than willpower alone. For phones and distractions, see how to improve focus. For drinking, see alcohol abuse and dependence, and talk to a doctor if cutting down is hard.
