How long does it really take to build a habit? Study says 66 days—not 21

Thekabarnews.com—You may have heard that it only takes 21 days to get used to a new habit, like working out every day or drinking more water. But research shows that it takes a lot longer than that.

The European Journal of Social Psychology published a study by Phillippa Lally from University College London. This study looked at how habits really change over time.

For 12 weeks, Lally and her team watched 96 people. Everyone picked one new thing to do, like working out for 15 minutes before dinner or drinking a bottle of water at lunch. Participants reported daily whether they had engaged in the behavior and how automatic it felt.

Researchers examined the data and determined that, on average, it requires 66 days for a new behavior to solidify into a habit. However, the time frame was very different. Some individuals could adapt to it within 18 days. Others required up to 254 days.

Many people say that it takes 21 days to make a habit, but the facts show that the claim isn’t true. In reality, it can take anywhere from two to eight months for someone to form habits that last. It all depends on the person, how challenging the behavior is, and what is going on in their life.

The study also taught us something useful: if you miss a day, you don’t have to start over. Researchers discovered that failing to engage in the activity once didn’t significantly impact habit formation. Being consistent is better than being perfect.

Health psychologists say that the best way to form habits is to do the same thing in the same situation over and over again. This means repeating a behavior makes it more likely to become a habit. The more you do something in a certain situation, like drinking water at lunch, the more normal it will seem.

The study shows that people are aware that things don’t change very often. Experts say to make a plan and stick to it rather than trying to change quickly.