The Nature of Human Habits

Habits are an integral part of human life. From waking up to going to bed at night, some or the other habit is behind our every action. On the one hand, habits make our lives easier and more orderly, on the other hand, they can be one of the main driving forces on the path to our success. But, what is the nature of these habits?

The process of habit formation

Habits are basically an automatic process of the brain. When we do something repeatedly, our brain creates a certain pattern of that action. This pattern becomes so strong that we do not have to consciously think about doing that action later. Scientists describe this process of habit as a "loop", which has three main components:

1. Cue: This is the stimulus that prompts us to do a certain action. For example, getting out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off in the morning.

2. Routine: This is the action that we do in response to the cue. In the example above, getting out of bed is the routine.

3. Reward: This is the feeling or benefit that we get after completing the routine. A reward can be feeling refreshed after getting out of bed or mentally preparing to start the day's work.

The more times this loop is repeated, the stronger the habit becomes.

Types of Habits

Human habits can be mainly divided into two categories:

Good habits: These habits improve our physical and mental health and help us achieve our goals. For example: exercising regularly, eating healthy foods, sleeping on time, reading books, saving money, etc.

Bad habits: These habits are harmful to our health and hinder us from achieving our goals. For example: smoking, eating too much fast food, staying up late, using social media for long periods, procrastinating, etc.

How Habits Are Developed

Research shows that it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to develop a new habit, depending on the complexity of the behavior and individual consistency. Key factors in habit formation include:

Repetition: The more often an action is performed, the more it is imprinted in the brain.

Consistency: Performing behaviors in the same environment helps reinforce the habit loop.

Reward: Satisfactory outcomes increase the likelihood of repetition.

Interestingly, small changes are often more sustainable than radical changes. This concept, often referred to as “atomic habits,” suggests that developing better habits often starts with micro-behaviors — like doing one push-up or reading a page of a book every day.

Importance of Habits

Habits keep our daily lives moving. Good habits increase our productivity, reduce stress, and improve our overall quality of life. On the other hand, bad habits have a negative impact on our personal and professional lives. Successful people often have disciplined and positive habits that help them achieve their goals.

Changing habits and forming new habits

Although habits are difficult to break once they are formed, it is not impossible. Forming new habits and breaking bad habits requires determination and the right strategy. Some effective ways to do this are:

Taking small steps: Setting small goals instead of making big changes at once.

Being mindful: Identifying which cues are prompting which routines and what their rewards are.

Creating alternative routines: Establishing a positive alternative routine instead of bad habits.

Changing the environment: Changing the environment or things that encourage bad habits.

Strong mindset and patience: Changing habits takes time, so it is important to stick with it.

In conclusion, although the nature of human habits is a complex process, it plays an important role in determining the course of our lives. By consciously forming good habits and breaking bad habits, we can build a successful and meaningful life.