We all have habits—those small, often subconscious behaviours that shape our daily lives. Some of these habits help us thrive, while others hold us back. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t take forever to change our habits. With focus and consistency, you can create a new habit or break an old one in just 28 days.
Why 28 days? The idea that it takes 28 days to change a habit stems from the concept that consistent repetition creates new neural pathways in the brain. While the exact timeframe may vary for individuals, 28 days is a manageable, motivating goal to establish momentum and change your routine. It’s long enough to make meaningful progress but short enough to stay committed.
So the science behind habit formation is that habits are formed through a loop of three key components:
1. Cue: A trigger that initiates the behaviour
2. Routine: The action you take
3. Reward: The benefit you gain, which reinforces the habit
When trying to build a new habit, the goal is to repeatedly go through this loop until the routine becomes automatic. Similarly, breaking a bad habit involves disrupting one or more components of the loop.
Steps to building a new habit in 28 days:
1. Define Your Goal: Be specific. Instead of saying, ‘I want to exercise more,’ try, ‘I will do a 20-minute workout every morning at 7 a.m.’
2. Start Small: Focus on a habit that feels manageable. If your goal is to drink more water, begin with a single glass before each meal.
3. Find a Trigger: Pair your new habit with an existing routine or something you do regularly, like brushing your teeth.
4. Track Your Progress: Use a habit tracker to visually monitor your consistency. Crossing off each day is both satisfying and motivating.
5. Celebrate Small Wins: Reward yourself for sticking to your habit. This reinforces the behaviour and keeps you engaged. For example, take a relaxing bath, enjoy some time watching TV or indulge in some guilt-free leisure time. The key is to choose rewards that feel meaningful but don’t derail your progress.
Here are the steps to changing a habit in 28 Days
1. Identify the Habit Loop: Analyse the cue, routine and reward of the habit you want to change. Understanding why you do it is the first step to change.
2. Replace, Don’t Erase: Habits don’t disappear; they’re replaced. For example, if you’re trying to stop snacking late at night, replace it with a healthier alternative, like sipping herbal tea.
3. Change Your Environment: Remove temptations that trigger the habit. If you’re cutting back on screen time before bed, keep your phone out of the bedroom.
4. Practice Mindfulness: When the urge strikes, pause and reflect on the underlying emotion or need driving the habit. Often, awareness is enough to disrupt the pattern.
5. Get Support: Share your goal with family or friends or consider joining a group working on similar habits such as Slimming World if you’re trying to lose weight. Accountability can be a powerful motivator.
Here are my tips for overcoming challenges:
It’s normal to face setbacks when changing habits. Here’s how to handle common challenges:
1. Missed Days: If you miss a day, don’t give up. Acknowledge the slip, pick yourself up and start again (I appreciate that this can be easier said than done but don’t let a momentary setback stop your progress…..keep going!).
2. Lack of Motivation: Remind yourself of the bigger ‘why’ behind your goal. I find that visualisation and affirmations can help.
3. Dealing with Plateaus: If progress slows, shake things up. Introduce a new reward or slightly adjust your routine to reignite your momentum. For example, an adjustment I make is putting lemon in my glass of water some days and other days instead of a cup, I use a wine glass.
The Power of Habit Trackers
A habit tracker is a simple yet effective tool to help you stay on course. By visually marking each day you stick to your habit, you create a sense of accomplishment and accountability. Seeing your streak grow can be incredibly motivating. Plus, a tracker helps you identify patterns and obstacles, making it easier to adjust as needed.
Are you Ready to Start?
Whether you want to build a positive habit like reading daily or break a bad habit like procrastination, 28 days is all you need to kickstart the change. The journey won’t always be easy, but the transformation is worth it. With a clear goal, consistent effort and the right tools, you can reshape your habits and ultimately, your life.
Remember, every big change begins with a single step. Let today be day 1 of your 28-day journey to a better you but please don’t worry if you need more time (I sometimes do!).
With love, Victoria